Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-23
.DR,WEBSTER IS
LET OFF Wit /
| |FE SENTENCE |! |: !! !
Oregon, ILL.,, Judge in Pass
ing on Case Of Wife Muir
derer, Declares 1mprisonn-
n1ent Severest Punishment
COURT REVIEWS
HIS BRUTAL CRIME

In Explanation Of Decision
Not to Send Prisoner to
Gallows, Judge Says Len
iency Was Asked.
Oregon, Ill, Jan. 22.-Dr. Harry
Elgin Webster OF Chicago was today
sentenced to life Imprisonment by
Judge Richard s. Farrand for the muir
der Of Bessie Kent Webster last
October.
In pronouncing sentence the court
reviewed the crime and declared tnat
"no greater continuing punishment
could be inflicted on a young, 1ntelil-
gent man than to improson him 1or
life.' =
The court said: -,
"Harry E, Webster, on the twelfth
day. of this month, the anniversary OF
your bigamous marriage with Bessie
Kent you entered q plea OF guilty TO
the crime of murder. 1t then became
the duty Of the court to hear and con-
slider such testimony as might be Of
fered In mitigation or aggravation OF
tho crime committed. None was Offer
al that would In the least mitigate the
offense Your attorneys have spoken
their last words in your behalf, and it
only remains for the court to impose
your sentence. (.
siDuring the progress of your hear.
Ing two mothers sat before us. The
heart Of one was bleeding as memory
recalled the suffering and death OF
her daughter. The heart OF the otner
was wrung In agony because OF the
acts Of her living son. Which OF the Two
was suffering the greatest grief? Only
mothers that have been down IN the
dark valley of gloom and despair can
answer. All this has come because
! o. your cruel act. Surely 1t causes
one to think deeply of the tragedy OF
life and misery and sorrow of death.
Brutal Crime Reviewed.
"The crime to which you plead
xuilty was q cruel and cowardly one.
Under the name of husband you be-
guided Bessie Kent to lonely spot,
where in childhood days you had
passed hours OF pleasure, and there
in the nuietude you took her life. The
brain that conceived and the hand
that Inflicted that mortal wound was
trained and skilled in the use OF the
knife. With one blow the weapon
penetrated a vital part and almost IN
an instant her life went out; and
believe that while the warm blood
was still flowing from the gaping
wound YOU denuded her person and
allowed her body to lie on the cold
ground and the fall rains to beat on 1t
during the long days and lonely nights
for two weeks until by accident the
body was found In a desolate ravine,
her bed of death, which you selected
for her.
"In your bill Of divorce which was
dismissed as fraud and imposition
on the court, you sought to blacken the
character OF the dead. Aside from the
language in the bill SO filed there is
not scintilla of evidence in the rec
ord justifying the conclusion that Bes-
Kent was other than sweet, pure
III.
,sThe peoples representatives, those
who have done all the arduous labor
In securing confession and in prepar-
ing the case for trial are not asking
that the extreme penalty be inflicted
upon you. This meets the approval
ofsthe court. You no longer stand in
defiance OF the law but come before
the court confessing your crime and
asking for mercy.
Gives Life Sentence.
Much leniency in this case would
not be virtue but rather condona-
ton Of the crime. shall spare your
life and be more merciful to you than
you were to your victim.
Il know of no greater continuing
punishment that can be inflicted on
q young, intelligent man, than to i'm
prison him for life. When the iron
doors Of the penitentiary close behind
you you must abandon all hope OF
freedom on this earth. Within those
gray, cold walls, with the dark memory
of your wretched crime before you,
you must remain until by death you
are called to approach the silent
shores OF eternity and If the light
which then breaks on you from the
farther shore is radiant with hope
and you hear the voice of peace, 1t
will he only because an offended but
all-wise and merciful God has for
given you your awful sins.
''sIt is the sentence of this court that
you be imprisoned In the penitentiary
at Joliet for and during your natural
life, the first day of that imprisonment
to be in solitary confinement, the bal
ance Of the time at hard labor and
that you pay the e~3ts Of prosecution" /"