The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-04-07
REMARKABLE SENTENCE.
Pronounced by Judge Benedict on a
Murderer in New Mexico.

pronounced Dy JuOge beneQcC OH b
Murderer in New Mexico.
Probably the best anecdote of
Judge Benedict, of New Mexico, says
the Green Bag, is that told with re-
gard to his sentence of death pro-
nounced upon one Jose Maria Mar
tin, who was convicted of murder
in the District Court of Taos county
under a state of facts showing great
brutality and with absolutely no
mitigating circumstances. Judge
Benedict said:
Jose Maria Martin, stand up!
Jose Maria Martin, you have been
indicted, tried and convicted by
jury of your countrymen of the
crime of murder and the court is
Low about to pass upon you the
dread sentence of the law. AS a
usual thing, Jose Maria Martin, it is
a painful duty to pronounce upon
human being the sentence Of death.
There is something horrible about
it and the mind of the court natur-
ally revolts from the performance
of such a duty. Happily, however,
your case is relieved Of all such un-
pleasant features and the court takes
positive delight in sentencing you to
death.
"You are young man, Jose Maria
Martin; apparently Of good physical
constitution and robust health. Or
dinarily you might have looked for
ward to many years Of life, and the
court has no doubt you have, and
have expected to die at green old
age; but you are about to be cut off
on account of your own act. Jose
Maria Martin, it is now the spring
time; in a little while the grass will
be springing up green in these beau
tiful valleys and on these broad
mesas and mountainsides flowers
will be blooming; birds will be sing
ing their sweet carols and nature
will be putting on her most gorgeous
and 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
carol for you, Jose Maria Martin;
when these things come to gladden.
the senses of men you will be oc-
| cupying a space about six by two
beneath the sod and the green grass
and those beautiful flowers will be
growing above your lowly head.
1.-The sentence of the court is that
you be taken from this place to the
county jail; that you be kept there
safely 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 80 kept, Jose Maria Martin,
until-Mr. Clerk, on what day Of the
month does Friday, about two weeks
from this time Gomez"
March %, your honor"
every well, until Friday, the
twenty-second day Of March, when
you will be taken by the sheriff from
your place of confinement to some
safe and convenient spot within the
county-that is in your discretion,
Mr.. Sheriff; you are only confined to
the limits of the county and that
you there be hanged by the neck un-
til you are dead, and the court was
about to add, Jose Maria Martin,
may God have mercy on your soul,
but the court will not assume the
responsibility of asking an all wise
Providence to do that which jury
of your peers has refused to do. The
Lord couldn't have mercy on your
soul.
However, If you affect any religi-
Gus belief or are connected with any
religious organization it might be
we'll enough for you to send for your
priest or your. minister and get from
him-well, such consolation as you
can-but the court advises you to
place no reliance upon anything of
thof hind Mr. Sheriff remove the