The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-07-16
c. Van Avery Self Confessed Burg.
lar, Sentenced To Two and
q Half Years at Waupun
PLEADS WITH COURT TODAY
Man Admits the Facts in Regard to His
Past Life When Confronted With
Evidence and Says ''There's
the Damn Thief in Me-
(Fro.a Thursdav,s Daflr.l

(ffOt1 Thursdays DalIy.)
George Van Avery, alias George and
Frank Taylor, who recently pleaded
guilty to charge of burglarizing the
home of A. B. Ames, was sentenced to-
spend two and half years in the state
prison at Waupun by Judge BeIden in
the Circuit Court this morning. Van
Avery took his sentence coolly and was
off to Waupun this afternoon with the
hope that his son in Chicago had not
heard of the shame of his father.
The closing scene in the rather unus-
ual case was enacted with only few
people in court and Van Avery before
he was sentenced admitted all the facts
chat had been discovered against him.
When he was brought into court he was
faultlessly dressed and when he APP
preached the bench to get his sentence
he was ready to argue with the court.
He stuck to his former story that he
had never been convicted OF crime be-
fore and told again the story of the boy.
Then Judge Belden pulled out the pict-
ure Of him when he was at Joliet 1t
was a speaking likeness of the man as
he appeared in court. "Do you think
that picture looks like me- said Van
Avery, as the court without comment
handed over the photo which carried
the Bertillion measurements Of the man.
EEI can't see any resemblance in the
picture" said Van Avery. The court
passed on without comment and turning
to the man said: elbow long term
were you sentenced for at Joliet. -
Evidently knowing that the entire
story Of his life had been laid bare
Van Avery looked the judge in the
face and with no attempt at subterfuge
said ''I think it was for ten years
judge" Then Van Avery told how he
had stolen and how the boy had secured
his release and how last winter he had
made an effort to get work, but that the
shadow Of the prison sentence was still
over him. He declared that he had no
intention of robbery when he came to
Kenosha, but that he had walked past
the Ames house and had seen Mr.. and
Mrs. Ames leave for church. "What
caused you to go back and enter the
house, asked Attorney Baker. The
response was the whole story of the
man. That s the damned thief in me, !"
said the prisoner and he never batted
an eye lash. It was shown that he had
been thrice arrested for burglary, but
at one time he had been released with
out indictment by the grand jury.
In sentencing the man Judge Belden
told him that he felt sorry for him as
there was reason to believe that it was
a passion for crime rather than the
necessity or criminal inclination to steal
That had led HIM to become a thief.
After the sentence Van Avery plead.
ed with the court to change it to two
years in order that he could be released
from prison at the opening of the sum-
mer rather than in the winter, but the
court refused to change the sentence
in any way.
At the close Of the court scene Van
Avery thanked the court and the of.
fcials for the interest they had taken
in the case and declared that his only
idea In seeking to deceive the court and
the attorney was to save the reputation
Of the boy. "Any man that was
man" said Van Avery or who had even
ever been man would have taken the
same course.
No trace has been found of the son
and it is admitted that he is living in
Chicago under another name which he
took at the time of his fathers forme.
conviction.