The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-02-25
RICHARDSON IS
THANKFUL FOR
DEATH PENALTY
Milburn Slayer Thanks Judge After
He is Told He Must Die,
in Chair April 10.
HUNDREDS in ATTENDANCE
Farmers for Miles Around at Trial.
Dragged Of Killings
Militia on Guard
HUNDREDS in ATTENDANCE
'tBy a staff Corrcspondent,l

'tBy a Staff Corrcspondent,)
Bardwell, KY, Feb. 24.-After be-
ling sentenced to death in the cleo
| trio chair April 10, Willard Richard
son, so years old, known as the bad
Man of Carlisle County" today
thanked Judge William p. Sandridge
Of the Carlisle Circuit Court, for as
sessing tie punishment Richard
son pleaded guilty to the killing OF
John.SD. Violet, an aged and inof-
fepsiye Milburn, Ky, farmer, last
Saturday
After the jury assessed the death
penalty, Richardson was returned to
the county Jail, where he remained
until 2:30 o'clock, this afternoon,
when he was called into the court
room and the date of his death set.
He was taekn to the Eddyville peni-
tertiary. On No. 3 this morning.
| n When Richardson appeared for
formal sentence Judge Sandridse
said, Richardson, the jury has
| found you guilty and assessed your
punishment at death. 1t now be-
comes my duty to formally sentence
yousand fix the date of your execti-
ton. + hereby sentence you to
death in the electric chair on April
ne"
Thanks the Judge.
| AT the close Of the judges SEN
/ tence, Richardson said, thank you
| Judge and extended his hand. The
i judge solemnly shook hands with the
condemned man amidst a deathlike
silence. Richardson then turned te
Sheriff Burnley and indicated thai
he was ready to return 10 the Jail.
When court opened at O'CLOCK
the court room was filled to overflow
ing and fully 1000 men stood outside
unable 10 gain entrance. Probabl,
500 men, all Of them farmers, wert
: in the court room.
/ Outside the court room and In TIL,
: Railways Company X of th
Third Kentucky Infantry, unde
Captain OFT r. Powers Of Earlvill
kept order. BY order of the judge
the militia kept the men, outside til
ROOM. from mounting the stairs am
} many stood for six hours in d driz
zling cold rain, waiting for the juie
2 to be selected and the verdict rem
t dered
Spectators Arrive Early.
The farmers of Carlisle county
and especially those living near th
scene of the tragedy, who had bee
threatening to lynch Richardson
. began arriving In the little city b
6:30 O'clock. They came by WACO
loads, on horseback, in democra
wagons, in buggies and many wake
five and ten miles to see justice don
the slayer of one of their best love
e neighbors. Many men came to tow
a Friday night and not a, vacant roo
n could be found in theI city and
a many instances five and six slept
. room.
The Kentucky judicial procedul
! differs widely from that Of Illinoi
= Missouri and many other states.
: man may plead guilty of crime, bl
d the jury must be chosen and all
the evidence heard, the same as
he had not admitted his guilt. I'll
jury then assesses the punishment.
When the court opened tod;
> Richardson was called on to plea
:, Attorneys M. T. Shelbourne and Y
E. Kane, who had been appointed
:, defend Richardson, entered plea
;s guilty. Then the selection of a ju,
%. began, Of the first twelve men cal
a. ed, six were accepted by the sta
but the defense challenged severe
This was kept up more than tv
hours, before jury was obtained.
q Five Witnesses Testify
n The evidence Of five witnesses
10 the crime. then were heard. The
* testimony indicated that the killil
D. was cold blooded and that Richar
< son was intoxicated. He admit
Of having drank almost quart
Concluded on Second Page.)