The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-09-04


About month ago, a young man,
formerly an employee of the Arizona
Copper Company, Ltd. :, entered the Of
fee of the Cashier of the Company at
the noon hour, and with drawn pistol,
attempted to force the Cashier to
open the company's safe. During the
attempted hold-up the young man.
Richard Mccormick, fired shot
either through nervousness or with in
tent to kill, and Cashier Foote had
narrow escape from injury. The
young man made a temporary escape,
but was soon taken into custody by
the Sheriff and his deputies.
On Saturday of last week Mccormick
was arraigned before Jud elaine of
the Superior Court for sentence, having
previously plead guilty to the charge
against him. On this occasion Judge
w. e. Mcfarland, ESQ.,, attorney for
the Arizona Copper Co., Ltd, at the
instance of Norman Carmichael. gem
eral manager of the company, ap-
peared and asked the Court to exer-
else all Indulgence possible, consistent
with his duty, on account of the youth
of the defendant.
In reply to the remarks of Judge
Mcfarland the Court before passing
sentence, said:
THE COURT: This Court has a
duty to perform which it must do In
all cases of this character brought to
its notice. 1 personally appreciate
all that you have said on behalf of this
defendant, and 1 fully realize that he
is yet a very young man and that he
has a future before him. Severe pun
ishment which could be inflicted In
this case and which 1 believe should
be done if he were older in years, will
not be visited upon him at this time.
l have studied over the matter be-
cause want to be just to the defend
ant, and want to be just to those who
have been placed in the unfortunate
position of almost losing their lives.
While believe that there was no In
tent upon the part of this young man
to take the life of any person, yet a
shot was fired, probably through nerv-
BUSINESS, which might have taken the
life of one of our citizens, who was be-
ing forced at that time to do some
thing for the defendant which was in
violation of the law. On account Of
his youth, however, and the future
that is before him, believe that some
punishment should be visited upon
him. For that reason am determin-
ed not to place the young man on
parole. If it we're under different cir
cumstances perhaps the Court would
ase do not believe it is.
The defendant was then asked by
the Court If h chad anything to say
why sentence should not be passed
upon him and the defendant replied
that he had nothing to say. A sem
tence of from one to four years was
then passed upon the defendant by the
Court, who continuing his remarks
from the bench, said:
In passing sentence upon you the
Court has indu1ged the extreme lem
iency which the law allows, except
that the Judgment of this Court might
have been suspended: Under the cirS
,umstances the Court did not deem 1t
proper nor did it deem itself Justified
suspending the sentence. want
to say to you, however, that if you
will conduct yourself as you should
do and establish that fact in the judg-
ment of the officers who will have
control of you from this day on, or
from the time in which you are left
at the institution, you will be dis
charged at the end of the year. I
think there will be no question about
it, but if you do not conduct your
self properly and show the officials
that you intend to follow the path of
rectitude in the future, the probabili-
ties are that you will not be releas-
ed for four years. + would advise you
to make every effort to redeem your
self from the path in which you have
started"
Since the passing of the sentence q
petition is being circulated by Mrs.
Agnes Bfllingsley urging upon Cover
nor Hunt to pardon the defendant.