Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-16
Assyrian Feddler Accused Of
Assaulting Grace Woodland
Held to Grand Jury
JAHARA sWEARs HIS INNOCENCE
With Many Gestures and shruas Pris-
oner Affirms his innocence, and De-
nies Any Criminal Intention on His
Part-Wishes to Die If He Lies
Bond Fixed at $500.

Repeatedly protesting his innocence,
and again and again supplicating to his
Allah to witness his truthfulness, Ma
hen Jabara, the Assyrian peddler
Woodland last Wednesday afternoon,
was bound over to the grand jury al
his preliminary hearing in Justice
Clark's court Monday evening. Jabara
was bound over on the charge en-
bodied in the information filed, assault
with intent to commit rape, and his
bond was fixed at $500. There is
scarcely possibility that he will secure
bond, as he is without friends who are
willing to go his security for even that
amount.
The hearing was decidedly tedious
affair, as it required an hour and
half to wiring from the accused man
his story. While Joseph Abodeely, OF
Cedar Rapids. who acted as interpre-
ter, used every effort to make his
friend understand. he himself has but
scattering of English, which further
complicated matters. The stress of
confinement has already told on the
Assyrian, and he came into the court
room with decidedly detected air.
His face looked thin and pinched and
the weeks growth of beard that covered
his wrinkied, brown skin. was pow
dered with gray around his chin. He
sat- thoroughly cowed. during the tes
timony Of Mrs. Woodland and her
daughter, but as soon as he was put
on the stand he began to take de-
cided interest in his own behalf. and
with many words and more gestures
told his story, which he was able to re-
peat without varying to any great ex-
tent from the main facts. In details,
however, he was decidedly unreliable.
This latter, 1t would appear. seemed
due to the fact that the Interpretation
of the questions failed to exactly con-
vey the proper meaning of the answer
wanted.
Mother and Daughter Testify.
The young girl herself and her moth
er were the only two witnesses for the
state The former told in substance the
same story as printed in these columns
last Thursday. only varying in slight
details. She testified that the man.
during both of his visits to the house,
kissed her, and during the latter drew
her down into his lap, where he held
her with one hand While he choked
her with his other. He nada nc further
attempt to offer her violence. The
mother corroborated that part of the
testimony regarding her condition as TO
fright and excitement.
Swears by God, Wife and Family.
Jabara seemed DESTROYS of making
his testimony as impressive as possible
and took the oath not only before God
but his wife and family. and called on
them to witness that he told the truth
The testimony proceeded slowly. 1t be-
ing necessary many times to have the
question repeated over and over. The
accused mans story, patched together,
IS in the whole a complete denial of the
charges. He admitted going to the
house, but denied having set foot inside
of it, He claimed that all the time he
was talking to the girl the screen door
separated them. He denied having
touched the girl. or having kissed her.
and when accused of having choked her
he said, Il swear before God that /
never choke her, and if I not tell the
truth l wish God to choke me right
here and let me die, and let him choke
my wife and family that they may die
also" He said he slept in MARSHALL
town the next night. ard left here for
Cedar Rapids early the following morn
ing Cross examination failed to mate
rally shake his story in it's principal
facts, altho in detail it differed at times.
hav n
Interpretation. or misunderstanding, as
much as anything else. Jabara's testi-
mony was delivered with many waves
of the arms and gesticuiations of his
tattooed hands.
Says Reputation Was Good.
Joseph Abodeeiy, of Cedar Rapids,
whose visit to the city was for the
double purpose of collecting, if possible,
from Jabara what was due him for
goods sold, and to act as an interpre-
ter, said he had known the man for
eight months. He had been in this
country that long. but had not been
very successful, was poor, and had not
made "a living at peddling. He said he
had inquired of others who knew of him
before he came to this country and they
had told him he was good man. lie
said he was a man of family, having
several children. He never knew OF
his having been accused of law break
ing of any kind during his residence
here. In the end Abode3ly secured the
prisoners horse and stock of goods,
which Jabara consented to turn over
to him in payment Of his account. they
being the sum total of his worldly pos
sessions.
Friend Attempts to Settle.
Il. H. Zammar the travelling man VINO
spent Sunday here, althc not friend
of Jabara, enlisted himself in his cause,
prompted evidently by a feeling OF
kinship for his countryhan. lie even
Went out to the Woodard home, ana
made an effort to induce both Mrs.
Woodland and the girl to drop the prose-
cution, offering to make monetary
considera ton To their ilsns. The offer
was refused This was after ms taik
with Jabara in the county jail. and II
is not known whether il is an indlca-
ton of guilt that the prisoner may nave
confessed to him. or whether he was
simply trying to play The part or
good Samaritan for his brother who
had become entangled in the meshes of
the law. He later wrote letter 10 the
prisoner. which was Interpreted, tell
ing what his effort had been.
Not Likely to Secure Bonds.
Abodeely stated last aight that he |