The trial of the four Sitka boys charged with gang attack on a Sitka girl, was interrupted Tuesday morning when the boys all entered pleas of guilty before their trial was well under way.The trial had opened on Monday with a filled court room of spectators, attracted by the sensational nature of the case. Two assistant attorney generals, J. D. Parker of Topeka and Eldon Wallingford, county attorney for Clark County had been called in to assist Horace Rich County attorney with the prosecution. Jay D. Botts of Coldwater and Jerry Driscoll of Russell had been retained as defense attorneys.
The plea of guilty were made just after twelve men had been qualified for the jury and before any time had been allowed for challenging any of them.
Two of the boys Ed Pfeiffer and Albert Breit pleaded guilty to charges of transporting a woman for improper purposes and the other two, Bill Pfeiffer and Wilfred Dome to charges of assault and battery.
Sentence will be pronounced Monday, Dec. 6, by Judge Karl Miller who heard their pleas.
The Wilmore News, December 21, 1937. TWO TO REFORMATORY
Ed Pfeifer and Alfred Breit, Clark county youths who pleaded guilty to an assault charge in the Comanche county district court three weeks ago, were taken to Hutchinson Monday by Sheriff Jay D. Overocker. Alfred Breit was at first sentenced to the State Penitentiary because of his age, 27, but after the reformatory had agreed to accept him, Judge Miller this week set aside the first sentence and he was then given the same sentence as Ed Pfeifer, one to five years in the Kansas State Industrial Reformatory. Two others who pleaded guilty in the same case, are serving their sentences in the county jail at Coldwater. Bill Pfeifer was sentenced to the county jail for eight months and Wilford Dome for three months.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
Keyword: crime.
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