Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-10-15
HILES' HARD LUCK.
A $4,000 Verdict Against Him in a
Sparta Court.

n VOs OOO verdict Against him III q
Sparta Court.
FROM THE MILWAUKEE SENTINEL.
Sparta, Oct 9.-The case of Sylvia
Spear VS.. George Hiles, the wealthy
lumberman of Dexterville, has been
before the circuit court for the past
four days. The jury after being out
six hours returned a verdict in favor
of the plaintiff for $4,000 for mali
cious prosecution. Although it ap-
peared that Hiles brought the action
by the advice of the district attorney
OF Wood county, it does not seem that
he was personally responsible for Mrs
Spears Imprisonment in the county
jail; but the jury had compassion on
her, owing, no doubt. to the fact that
she was delivered of an imbecile child
shortly after her release from jail
The attorneys in the case were j. V.
Quarrels, J F Fish, Spence & Rich
ards, and Dickinson & Graham for
the plaintiff, and j. NJ Morrow and
E. Q, Nye for the defense. Mr.
Morrow Immediately moved for new
trial.
MR.. HILEs' SIDE OF THE CASE.
Mr.. Hiles was found at the Kirby
house last night by Sentinel eporter
be smiled when the above dispatch was
shown to him. He said:
George Haney. John Spear and
this woman (the latter's wife), were
arrested two years ago at Dexterville
for arson Some buildings belonging
to me were burned The suit was
conducted by Dist. Atty. Williams.
and the arrests were made upon his
advice. [ was the complainant. The
defendants waived an examination and
asked to be sent to the Grand Rapids
Jail. They were sent there and re-
mained between five and six weeks,
finally being bailed out by parties
living at Grand Rapids They had
their trial there and were acquitted,
hence their suit for false imprison-
ment
Il did nothing more than l would
do again under similar circumstances
The evidence was strong enough, the
district attorney said, and they were
accordingly arrested. 1t is one of
those cases where the sympathy was
with the plaintiff because she was
woman. | think the verdict was rem
dered more out sympathy than in
accordance with the law, evidence and
justice in the case. 1t will not rest
where it is. [ will follow the matter
to the extreme limits of the law 1t
was put-up job from the outset
The woman requested to go to Jail,
and for no other purpose than to make
case against me. She didn't 90 to
jail until week after the men went
when she felt certain that they were
to be acquitted. The fact is she never
went to jail. She lived with her child
rem in the sheritfs quarters, and this
appeared in the evidence. The whole
plea of the prosecution was that [ was
worth million, and could easily pay
the woman $4,000. [ don't care a
snap of my finger for thai amount of
money! made $4,000 this week
but don't propose to stand still and
be robbed" "
THE FACTS IN THE CASE.
The arrest of the above named per-
sons was based wholly upon the fact
that an incendiary fire had taken place
at Dexterville, and that cooper shop
and warehouse owned by Geo. Hiles,
containing about $4,000 worth Of Gull
woodenware, according to testimony
given court, upon which he carried
Sl5, 1000 insurance in agencies In this
city and Centralia. 1t is now, and
was at the time, generally believed
that the incendiary was committed by
some one interested in securing the
insurance. 1t was also notorious that
the prosecution of Spear and wife was
malicious. The afidavits were secur-
ed from A. Hammond and wife of
Dexterville, two questionable charac-
ters, who admitted in open court at
Sparta that George Hiles had paid
them five dollars, as a present, for
their trouble. The parties at the time
of their arrest were employees of Mr.
Hiles, but net receiving their pay from
him, were in poor circumstances to
law it with him. They were arraigned
before Justice Farnsworth but rather
than be examined by a prejudiced
petty court, they waived an examina-
ton and bail was fixed at $1,000 each.
1t could not be given and the two men
were taken to Jail at Grand Rapids,
Mrs. Spear and her children being
allowed to remain at Dexterville.
However, the first time she went to
Hiles store for necessaries, he cruelty
refused to let her have anything. Four
davs after her arrest. constable Down