The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-11-28
IllGHlEB ADDRESS,.

III f4tl ~ li'i Il tflf
JUDGE 4 MASON GIVES STONE
ii THRoWERs AsaToUcHING ID
Address. " y ~
Probably the, most beautiful and
heart.touchin gad dress ever delivered
in the Marion county criminal court
loom was the address delivered
from the bench late Saturday after
noon by Judge John w. Mason to Roe
Hearn and Perry Wiley. the two
young men sentenced to the peniten.
tiary on Saturday on conviction OF
stoning a Watson street car about two
months ago.f The two prisoners were
brought from the county Jail by a dep
uty sheriff and as they stood before
the court; TO receive their sentences
Judge Mason In IA clear but sympa-
thetic voice delivered his excellent ad.
dress. and when he had finished there
was hardly dry eye among the large
number of spectators, who sat with
out moving during the address, while
the two young men could hardly sup;
press their emotion.
Judge Mason in part said: Young
men, 1 am going to impose the. lightest
sentence possible upon each of you
considering the offense of which you
have been convicted. It hurts me to
send you young men to the peniten-
tiary, for the reason that the very
State which licensed the saloon that
sold you the liquor. which you drank
and got drunk is going to make you
suffer senvitude in prison, but there
is. nothing ! can do but to carry, out
the law and sentence you under my
sworn duty. One Of you boys is only
twenty-five years old-just past your
majority, while the other is only eigh.
teen years-too old to. send to the re-
form school and ltlooks too bad to
send one SO young to the penitentiary,
but 1t must be done.
Boys" said the Judge as he leaned
far over the bench looking the prison.
ers straight in the eyes, II know that
, were never in any, serious trouble be.
FORE. as was shown on. the witness
stand, and you would not have rocked
that street car II you had not beeh
drunk, your friends and relatives
know this-know that you would not
have committed this crime II you had
been in your right mind, and / don't
want either Of you to feel that these
friends are against you because you
are going TO the penitentiary, far be
It from that. for when you snail have
served out your termsel want you to
cone right back home and live 1t
down; want you to be good men like
you have been before, and you"-indi.
eating one of the prisoners-"who are
married, your good wife will be ready
to receive you with open arms when
you are free, she will be waiting for
you, and your mother indicating. the
other younger man will not -forsake
you and she Will, also be waiting for
you with outstretched arms and clasp
You to her heart. for she. knows her
boy would not have Committed the
wrong for which you are to suffer ii
you had not been intoxicated
Boys, don't get discouraged and
think all your friends will forsake you
they will not if;you come back with
the determination OF doing that which
is right. This State don't want to
punish any one; and'i would be better
that there were no penitentiary in this
broad land: that is to say, IL there
were no violatefs OF the law there
would be no necessity for; such places
The State wants good law-abiding men
: and women!
in sentencing you young men to pris
on it is not alone for the purpose Of
protecting the street car company but
1t is to protect;sthe passenger from
danger who rides In these cars. when
we put our wives and daughters on 0
car or train we expect that they shall
be protected from harm by the EN-
ployes of the company, and you boys
acted disorderly on this car and were
elected by the conductor which en-
ragged you for, you both were drunk
and you threw stones at the car en-
,dangering the passengers.
when you go to- the penitentiary
:, don't for the love ofyyour mother, wife
and friends. feel that all hope is lost
and that you are as bad US the thugs
y thieves and other wicked prisoners
: there, for you are not, every one WHIT
: knows you know that you young mer
are not bad at heart and they feel tina
you are going to make good citizens
. Go 10 prison like men, serve out you
time. come home and live this troubl,
;. down.
s II now sentence each of you to tn,
penitentiary for two years, the mini
t mum term | can inflict," was the clos
ing remarks ofJudge Mason, and will
d bowed heads the two young men wer'
n returned to the. county, jail, but felt II
their hearts that though they wer,
Q convicted and will now go to prison
i that they had friend in Judge Mason
who took an interest In their futur,
lives, for no man without such feelin,
[ could have delivered the above soul
inspiring address.
i mN ThGM~MM