Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1885 — SENTENCED FOR LIFE. [ARTICLE]

SENTENCED FOR LIFE.

Burton and Cunningham, the Irish Dynamiters, Convicted and CondemnedThe Two Prisoners Protest Against Their Conviction and Bravely Face Their Fate. ■* • —i, * [Cable dispatch from Loudon.) ' . The trial of Cunningham and Bnrton 1 at the Old Bailey has been brought to a conI elusion. The court-room was crowded with ' people to hear the Judge’s charge and to see.the termination ot the case. Among the notables ’present were the Lord Mayor and United States Minister Phelps. There were many ladies in the room. The prisoners wore an anxip.ua look and followed Judge Hawkins’ charge with intense interest. The drift of the charge was clearly ■ against the prisoners. | Mr. Phelps sat beside Justice Hawkins while i he was sentencing Cunningham and Burton. ‘ Justice Hawkins, in charging the jury, said the prisoners had been ably defended and that their ' trial had been fairly conducted. i In sentencing the prisoners, 7 Justice Hawkins, | said that they had been convicted ot a crime as [ bad, wicked, and cruel as had ever entered the heartof man. —- rThe jury then retired. They remained out not longer than fifteen minutes and returned with a verdict of guilty against both prisoners. The deep silence following the announcement of the verdict was broken by the Clerk, who said: “Prisoners, you are found guilty of treasonfelony. Have you anything to say?” Immediately Cunnngham, with flashing eyes, and in a sharp, harsh tone, almost defiant, i madea speech. Leaning forward, he vigorously protested his He thanked bis counsel and friends, and concluded his remarks with the bitter exclamation: “You may destroy my body, but it is impossible for you to htjrt my . soul! ’ I Next Burton cose, nervously, and spoke in I more collected and bitter language than Cun- ; uingham, and with some dignity. He alsoproi tested his innocence. “Engl-sh prejudice," he : said, “sends me to eternal punishment. ” The Judge then, with stern look, and much l impressiveness ot manner, am d prolonnd silence, sentenced the prisoners to penal servitude tor life. Then stiilneA yielded to applause, which the attendants vainly attempted” to suppress. Cunningham and Burton maintained a cheerful appearance after being taken back to Newgate Prison, and chatted freely with the warden. They still insist that they are innocent, but say that the verdict and sentence are no more than they expected, especially after the Judge’s charge, as it was evident the court was organized to convict. The Crime. The crime for which Burton and Cunningham have been convicted and sentenced was complicity in the recent Tower and Parliament House explosions in London. The trial excited much public interest. Daily the Crimhal Court-room in the Old Bailey was densely packed with spectators. So great was the crush, and so much was an attempt to rescue the prisoners feared, that only those having passes from the proper authorities were admitted to tne court-room.- ~~ ~ ' Irishmen Indignant. t —» — [New Yorkspeclal.)— Irishmen in this city express surprise and indignation over the conviction and sentence of Cunningham and Burtsn. Patrick Ford said: “The evidence was entirely in favpr of the prisoners, and I did not believe that even an English jury would dare convict upon it.” O’Donovan Rossa said: “I am not much surprised at t.he convict on of the prisoners, for I know English juries well; but I am surprised at the sentence. The Judge must have been thoroughly satisfied of the falsity of the verdict when they failed to hang Cunningham and Burton.” James G. Cunningham, alias Dalton, alias Gilbert, was until recently a resident of this city. Some years auo he was employed for a considerable time at the Morgan Docks. Cunningham is about 23 years old. He is a native of County Cork, ami came to America about five years ago. He has two brothers and three sisters residing in this city at present..