Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-03-18
NUMBER rs
O6dthlu Grimes Responsible To
Mems Vice.


Prisoner at the bar, have you any
thing TO say why sentence OF death Shall
not be passed upon you?'
\ solemn hush fell over the crowded
courtroom, and every person waited in
almost breathless expectation for the
answer tn tho judges question. The
! judge waited in dignified silence Not
"A whisper was heard anywhere. aud the
situation had become painfully oppres-
sive, when the prisoner was seen to
move, his head was raised, his hand was
clenched, and the blood had rushed into
his pale, c,reworn lace.
| Suddenly ne rose to his feet, and i'm n
| low, firm, but distinct voice, said II
have, Your honorl You have asked me
| question, and l now ask, as the last
favor on earth that yon will not in
terrupt my answer unul L ann through:
Il stand here fore ths bar, convicted
or the wiltul murder ol my wife. Truth
| tul witnesses have testified TO the fact
! that was n loater, n drunSard, aud II
! wretch, that returned from one of my
| prolonged debauchts aud fired the intal
| shot that killed tho wife hRd sworn to
J love, cherish aud prot ct. While nave
| no remembrance Ot committing tn, fear-
/ ful deed, | have no right TO complain or
TO condemn the verdict of the twelve
! good men who have acted ms Jury il the
|
with the evidence. But may il please
the Court L wish TO show tnat L am not
I alone responsible for the murder OF nv
wifer'
This startling statement created n
| tremendous sensation The Judge can
ed oyer the desk, the lawyers wheeled
around and faced the prisoner, the
Jurors looked at ca III other in nmaze-
| ment, while the spectators could hardly
| m la IL
The prisoner paused few seconds,
and then continued in the same firm,
distinct voice: IL repeat, your honor,
that am not the only one guilty OF the
murder OF my wife The judge ON his
bench, the jury in the box, the lawyers
within this bar, and most of the
witnesses, including the pastor of the
old church. are also guilty before
Almighty God, and will have to stand
with me before His Judgment throne
where we shall all be righteously judg-
ed. LII IL had not been for tho saloons
OF my town never would have become
n drunkard, my wife would not have
been murdered. i wound not be here,
| now ready to be hurled into eternity.
would have been sober man, an indus
trious workman, II tender father and n
loving husband But today NV home
Is destroyed. my wife murdered, my
little children-God bless and care for
| them-cast out on the mercy of the
world, while | am to be hung by the
strong arm OF the state God knows
! tried to reform, but rs long ns the open
saloon was in my pathway, my weak,
| diseased will power was no match
against the fearful consuming, agoniz-
ing appetite for liquor FoI one year
our town was without II saloon For ono
year was sober man, for one year my
wife md children were happy aud our
little home was paradise / was one
or those who signed "a remonstrance
against re-opening the saloons Of our
town. One half OF this jnry, the prose-
cullng attorney in this case, and the
judge who slts on this bench, all voted
for the saloons BY their votes and in
| iiuence saloons were re-opened and these
have made me what / am."
The impassioned words of the prisoner
fell like Goals OF fire upon the hearts of
| those present, and many of the spectators
and some of the lawyers were moved to
tears. The judge made motion as il to
stop further speech, when the speaker
hastily said: mo. no, your honor, do
not close my lips. am nearly through
j began my downward career at saloon
bar legalized and protected by the voters
ofthis town After the saloons you al
lowed have made me "A drunkard and q
murderer, am taken before another
bar-the bar OF justice, and now the
law'power will conduct me to the place
! OF execution and hasten my soul into
eternity. j shall appear before another
bar-the judgment bar OF God. and there
/ you who have legalized the traffic will
have 10 appear with me. Think you that
the Great Judge will hold me the weak,
helpless victim OF your traffic alone re-
! sponsible for the murder Of my wife?
Nay, IN my freDzied, irresponsible con-
dltlOn, have murdered one but Won
have deliberately voted for the saloons,
which have murdered thousands. and
they are in full operation today. with
! your consent. All of you know i'm your
hearts that these words OF mine are not
the rawlings Of AN unsound mind. but
! God AlmiRhty's truth You leQalized
the saloons that made me drunkard
and murderer, and you are guilty with
me before God and man for the murder
OF my wife. Your honor, / am done. /
am now ready TO receive my sentence
and be led forth to the place of execu-
ton. 1 will close by sOlemnly asking
God TO open your blind eyes, to your
own individual responsibility so that
you will cease tn give your support 10
this dreadful traffic"
The foregoing article, taken from tho
Railroad Trainman's Journal. was
handed as by subscriber with a request
that we print 1t. The subscriber also
urgently requests every voter of our
town TO read the article before deciding
to cast his ballot for saloons in Ceredo--
Ir.