The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-03-26
Lawrence Nelson Found
Guilty Of Larceny in First
Degree by the Jury Friday

olnerS- were carried as cash items in
the bank.
Judge Nye instructed the jury to
ind the amount of the embezzlement.
II any, and their findings placed the
amount at $12,S77.25, as above not
The Herald is reliably informed
that the jury's first ballot stood 10 to
Tor conviction, and that they were
unanimous for conviction on the
second ballot. J. M. Johnson, of
Gordon township, not far from Little
Sank, was foreman of the jury.
AS soon as the verdict had been re-
ported County Attorney William
Wood moved for immediate sentence.
winch motion was complied with by
Judge Nye in the following language:
/. The judgment and sentence
OF this court is that you, Law
renee H. Nelson as punishment
for the crime of grand larceny in
the first degree, for which crime
you have been duly informed
against and have been tried and
convicted, be confined at the
Plate Reformatory at St. Cloud,
Mimi, at hard labor, for per-
iod not exceeding ten years.
When the court passed sentence
upon Nelson there was not the culver
OF muscle nor the batting of an
eye. OH
On motion of the defense attorney
stay of 1O-days in carrying out the
execution of the sentence was grant
ed Tor the purpose of preparing a mo-
tlon Tor new trial, giving notice of
appeal, and to give the defendant an
shape. " " IL
Inc Court ruled that the s15. OOo
Surety Bond furnished bv Nelson
would continue until April 3 and he
is at liberty until that date.
Ihere has been some discussion
since the. verdict was returned reIa
i've TO the sentence pronounced hv
the Court, and surprise expressed no.
cause he was sentenced to the Re-.
I11ormatory at St. Cloud instead If
the penitentiary at Saltwater, ITnder
CLe minnesota law larceny in the first
aegree is an indeterminate SEN
eence OF not to exceed ten years. He
VIII not be eligible to petition for a
paroe inside of II months. Men con-
v1cted OF their first crime, unless if
Is Tor hrst degree murder, are often
tlmeS sentenced to the reformatory
which is as much of penal institu-
ton as is the state penitentiary
MRS. Nelson was at her husbands
side during the entire trial and after
the verdict had been returned and
sentence pronounced bore up ex-
tremely well.
.s. r.
The Herald understands that there
were several other charges which the
State could bring against Nelson in
connection with irregularities of the
Little State Bank. It is not expected
that motion for a new trial will
prevail. While an appeal may be
taken 1T is very unusual indeed, for
the Supreme Court of Minnesota to
set aside criminal verdict found by
a jury. The only chance for a sue
cessful appeal would be if legal err
rors had crept into the case. Messrs
Wood and Donahue have had prev
ious experience together in criminal
actions and they have not allowed
any loop-holes in former cases upon
which an appeal would stand.
In commenting on the case with
the Herald editor following the con-
clusion of the trial County Attorney
Wood did not indicate whether the
State contemplated further action
This will probably depend upon the
success of a motion for new trial or
an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The alleged Irregularities in con-
nection with the Todd County Credit
Company is a matter for the Federal
government to handle.