The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-02
,,,.+ic Scene in Court Room
u1 .s1hsn Their Fate overtakes
" ahs,,, and Their Life in
Sunlight Ends.
u,ncE REVIEWS CRIME
!, .nor Of Morris Makes Apol-
a aav for Son Who, He Says
is s Youth Used by Scott,
as a Tool.

nine to which you have
LA entity was a most nelnouS
peausa rohabIy no more brutal Hur-
~. has been committed IN me Y
! us. If the state said Judge ". o.
W. this forenoon, IN sehtencins
hal isa nenitentiary for life George
- ~ and William Morris, the
Sco.I as who killed Harry lnman.
Dt ss,romn,lv at IL o'clock the prison
ere brought into the court room
sls S Su scott. They were appar-
Viz not under the stress OF any
emu and gave the strictest atten-
,on to the proceeding OF the court.
~ soon as they had arrived lney
we're commanded TO stand by jugs
Hamilton who said
aThe time has now come Wneh you
20 he sentenced for the crime OF
s.st degree murder. Have you any
.asson 10 give why sentence snouio
mt he passed upon you"
Morris was the first to answer.
aNon he said in a clear voice.
Scott then followed with the same
answer in the same firm tone.
The question was then put TO AT
torney Frank M Ballinger as 10
whether he wished to say anything
before sentence was passed. Balm
ger said:
The Attorney for the Defense.
4Your honor, feel that since you
have studied the same books that
have. you recognize that our laws
are based on the commandments OF
the Two great law givers, Moses and
Christ. and recognize that one great
commandment, Thou shalt not kill.
4These boys have erred. They
have violated the laws of God Al
mighty and of man. They may make
their peace with God for violating
His laws-I do not know-but they
must answer to the law for violating
4 II.
There are some circumstances
connected with this case, especially
that Of Morris, who is but sixteen
years old, that make 1t pitiable.
Again, to quote the great book Of
law, would say: Judge not, that We
be not Judged"
An Intensely Dramatic Minute.
During the time Ballinger was
speaking, there was an oppressive
stiffness over the court room. The
two men who were so soon to hear
their fate stood erect and followed
the words Of their attorney with
fapt attention. For full half minute
after Ballinger had taken his seat,
and all eyes were turned toward the
Judges bench, not g sound could be
beard, except the clock whose steady
licking was only intensified by The
death-like stiffness of the room.
Inc prisoners turned their eyes to-
ward the bench without moving per-
eeptibly. Just behind them we're the
parents OF Morris. The elder Mui-
us was at the end of the bench and
was leaning far forward to heac more
clearly the Judgment Of the court.
Slowly and distinctly, Judge Ham
llton began. He recounted briefly the
circumstances leading UP to no
nvuneement of the sentence.
throughout his remarks leading up
y lhe sentence, he spoke slowly and
aehoerately while the prisoners fol-
ioWed BIS every word with almost
s'atuesque stiffness.
The Sentence of the Court.
he said:
Delendants Morris and Scott you
s ~ been indicted by the grand Jury
~ tie crime of murder in the first
aesree Upon being brought into
court YOU were arraigned for this Of
t tsnse, and it appearing to the court
s ", you had no means to employ coun-
nei' the court appointed counsel for
.ou ana appointed counsel of your
osA selection. You at ir,t interpos-
~ . pea OF not guilty, which plea you
n,,;,. Withdrew and entered a plea OF
n 49,. Inc entering of this plea i'm
s so upon the court the Imperative
uu.y OF taking testimony in order that
the court might determine whether
v ,ru sentence to be pronounced against
MI a snou'a be that of death or i'm
t taa.,, in the penitentiary for the
49, 49, VI your natural life. The testi-
,vony was taken and your confessions
court. iueiee 70 lhe
n. me Crime Was Henous.
" tT,h more solemn act can any earth
erot Iiounai be ever called upon to ex-
s sars's lhan the announcement Of the
ana ,,'elce OF the law in such a case.
ros a no court can but feel the deem
s eepnttonsloillty of pronouncing such
Ssa arn The crime to which vo,,
bsre pleaded guilty and of which YOU
nv confessed was a most heinons
has ..pfooably no more brutal crime
Of @s ~ oeen committed in the history
,,no, 'i Us, state. When you started GU.
ed ed =. your enterprise of robbery. arm
mrrds,. you We're. you well knew that
Of s. s,,o, would probably be the result
,bo. s'eh robbery. The court realizes
Of ~ ~ view of your confession and
Stood ,,is laets in this case. had Won
upon Your plea of not guilty