South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-09-24
Judge Carr Lectures Pair
of HWdererS Before Sent
For Life to State Prison

u Ntlsf W ANA AH ctALNl~tA 10 llAt illl-
] Drisonment in the state prison at
I Michigan city John Bauer and
Charles Hanson. confessed murderers
Of Charles v. Johnson. local taxi-cab
driver.
[ Court: Q-Are you the defend
ants ia this cause. Charles Hanson.
and John Bauer?
/ A.-Res sir.
Q.-Have YOU gentlemen an at
torney representing you?
A-Yes sir. CBoth answer. YES
sir.
Q.-Who is your attorney?
A.-Otis Romine. South Bend.
Q-The Indictment is based upon
this section Of the statute tcourt
reads section OF statutel,
Z Q.-Now. gentlemen. before I re-
/ ceive your plea 1 VIII ask you
whether or not your attorney has
made you familiar with the charges
placed against you. Has your at
torney advised you as to the charges
/ placed against you?
A.-Yes sir.
Q.-Have YOU consulted your at
torney?
A.-Yes sir.
Q.-Has he informed you that you
have a right to be tried before a jury
Of u men2
A.-Yes sir.
Q.-And that If a jury should ind
you guilty they would FIX the punish
ment?
A-Yes sir.
Q.-And In case you were found
/ guilty OF murder I'm the first degree
/ that the jury would have the right
TO use its discretion in fixing your
penalty for life or give YOU the death
/ penalty?
A.-Yes sir.
Odd he tell you that you were
/ not required 10 give evidence Of an
discriminating nature against your
| selves?
A.-Yes sir.
/ Odd he inform YOU that If YOU
/ pleaded guilty to this charge named
in the Indictment that such plea
/ would be a confession that YOU were
guilty of murder in the first degree
and that the court would be entitled
10 find you guilty Of murder in the
first degree without hearing evil
dence?
! A.-Yes sir.
Odd he inform you that the
effect of the plea would not only
waive your rights to have your case
decided by jury. but that the court
as a result OF such waiver would be
entitled TO impose either the death
penalty or a life sentence upon you2
A.-Yes sir.
Q-That you and the prosecuting
attorney with the assent OF the court
may submit this trial TO the court
without the intervention of a jury?
A.-Yes sir.
Q.-Are you gentlemen willing to
submit this case TO the court without
the Intervention Of a jury?
Ayes sir.
Q.-Are you, Mr.. Prosecutor?
Ayes sir.
Q.-Gentlemen viii receive your
plea at this time
Mr. Romine makes statement in
behalf Of prisoners
Court: Q-What is your plea
gentlemen, guilty or not guilty?
A.-Guilty Goth answer guilty..
Q.-Both say guilty?
A.-Yes sir.
CIT now becomes my duty to fix
your punishment. If understand
this case correctly and the averments
OF the Indictment are true. and /
take it they are true or you would
not have plead guilty. L can not con-
90 "a
deliberately murder a citizen of St.
Joseph County for the paltry sum OF
twenty some dollars as you have is
beyond my comprehension Despite
what the officers of the law and the
courts are doing i'm their Efforts to
n suppress crime il seems we are drift
ing into a nation Of loafers, thieves,
anarchists and murderers and it
seems 10 me that you belong 70 each
Of these classes OF undesita bic citi-
Izens. The only question with me
IS what is best TO do with you. To
sentence YOU 10 death. 10 put you in
the electric chair and turn on the
current and cook YOU would not. in
my opinion, be sufficient punishment
for the crime you have committed.
p ! That would only be punishment for
a moment l believe If I would send
. YOU TO the penitentiauy for the re-
mainder of your lives TO work al
, hard labor. where you would have
an opportunity to reflect on the
: enormity Of the crime you have com
mitted. 1t would be a greater punish
) ment to you than 10 put you in the
electric chair. I sometimes think IL
there isn't a hell there should be
one for just such men as you. It is
hard for me TO decide what punish
ment to mete out TO you, yet. be
cause you have committed murder
that does not authorize me 10 com
nit legalized murder You have been
Ioafers all your lives up 70 this time
| I believe II would send you TO the
penitentiary for the balance OF your
| lives il would give you an opportun.
ity 10 make up for lost time. II is
hard for me 10 decide which to do
! send YOU to the electric chair or give
YOU a life sentence.
I'll send you. and now do sentence
you and each OF you to the Indiana
prison at Michigan City. al hard
labor for the remainder Of your
natural lives.
] n