The Price of a 'Better Life': A Sunnydale Convict’s Plea

John Giblin, the Sunnydale man convicted of larceny, was brought into court at 10 o’clock to receive his sentence. His attorneys made a motion for a new trial, arguing the defendant had been deprived of material witnesses due to the negligence of officers of the court, and that the instructions given to the jury were of such a nature as to influence them against the defendant. Judge Hanford overruled the motion, stating that the defendant was furnished with every facility for a fair trial. When asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not be imposed upon him, Giblin asked the court to be merciful and promised to lead a better life when his punishment was over. Attorney E.M. Carr made an appeal for his client, asking that mercy be shown on account of his exemplary life in the past. Judge Hanford then sentenced Giblin to ten years' imprisonment in the penitentiary and to pay the costs. Shortly afterward, Giblin had his attorney return to court to ask that he be sent to the penitentiary at once, in order that he might be serving out his sentence while the appeal was pending, instead of remaining in the county jail where his time in prison would not be credited to him.