The record-union., 1896-06-27
EVIDENCE NOT CONCLUSIVE.
Hotel Keeper Woods Examination on a
Robbery Charge.
The City Attorney. However, Had an
Opinion. and Expressed It
Freely.

Ilc preliminary u W.
Fl. Woods, charged with having robbed
l.. D. Wilgus of $50 50 on the 10th
inst, was held in the Police Court yes
terday. Woods is the proprietor OF
Front-street hotel, and the evidence
showed that Wilgus owed him bill for
lodging, which had not been settled;
tnat Woods met Wilgus at Fifteenth
and l. streets, after the latter had
drawn So for labor performed, and de-
manded the amount due him, which
amounted to about $12. This, Wilgus
declined to pay whereupon Woods
acted on the offensive and beat Wilgus
severely, breaking his jaw. For this
battery he was fined SO in the Police
Court some time ago, after which Wilgus
swore out the complaint charging him
with robbery
Wilgus testified that he was an attor-
ney-at-law by profession, but had re-
Gently been employed in helping to move
the Christian Church to where it now
stands at Fifteenth and L streets. He
had rented a room from Woods with
the understanding that it should be paid
foi when he was paid for his work in
helping move the church. On June 10Th
he received his pay. Woods was there
at the time and presented a bill for the
amount Wilgus owed him, which for
some reason the contractor would not
satisfy, but turned /over the money to
Wilgus. The latter declined to pay
Woods at that time intending, he said,
to do so later in the day
Wilgus said he had SAT in his pocket,
and after leaving the church, where
heated conversation had occurred be-
tween himself and Woods, the latter
followed him. overtaking him about the
middle of the block, and without word
OF warning knocked him down by a blow
which fractured the jaw-bone. He at
once arose and attempted to get pen
knife from his pocket with which to de-
fend himself, but found that Woods
had forestalled him, and had his hand
in the witness pocket.
Then Woods commenced another tat
too upon the features of the witness.
ard he remembered no more. But
when the Police Sergeant turned over
to him the money taken from his person
when brought to the Receiving Hospital
h found that he was $50 S5 short
Z. Bales. { laborer engaged in the
work of moving the church; J. E.
Denton, pastor of the church. and Ira
a. Robie testified to having seen Woods
knock Wilgus down, but did not think
he had put his hand into his pocket J.
+. Bluntish stood within thirty feet of
the men when Woods knocked Wilgus
down. He saw Woods attempt to turn
WilguS over, but did not believe he put
. hand into the unconscious mans pock-
eft.
S. G. Flint testified that he was pres
ent when Woods presented his bill TO
Wilgus' employer and asked that the
amount named in it be held out Of Will
gus wages. To this Wilgus said Woods
was little previous, whereupon the lat
ter knocked him down. The money was
then paid to Wilgus, who refused to set
tie with Woods. The witness did not see
the assault, but saw Woods attempting
to lift Wilgus up after the assault had
been committed. He did not think
Woods put his hand into Wilgus' pocket
and believed he would have seen him do
SO if he had.
Z. d. Flint, the contractor who moved
the church, cOrroborated the evidence
regarding what transpired In the church,
where he paid Wilgus off.
James Faris heard Woods say that he
had been getting even with some of the
people who owed him money, and re-
ferred to Wilgus' face for proof Of his
assertion. This was after Woods trial
and conviction for battery.
Police Sergeant Jonn p. McManus tes-
titled to having taken $26 60 from the
person of Wilgus when he was brought
into the Receiving Hospital
E. Bales heard Woods say, after he
had been convicted OF battery, that he
ha, received both his pay and setisfac-
tion.
At the conclusion of the evidence
City Attorney Brown asked that the de-
fendant be discharged, as the evidence
was not sufficient to hold him to answer
before the Superior Court.
Justice Davis looked at the matter in
the same light, and Woods was dis
charged.
Then Woods got upon his feet to make
a statement He said re had gone TO the
City Attorney and asked for warrant
for the arrest of Wngus under the
statute relative to defrauding lodging
house keepers The City Attorney re-
piled that he wouldn't give 1t to him.
and fifteen minutes later had given a
drunken wretch a warrant for his
(Woods) arrest for battery.
There's nothing before the court -
said Justice Davis, and in regard TO
that battery case would. had | known
the facts as we'll as i know them now,
have made the fine much heavier. You
got off very light"
'The City Attorney" said Woods.
said at the time that l ought to have
been fined $50"
You ought to have been fined $780,
returned the City Attorney, and if you
have anything to say TO me just please
say it on the outside of this court
There is nothing before the court,