The Herald

General Sessions, Saturday.—The court room was
crowded again to excess, as it was generally known
that sentence would be passed upon the Fowlers, for
the numerous burglaries committed by them in this
city and other places.

The sentences of Simon Bonhomme, Wm. Hamilton
and James Priestly were postponed until the next term
at the request of their counsel.

James F. and Edward Fowler were then put to the
bar to receive their sentence. Both the prisoners looked
very much dejected and dispirited, and evidently suffering
great mental distress. His honor, the Recorder,
after having read to them the two indictments for which
they were now to receive sentence and to which they
had pleaded guilty, addressed the misguided young
men, in a speech in which true parental feeling, pathetic
interest, and a sense of religious duties were beautifully
blended. He adverted in strong and touching terms
to the state of broken hearted wretchedness into which
their conduct had precipitated every member of their
family. He bade them henceforth put their trust in
God for his forgiveness, for no man ever could forgive
them. He told them they must probably pass the rest
of their lives in a prison, where the privilege of holding
converse with a fellow being is denied them—where
they would be compelled to work at the most laborious
employment. He also read to the audience the letter
written by James to his apprentices praying them to
procure for him some saws in order that they might escape.
Had the boys have done this they too would
have been sent to the State prison, and thus through
their means would another circle of fathers, mothers,
brothers, sisters and friends be plunged into the deepest
distress. He wound up by exhorting them to patience
and repentance, and passed upon them the penalty of
the law—upon the first indictment of grand larceny, 5 years at
hard labor at Sing Sing, and upon the second, burglary
in the first degree, 10 years at hard labor in the same
place. And he further stated, that should either of
them survive the present term of their punishment, the
District Attorney then in office, would have a number
of other indictments which would send them back for
a longer time, than any mortal by possibility could live
to see ended.

Several other sentences were passed, but none of any
interest, and the Court adjourned to meet on the 1st
Monday in March, at 11 o'clock.