The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-09

hope for mercy myself am not repre-.
senting this young man as his attorney
bus as one of his friends- When his wife
was a mere baby L held her ON my
knees and I followed this boys actions
from the time he came to Topeka until
this very hour. His is a story as old as
time and he has seen the wrong and
desires to rebuild a ruined life There
could have been no greater social scam
dal in this town than whe- his guilt
| became known and the story of things
| involving people not here. The people
he wronged the most are not here to-
day to claim his punishment, but they
are ones who have asked this court for
mercy and charity. 1t is mercy not
alone for this man, but for a wife and
| an innocent baby and mercy such as
l would want
| Neither Mrs. Speelman nor the baby
| We're in the court room. Neither were
| any of Speelman's blood relations. At
! a table sat grey haired John Mileham,
his head buried in his hands. He is the
grandfather of Mrs Speelman and 1t
was AIileham and his wife who gave the
Speelman's their home on Topeka
avenue after their marriage six years
ago 1t was to pay off a mortgage on
this home that Speelman had taken
$500 of the funds of the bank.
Mileham scarce looked at the court
during tie review of the case.
L
For FIVE minutes Judge Pollock dis
cussed the things that brought about
Ward Speelman's downfall.
There are things that have come to
the attention of the court that have not
been mentioned here" said Judge Pol
would have done, this mans wife |
thought something might be accom- |
pl1shed by talking to me. we could |
only dlsassociate this defendant from |
reiauonS formed in this world, from the |
wife or the baby and the tender sensi-
Utilities; it would ease the mind of the
court and lessen the responsibility A |
wife and mother will suffer more than /
this defendant.
IT isn't the loss of 5000 by the
oank' continued the court for that
can be overcome. But here is a man
blessed by fortune, blessed by strong
physique, a quick intellect. And yet
ne mas dlspOiled every hand held out
10 help him in this life. He won the
directions of an honest girl. That life /
IS ruined. Why people can't see in ad-
vance the life they lead, we may never
tdW. me court can only follow the
terms or the law. 1t has no desire to
exceed the minimum penalty and no
4 thorlty to reduce the punishment. L
! ne law says the prisoner shall spend i
ION nve to ten years in the federal
PRISON Tor this crime. The decree of
ms court is that the defendant is
to five years
SpeeIman had stood nervousIy
,nroush 1t all. He tugged nervously
II his coat and one foot tilted a near
oy chair. As sentence was pronounced
le TOOK his seat without so much as
look at the court. 4 minute later he
vas led from the court room.
II is probable that Speelman will he
aKen at once to Lee venworth to begin
us prison sentence. BY good behavior
le may reduce hiS sentence to four
ears. :
History of the Case.
Ward >. Speelman was arrested in f
anuary for The emb1ezzlement of So II
~ OF the funds from the accounts Of !
ne Merchants National bank. where r
.e was employed as a paying teller, :
ne defalcations had continued over a =
er1od of three years. When con-
ronted with the books, the young man
onfessed his guilt. He said that hjph I
wing and an ambition for things he 1
ond his income caused him to take b
he money. a
In Topeka Speelman was a society I
eader. He was a member of the EIks s
Tub and prominent in the social az d
airs of the town.
A few weeks ago Speelnan was re-
loved from the county jail to Christ's =,
ospttal. His physical condition had :,
allied gradually while at the jaiI and '
e was suffering disease that REQUIRED II
IMMEDIATE attention, Il