Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-06-30
SENTENCED FOR LIFE
FOR STEALING FOOD
Remarkable Case of William
Walsh Who Stole to APP
pease His Hunger.

Some years ago the late Charles
Hoyt wrote a play which based upon
an absurd inconsistency of the Yer
mont prohibitory law. The plot was
admirable for farce comedy: but il
was difficult TO realize that IL actu-
ally had been taken from real life
a man named iibling was sentenced
to prison for sixty years for selling
about seven hundred glasses of H..
quor,-a much less quantity than
most respectable city hotels sell to
their patrons in an afternoon.
stu more remarkable was a case
In Grccnyillc, Ohio. last January.
when man was sent to the penitcn-
tary for stealing food when he was
hungry In this case the sentence
was legal, and 1t was not what the
law meant Why? Because the last
Ohio Legislature, in changing the
penalty for burglary from twenty
years to life imprisonment, overlook.
ed Il possible case In which the law
might work great hardship and inius-
tice. In drafting the new law. they
worded it,so the penalty was life i'm
prlsonment, adding. with the most
N''a'Siiu lIidl IHt sell
tence might be reduced in the dis
erection of the judge if the jury should
recommend mercy.
OF course, the Legislature could
not be expected to know that there
are eases in the courts which arc
not tried by jury. A man pleads gull
ty-under the law of Ohio there can
he no jury. Tho question that a Jury
I'll m nc l,pD al,
PENDANT, in open court. Even the
most cXtcnuating circumstances then
would not lessen the punishment for
burglary IL the man pleaded guilty.
So the very case TO fit the defect
in the law occurred. quite naturally
William Welsh. a stray tramp. being
hungry as tramps often are. strollcd
into the village of Grceuville. and
stole five pounds of corned beef from
inside the storm door of a farm
house. Tho door was closed: there
fore. he "brokc and entered, which
Is the legal description of burglary
and with Intent to commit n felony:
namely. get something 10 cat AS It
was the night season, time wherein
the face of man cannot be distin
guishcd by the light of the sun. with.
al his act was an act of bare faced
burglary of the grossest kind.
1t is related that Welsh was most
considerably courteous in the mat
ter merely al'stracting food that he
could get at easily. and without dis
turbing members of the family. He
made a house to house canvass of
the vicinity. and was caught seated
on the front porch of Gale Helms
house, calmly partaking OF n bowl
of milk and n pan e6f mush he had
confiscated. No resistance was Of
fcred. 81 was hungry and found
something to eat" was all he said
in explanation.
He was arranged before Judge J.
| |. Allread, who asked him whether
he wished to plead guilty or not gull
ty.
Guilty" he replied.
"This Is most serious offense for
which you are TO he tried" respond,
ed the Judge, "and don't want you
to say what You don't mean. A plea
of guilty when accepted by me means
n sentence of imprisonment for life,
| will ask the clerk to read the in
! dictment again. as there is reason
to believe that the defendant did not
/
circumstances"
The clerk read the indictment
again, wherein it was charged that
Zone William Welsh did break and
enter the residence. of one Frank
Wolf, in the city of Greenville. dur
| ing the night season. and did steal
and carry away about five pounds OF
corned beef, to the value of fifty
cents. said residence of Frank Wolf
being an Inhabited dwelling, contrary
| to the statute In such cases duly
made and provided
The Judge turned to the prisoner.
How do you plead to this indict-
ment, guilty or not guilty?" he asked.
Guilty replied Welsh. 81 did it..
There's no use lying about 1t. | was
hungry. and stole the beef to get
something to eat"
"But If you will plead not guilty.
we can try you by jury, and your
sentence may be made a short one"
81 said was guilty" replied Welsh.
whats the use of fusslng any more
about it?''
The Judge was taken completely
off his feet. Such case as this had
never before come under his observa-
ton. do you really want me to
send YOU to the penltentiary for
life? Existence behind prison walls
| is worse than hell--it is Il living
death. You will never see your
friends again.
81 have no friends replied Welsh.
"Your parents
"They are dead"
hut the terrors of such life
have you no desire for liberty and
Freedom %