Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-01-10
.DISLOYAL ATTORNEY
Gets TWENTY YEARS
Lawyer at Des MOines Given a Stiff
Sentence for Many DislOyal

Acts
Men who oppose the government
in this hour of the nations agony,
ought to be put up against stone
wall and shot," sternly declared
Judge Martin j. Wade in the federal
court late last Saturday afternoon as
he sentenced ID. T. Blodgett, violat-
or of the espionage act and anti
draft propaganda, to serve twenty
years in the federal penitentiary at
Leavenworth
The court denied Blodgett's mo-
ton for new trial and fixed his ap-
peal bond at $4,000. Blodgett is
40 years of ege.
A jury in the federal court last
week found Blodgett guilty as per
charge in the grand jury indictment
last week. When the prisoner was
brought before the court Saturday
for sentence the courtroom was
crowded. Dozens who sought admit
lance were turned away by the bail
ifs at the door.
Before sentence was pronounced,
BlOdgett was given an opportunity
to cite to the court his objections to
the verdict of the jury. The defend
ant declared that the judge had in
fluenced the jury by pounding the
desk with his fist and instructing
the panel in vehement and bolster
Gus manner" He avowed that he
had had an unfair trial.
''You have had the fairest trial 1
ever saw given to a man." interrupt
ed Judge Wade.
BlOdgett cited other alleged errors
on the part of the court and declared
that he was a raving maniac at the
time he wrote his anti-draft pamph-
lets. He also said his literature
did not cause any disloyalty among
registrantS because ii was published
after registration day.
When the defendant had finished
Judge Wade arose. A death-like sill
ence pervaded the court room and
he delivered what rs considered by
some of the ablest legal minds of
the state to be the most mastery
sentence ever handed down from a
judicial bench in Iowa. Every word
rang true of patriotism. Treason
was denounced in the most biting
and scathing terms.
Judge Wade said:
I'm this hour or the nations ag-
ony, it is source OF pride and graf
ification to every true American to
see how thoroughly united are men
of all races and classes and creeds
in determined effort to crush the
brutal power of Germany.
: Fathers and mothers are sending
forth their sons to yield their lives,
if necessary, in the cause of human
liberty. Men and women are giving
of their hard earnings to support
these boys, and to make them effect
i've in this war. Little children are
giving their pennies. Men and wo-
men are giving of their time and
labor. The rich are giving, and the
poor are giving. And isn't it too
bad that in this the hour of the ma
tons trial there must be a few
a very few, thank God-who are
rebels against all authority, who are
at heart traitors to their country
and who in every effort are seeking
to neutralize the sacrifices of their
loyal neighbors.
II have looked into the record OF
Mr.. Blodgett the defendant I find
that for more than ten years he has
been a consistent rebel against all
authority except that of his own will
/ find that he has always manifested
the most supreme contempt for the
instruments of the government. He
has defied the courts. He has re-
viled and abused some of the ablest
judges that ever sat on the bench
in the state of Iowa.
"He has upon different occasions
when judges in the performance of
their duties disagreed with him as
to his rights, or as to the rights as
serted by him in behalf of others, at
tempted to have them arrested and
prosecuted. He has brought suits foi
gross amounts against judges who
have faithfully and conscientiously
performed their duty. He has rec
ognized no law save that of his own
making and his conduct has been n
source of humiliation.
THE facts in this case are entire
ly consistent with the conduct of his
entire career. He indicts, in his ego
tism. some of the most patriotic men
in the nation; he attempts to spread
poison broadcast among the boys
called to the colors, and he has the
audacity to come into the court and
assert that his aim was for his own
political advancement.
"Blodgett has served time in the
penitentiary; he has had a lesson
which he would not heed. He has
no restraint upon his own will. He
has refused, by his conduct, to con-
form to the rules and regulations OF
organized society. He has no bust
ness at large-at feast he should be
under restraint for such a period OF
| time as will serve to convince him