Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-28
PRISON SENTENCE OF
FIFTEEN YEARS FOR
REV. C.. II. WALDRON
Former Windsor Clergyman, Found Guilty Of
Attempting to Cause INSTRUMENTATION, Dis
loyalty and Refusal Of Duty in the Military
Forces of the United States, Going to Govern
ment Penitentiary at Atlanta, Georgia.

The penalty for sedition Is Is years i'm
prisonment in Atlanta, Ca, as fixed by
Judge Harland h. Howe. who presides in
the United States court in this district.
Inc sentence was pronounced on Clarence
II. Waldron. formerly the pastor of n
Baptist Church In Windsor and now a
HOLY Roller. and a'so on Harold Mackley,
who formerly worked in a creamery in
Holland. While the former minister broke
down and wept. Mackley took his sentence
In light-hearted Mariner
Judge Howe showed plainly when he
pronounced sentence, that 1t was nut the
easiest thing in the world to lock up a
man for the next Is years of his life but
he made 1t plain that the nation is larger
than the individual.
When 1t became known that Mr.
Waldron would be sentenced Thursday
AFTERNOON there was the rush for seats
ike that which usually accompanies the
appearance of star in the theatre. Three
quarters ofan hour before two o clock, when
court came in. most of the good seats
were taken. Many of those who have be-
come habitues of the room during the last
two weeks were there. and some brought
their friends.
Mr.. Waldron showed a great deal of ner-
vousness. as did his wife, who was seat
ed with him. Both Of them gave vent to
their feelings in tears long before sentence
was pronounced.
In the absence of r. f. Brown, who was
said to be In Boston, M. G. Leary made a
plea for stay of execution. Judge Howe,
who had put Off pronouncing sentence
until Thursday afternoon because Of Mr..
Browns absence, said he did not feel
justified in further delaying sentence. He
granted every privilege however, to the
defence, in case an appeal should be taken
to a higher court
After V. A. Billiard had moved that
sentence be pronounced at this time, Mr..
Waldron was asked by Judge Howe If he
had anything to say.
WALDRON'S STATEMENT.
The following is Mr. Waldron's verbatim
statement, which he made in a deep ST.
lence on the part Of those who crowded
the court room:
II would like to say I know the court
in its deliberations and the jurymen and
Mr.. Billiard have kept within the limits Of
their rights, and the jury in their DELHI
erations have brought in this verdict.
believe they have been honest, as they
have tried to understand the facts and
to know the case. l would like to leave
myself on record here that I do not hold
any feeling of anmosity for the court
jurymen, or any Of these witnesses. They
have testified. possibly. according to their
knowledge of the facts. feel this very
keenly. not only for myself, but for all
that possibly it may mean. this mysterious
| working. for those that 1t involved. my
wife. child and aged father. Mysterious
| scenes traverse our pathway in life. and
this is one I cannot understand. but I
would like to say that have never inten-
tionally, knowingly, said or done one
thing against this government I do
not sympathize with anyone who speaks
against this country or the flag. 1 love
my country. I love 1t dearly, and am
willing to the best Of my ability to stand
up and support the order and rights within
it. l acknowledge the fact that the court
has power to-day in it's own discretion. I
would leave these with the court al
though ! feel keenly that I have not
knowingly. Willingly. offended. am alb
solutely innocent. Those. think. are my
sentiments"
After Mr.. Waldron had spoken. At
torney Leary made a further plea on
behalf of his client and the subject of
Waldron's PRONUNCIATION of the booklet
1.-THE Word of the Cross was brought
up. Following Mr.. Leary's argument,
Mr.. Waldron asked II he might have a
further opportunity to say something.
This request was granted by Judge
Howe. Mr.. Waldron, in broken voice,
replied. and was questioned regarding
his statements by Judge Howe. as fol-
lows:
Mr.. waldron: I would like to say a
word about the pamphlet. While on
the witness stand. I desired that a GER
tain occasion. the demonstration. be
! referred to as a certain occasion, to
reckon dates. This was after this
demonstration in Windsor that I was
in a strained condition. because of the
demonstration, that we brought up this
matter at the trustees meeting about
this pamphlet. have never given that
pamphlet out to any individual only as
they have asked me about the demon
| stration. Everyone that has been on
the witness stand there and has al
legged that / have given them those
pamphlets, and 1t Is true that I have
given those pamphlets to them. but 1t
has been simply to convey that certain
idea or to Justify my stand for not hav-
ing on that Sunday the patriotic serv-
Ice. that ! had nothing against patriot
ism. ! love my country told every
one that distinctly. that there would
be no one who would be willing to sac
rifice more than would for my coun-