The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-11-18
COMPROMISE ARRANGED aY
STATE AND DEFENSE THIS
MORNING.
man INDIFFERENT TO SENTENCE
Pathetic Scene in Court Room When
Aged Father Threw His Arms
About the Young Man.

Arthur Watson will not hang for
the murder Of his wife.
by agreement Of counsel the de-
PENDANT pleaded guilty to the charge
and accepted sentence for life i'm.
prisonment the sentence of the court
being pronounced at 1880 o'clock
this morning.
Thus has ended another chapter in
the history Of criminal proceedings in
Forrest county and settles for all
time the fate of young man not yet
arrived at the age Of maturity.
After the motion for a change of
venue for the accused had been over
ruled by the court yesterday after
noon. attorneys for the defense imme-
diately began preparation for trial of
the case, and were in consultation
with relatives of Watson for some
time. 1t was stated that the insanity
plea would be resorted to in oredr
to avoid capital punishment.
This morning another consultation
was held between attorneys for the
defense and the state, and, by con-
sent of the accused, a plea of guilty
was entered, District Attorney Hall
nf hn rot n n
a life sentence.
When this decision of the attorneys
was announced and Watson was asked
by the court if he had anything to
say why sentence should not be pro
nounced, the young man stared va
cantly at Judge Johnson and made no
reply until the question had been put
to him the second time. Then he
, simply answered NO
The court then pronounced sentence.
A Pathetic Scene.
At this juncture a most pathetic
and heartrending scene was enacted.
When the aged father of the self
confessed murderer heard the words
of the Judge consigning his boy to a
life of penal servitude, he threw his
trembling arms about the form of his
son and wept bitterly, his aged and
bent form shaking with sobs, and
hears trickled down his wrinkled
cheeks. Not a sound was uttered
but many eyes were moist with SYM
pathetic tears.
A Moment of Emotion.
Apparently, young Watson was un-
moved when the sentence of the court
was pronounced, and his countenance
showed not the slightest interest
until he felt the arms of his aged
father about his neck; then he turned
his face and his eyes filled with
tears. and it was evident that the
Young man was deeply touched for
the moment.
Shortly after sentence had been
pronounced, Watson was seen by a
News reporter, and when asked
how he felt over the outcome of the
case stated that he felt greatly re-
lieyed and was very thankful.
Watson is Thankful.
"I1nder the circumstances said
the Young man, 81 know that | am
verv fortunate. and | expect to show
NV gratitude to God every day live.
When I go to the penitentiary l eX-
rect TO do Just exactly what they
tell me TO do and to treat my fellow
prisoners Just as if they were my
brothers. From this time on | expect
to live a life above reproach and one
:. that will at least show to the world
i that | am truly penitent'
"Tell my father and mother, protn-
or and sisters. not to worry that /
am all right and all will be we'll l
regret this occurrence more on their
account than on my own, and while
the sentence imposed upon me Is
fearful one, I am sincerely grateful
that IT was not worse. The thing !
regret most is that my sweet wife is
dead and that I will never see her
nnnin NV little girl was an angel,