La Junta tribune., 1908-11-14
s,ss. !. r.. year. ,.r c.ss,.s.
John =. Coddins. president Of the
de.euors Rorkv pord state Rank ro-

~~se>>>~ S$.y HOs0 Ese>S A'eA.r -
Gently convicted In the district court
OF receiving deposits in that institu-
ton after he knew the bank was In
insolyent, got hisin the district court
last Saturday. receiving q sentence
on the faar counts In the informa-
tion axsregaiinE not less than eight
years nor more than ten years.
The case came up on a motion for
new trial by the defense. among
which was the fact that the prose-
matters fifteen or eighteen years re.
mote to the time Of the failure OF
the bank, thus poisoning the minds
of the jury. and that they were not
instructed to throw these matters out
Judge Rizer overruled the motion
for new trial. asserting that IL
monies were abstraeted and never re-
turned to the bank it did serve to
show to the defcndan. the knowi-
edge of the condition of the hank
Judge Rizer further declared that the
only matter presented in the argn-
m.nt was the question of the re-
placing OF the amounts In the bank.
He believed that the evidence was
10 change his mind. The motion
for new trial was oserruled. ana
the objections of the defendants en-
tered on record. The court order
cd the defendant TO stand up and
said to him:
Mr.. Godding. the jury has tried
you and found you guilty Have yo
anything to say why sentence should
not be passed upon you,''
Air. Godding replied. .'lf your honor
please. only wish To say that while
acting as president OF the State Bank
of Rocky Ford | never violated any
Law with the intention of wrong do
ing OF personal gain. II there has
been any technical violation of the
law it was for the sole purpose OF
trying TO keep the bank going and
pay it's depositors in full. When
the bank closed believed II to be
solvent. and still believe it TO have
been solvent at that time"
The court then instructed the de-
fendant to stand before the bar and
receive sentence. The judge said:
You have said that you did not In
intentionally violate any law OF this
state. The jury has decided that
question against you. II remains
for the court to pass sentence at
once. The fact that one has
occupied prominent position does
not mitigate the crime. He has a
great responsibility resting upon him
The judgment OF the court is that
you be taken from the bar OF this,
court to the county jail of this coun-
ty and with all possible speed to the
state penitentiary at Canon City.
there to serve not less than two
years nor more than two years and
half"
The same sentence was then pass
ed upon three other counts. making
the entire sentence not less than
total OF eight years nor more than
ten years. Attorneys for Godding then
asked for stay OF execution for
forty days In order that they might
apply for writ OF supersedeas in
the state supreme court and for fif-
teen days in which to file a bill of
exceptions. Both were granted by
Judge Rizer and the court instructed
the sheriff to confine the defendant
in the county jail pending the appli-
cation for a writ OF supersedeas In
the supreme court
Godding was taken to the county
Jail about s o'clock last Saturday
evening and has been confined there
ever since. He telephoned to his
family in Rocky Ford few days
ago that he had been the recipient
of every consideration that a man
In his unfortunate condition could
expect or hope for and that he was
as well satisfied as any mortal man
could be under the circumstances.
1t will probably be ten days or
two weeks before the application for
a writ Of supersedeas can be heard
In the supreme court Meanwhile.
John E. the former czar Of all the
cantaioupe and sugar beet region, is
in durance vile with not much hope