The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1908-03-20
DRAMATIC
Address Made to a Court by a
Man Condemned to Die.

death shah not be PISSED upon you.
A solemn hush feII over tie croEd
e court room. and every perz5n
waited in almost brezthIess e1Tacta-
ton for the answer TO the irizs's
question
The judge still waited in d-znifiei
silence Not q whisper was heard
anywhere, and the situation had D.
cone painfully oppressive. when the
prisoner was seen TO move. his head
was raised. his hands we're eIenched
and the blood has rushed into his
paIe. eare-wOrn face His teeth were
firmly set and into his eye came .
fIssh Of light
Suddenly he rose to his feet ana
in = low. firm voice said 4 have.
your Honor. you have asked ne a
question, and nov ask IL As the
Isst favor on earth that yOu vii not
interrupt ny answer until ! am
through
4 stand here before the bar convict
ed Of the vfIful murder Of ny wife
Truthful witnesses have testified 70
the fact thar ! vas q drunkzrd. 4
l0afer and q wretch. that / return
ed from one Of ny prolonged de-
bauehs and fired the fatal shot that
killed the wife had sEore to love.
cherish and protect
While ! have no rememberz1ce
Of committing the fearful eorardIy.
irhuman deed. have no right 10 COR
plain or condemn the verdict Of the
twelve good men Who have acted IS
= jury in the case. for the verdict Is
in accordance with the evidence
But. may IL please the court.
wish 70 show that / am not alone
responsible for the murder Of NY
wife
This startling statement created =
tremendOus sensation The judge Ian
ei over the desk The Izryers vheeI-
ed arOun and faced the prisoner. the
jurors looked Al each other in amaze
ment- While the spectators could
hardly suppress their intense excite
ment The Kfsoner paused for q
few seconds and then continued in
tie sane firm voice.
repeat your honor that l am
not the only one guilty Ofthe nur-
der Of ny wife The judge On this
bench the jury in this boz. the Inv
yers in this bar. and m0st Of the Wit
nssses. are also guilty before AImigh-
fore His Judgment throne. where We
shall all be righfe01sly judged
II - men conspire together for
the murder Of one person the law
Of this lAnd viii arrest the .. and
each VIII Be tried and executed for
a whole murder. and not for one-tEen-
tieth Sf the crime
4 have been made a drunkzrd By
the law II IL had not been for the
1eEalized saloons in ny toEn would
never have become q drunkzrd. j
wOuInd not be here nov ready 70 Be
hurled into eternity
Had II not bsea for the human
tr1ps set out By the consent Of
the government / would have been :
sober nan. an industrious workman.
= tender father and a loving his
b1nd But today ny hone is destroy
e. NY wife murdered. ny little chill
dren-God hes them-czsr out 10
On the cold merry Of the Worthwhile
am 70 be murdered By the strong
arm Of the Stale in vhich live
God kn0Es i tried TO reform. but
As long As the open salon vas in ny
pathway ny weak. diseased yin pOE-
e vas no match against the fearful
consuming aeOn1ing appetite for Il
qu0r- Al Iast l sought the care and
sympathy Of the church Of Jesns
Chris
One year cur tOgn Vas without \
sllooa- For one year I vas . sober
nan For one year ny vile and chill
dren were suprsmeIy happJ and cur
hone a perfect paraEE
i Vas one Of those vho signed r.
nonstrances against re-Opening 81
lr0ns in or town Tie names Of half
TIE jury caa today Be found On Ihzt
petition certiring 70 the good u0r-
~ Character q The run-seIlers and
falsely saying that the sale Of liquor
Vas Necessary IN or town he prOs-
erutins attorney in this case is The
one that % eioQueatly pleaded With
the court for TIE license. and tne
ildEe Who sits On the bench. and
asks ne II l hare anything 10 say
before the sentence Of death is psss-
"a on me. granted the license
The impaszioned words q the
prisoner Zen IKE Goals o. fire upsa
The hearts q those present and many
Of the spectators and some lawyers
we've moved 10 tears The iudge made
a motion a. II 10 stop any further
speech On the part Of the prisoner
nhnn TIE snlAker hastily sid.