The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-08-31
Rubbing It lin.
tion to $40
Law Notes.

Rubbing It lin.
Law Notes.
When one Jose Maria Martin was
in the year 1858 convicted of murder
in Taos county, N. NJ, sentence was
pronounced upon him by Judge Kirby
Benedict as follows: "Jose Maria
Martin, stand up. You have been in
dicted, tried, and convicted by a jury
of your countrymen Of the crime Of
murder, and the court is now about
to pass upon you the dread sentence
of the law.
"As a usual thing, Jose Maria Mar
tin, it is painful duty Of the judge
Of court Of justice to pronounce
upon human being the sentence Of
death. There is something horrible
about it and the mind naturally re-
volts from the performance Of such
a duty.
"Happily, however, your case is re-
lieved of all such unpleasant features.
The court takes a positive delight in
sentencing you to death. You are
young man, Jose Maria Martin, ap-
parently of good constitution and ro-
bust health. Ordinarily yor might
have looked forward to many years
of life, and the court has no doubt
YOU have, and expected to die at
green old age, but yor are about to be
! cut off IN consequence OF your own
act. Jose Maria Martin. it is now
! the spring time In little while
the grass will be- Springing up green
in these beautiful valleys and these
broad mesas and on the mountain
sides. Flowers will be blooming,
birds will be singing their sweet car
OILS and nature will be putting on her
most attractive robes, and life will be
pleasant and men will want to stay.
But none Of this for you, Jose Maria
Martin. The flowers will not bloom
for you, Jose Maria Martin. The
birds will not sing their sweet carols
for you, Jose Maria Martin. When
these things come to gladden. the
senses Of man, you will occupy space
six by two beneath the sod, and the
grass and these beautiful flowers will
be green growing about your lowly
head.
1.-THE sentence of the court is that
you be taken from this place to the
county jail. That you be safely kept
and securely confined in the custody
Of the sheriff until the day appointed
for your execution.
"Be very careful, Mr.. Sheriff, that
he have no opportunity to escape, and
that you have him at the appointed
place, at the appointed time. That you
be so kept, Jose Maria Martin, until
MIR. Clerk, upon what day of the
month does Friday about two weeks
from this time come?' "March 22nd,
your honor.'' Every we'll, until
Friday, the 22nd of March, when you
will be taken by the sheriff from your
place of confinement to some safe and
convenient spot within the county,
and that you be there hanged by the
neck until dead.
"And the court was about to add,
Jose Maria Martin, may God have
mercy on your SOUL but they will not
assume the responsibility of asking
an All Wise Providence to do that
which a jury Of your peers have re-
fused to do. The Lord could not have
mercy on your soul. However, if you
affect any religious belief, or if you
are connected with any religious or
ganization, it might be well for you to
+ send for your priest or your minister
and get from him, we'll, such conso-
lation as you can, but the court ad-
vises you to place no reliance on any
thing of that kind.
"Mr. Sheriff, remove the prisoner. y
The sequel of the above remarkable
sentence is interesting in that Jose
Maria Martin, "escaped from the
county Jail" and several years after
wards peacefully met his death IN
Lincoln county by falling backwards
out of a wagon and breaking his
neck.