The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-21
PHILIAS GERVAlS
Cleverly Conducts His Own
Defense at Court.

A burglar-lawyer gave points in the
practice OF law to the legal talent as
sembled in the superior criminal court
yesterday morning. Philias Gervais,
the thief who broke into the house Of
Mrs Louisa A. Woodbury. of Fitchburg
over a year ago, scorned counsel and
argued his case in a manner that
showed him versed in both the legal
and breaking professions. I'm
fortunately, his skill as a pleader avail
ed little against the strong case of the
commonwealth. He was sentenced to
serve term of between five and seven
Years at hard labor in the state prison.
Ordinarily, When a prisoner an
nounces he is without counsel, District
Attorney Hoar looks for an easy con-
viction. That is what he anticipated
yesterday, for a time But as soon as
the defendant started in with the cross
examination of the first witness. he saw
he was to have no walkover Gervais
has twice before eVaded the tolls of the
law through his own abilities Twice
before he successfully argued his own
cases and was discharged He came
very near doing the same thing yester-
day.
Gervais looks down upon the average
lawyer with fine contempt They
bother him Just about as much as do
the patent locks and burglar alarms
With which people try to protect the
houses he visits in the pursuit of his
PROFESSION. Until he met lockwood
Hoar' yesterday, he never found one
who could get the better of him.
ret
Miss Mary Miller. the nurse who oc-
cupled the same room with Mrs Wood
buly the night of the robbery. She
gave Vivid description of the robbery
and positively identified Gervais as the
man who pointed revolver at her head
ana distracted sl2 and a gold watch
ana chain from her bureau drawer
Would the defendant like to ask
the witness few questions?" asked
Alr. Hoar, when these damaging facts
had been revealed. The prisoner
thought he would. With all the calm
and ease of manner of the veteran
Gross examiner he approached the wit
ness
Do you wear glasses?' he asked.
Yes was the reply.
Can You read without them?"
Then you can't see very weu?"
We're you retired for the night when
the robbery took place.
yes"
Do you wear glasses in bed?"
The lawyers inside the bar began
10 open their eyes
BY a few more skillful questions the
!niiah, VINO was making his own plea for
Aperty, brought out the fact that the
emily light in the room came from an
the iioor. For a While it looked as if the
states strongest evidence that of Miss
Mlllers Identification, was badly
shaken.
Previous to the trial Gervais had had
all witnesses removed from the room
and they were called in separately. He
wrought by so doing he would catcb
sheIm disagreeing in their testimony
Ssfd ne was not wrong. Miss Miller tes-
tined that the only description of the
ROBBERS she had given the police was
that one was taller than the other
Later Officer w. S. Bullock Of Fitch.
bufg testified that Miss Miller had
given MIN very accurate description
or GerVais, even down to the nous.
tache and complexion
Another witness, w. A. Sargent, for.
merry with the Iver-JOhnson COMPANY
IN FJtchburg identified Gervais az bav.
ing been with the man Who purchased
the revolver the day Of the robbery
some other good points that Gervai,
forced Officer Bullock to admit wer,
that similar robberies performed win
the aid of a revolver had been made
Few days after his arrest in Lowell am
that a colored boy who had been called
10 identify him as having purchased :
revolver at another place in Fitchbure
me day of the robbery had failed to az
so. Another witness who testified :,
lldVln0 lit,
the nlted house the evening Of the rob
pery was forced bY the willy prisoner I,
admit that GerVais' own lodging Law /,
the same direction.
But the states case was too stron,
Tor even as good a lawyer as Geryai,
TO WIN against the formidable array O
evidence produced. Had a link of IN,
evidence been wanting, the burglar-at
torney would probably have gained hi
freedom as he did before. As IL wa,
those who heard the case tried though
the defense marvellous for a man of I'll,
aecused's education.
1t was definitely announced yesterda;
mat the Worcester and Suburban stree
railway cases VIII not come I'D this fern
Hiney and Calvin, the motorman anC
conductor charged with manslaushter
VIII have to wait till next Nav befor,
securing a trial lockwood Hoar /,
duthorlty Tor the statement that it vii
pe impossible to obtain for the case {
place on the calendar of the presen-
term Of the superior court. The most.
ponement is due entirely to the short
ness Of the January term and the mum.
per or cases ahead of 1t on the calen.
Tho case Of William Woods. the col