Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-14
WILLIAMS SAID
.AE WAS GUILTY.
Entered FentOn Residence, Pleads
Guilty to Another 0ffease,
GOT MIXED UP ON NAMES,
After Plea IL Taken Discovered that
Defendant had been Arralgned
for Namesake's Crime.

George Williams. a morphine hend,
appeared before Judge Norell this
morning for arralgnment on the charge
of HOUSEKEEPING Williams pleaded
guilty, not to the crime for which he
was held to answer By Justice Tim
inony, but to an Information charging
Frank Williams with the same offense.
The latter is young boy arrested By
the police on the 9Th Of January last
charged with having entered the room
OF Peter Lux In the Roberts house on
Broadway and taking a compass and
Gun and collar buttons belonging to the
roomer. He was held TO the district
court and has been In the county jail
since January Sth awaiting the action
OF Judge Norrell
George Williams, the man who APP
peared IN court this morning, Is about
SO years old. He was arrested on
February 10th by officer r. G. Davies
on the charge Of entering the dwelling
house OF s. j.. Fenton at CO north Sec
ond West street, and taking u suit Of
clothes. He was taken before Justice
T1mmony and waived preliminary ex-
animation. Ever since his arrest he
has announced his willingness 70 plead
guilty 10 housebreaking and throw HIM
self upon the mercy OF the court.
With the understanding that he
would plead guilty he was this morning
brought into court, and the fact that
he pleaded guilty to an offense that he
was In no way connected with goes 20
prove that he was ready 20 plead guilty
TO almost anything the prosecuting Of
ficers chose TO accuse him OF.
The information against young Frank
Williams was fled In the district court
February T. The transcript In the case
Of George Williams was received on
February "a, while the Benbro0k trial
was In progress, and for that reason
no information was filed against him.
Yesterday afternoon Deputy County
Attorney Ray Van Colt notified Clerk
Il. w. Little that George Williams
would be arraigned today and told him
10 have the papers ready.
The name of williams sounded quite
familiar 70 Clerk Little and when
court opened this morning he was on
hand with the information filed against
Frank Williams, the only person by
that name whom the county attorneys
Office had Informed against.
When the defendant Williams was re-
quested by Judge Norrell TO stand up
and be arraigned Clerk Little inquired
OF him II his true name was Frank
Williams
mo, sir" replied the defendant, my
true name Is George Williams
. no ala uc "a
pen from behind his right ear, and made
an interllneatlon in the information.
The clerk then replaced the pen and,
clearing his throat, read the document
commencing with. state OF Utah w
Frank Williams, whose true name Ii
George Williams" The defendant lis
tened attentively 10 the recital, and
when asked BY the court II he wished Ia
enter his plea instanter or take the
statutory time, replied. yes, yer
honor; | plead guilty.
Judge Norrell then inquired Of VIII
liams N he desired 20 waive time for
sentence. but the defendant evidently
did not know what that meant so the
court ordered that he be brought IN
Friday morning.
Some time after court adjourned II
daWned upon Prosecutor Nuh Gov lht'
the wrong person had been arraigned
and that Williams had pleaded guilty
10 an offense committed by another
As the matter now stands Williams
will have 10 undergo another ar
ralgnment which will be on Friday
morning. at which time Judge Norrell
expects 20 sentence him.
There was quite laugh among the
court officials when the mistake was
discovered. and It was agreed among
them not 20 say a word TO the news
paper reporters, and they didn't.