The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-01-21
TRIED A BOY.
And Found him Guilty-Aftermath of
a Jail Break.

And Found him Guilty-Aftermath of
a Jail Break.
In trial that began at seven
clock in the evening and lasted
until after midnight Monday night,
Ernest Stewart was convicted of
"aiding and assisting Chester
Ready and Harry Lyons in-eseap-
ing from the city Jail on Tuesday
night of last week, The trial was
by jury, and verdictJof guilty was
returned after a delay of IS min
utes. It is understood that the
agreement ofthe jurors was reached
on the first ballot. The jury was
Z. H. Davis, o. II. B1ack1edge,
George w. Smith, John Bier, John
Rae and Ruthyn Turney.
The trial embodied speeches by
four lawyers in closing the case
the testimony of several witnesses,
the arguing of several points of law
and much sparring over the admis-
sion of testimony by the attorneys.
It was watched by a roomfull of
spectators, many of whom stood
throughout the long five hours or
more that the trial lasted. It took
place in the council chamber, and
was-before Police Judge Grefoz,
Deputy Attorney J. F. Yates and
Deputy District Attorney Bryson
represented the city, and McFad-
den & McFadden appeared for the
defense. Young Stewart, who is
but II years of age, took the stand
in his own behalf, and under. cross ex
animation, admitted that as early
as half past eight O'Clock on the ev-
ening Of the escape he knew that
an effort was being made to get
Ready and Lyons out of Jail, fact
that probably convinced the jury
that he was concerned with the
rest. and guilty of the ofense charg
ed
The only other witness called by
the defense was Chester Ready,
who swore that the first time he
saw Stewart the evening of the es.
cape was when the latter arrived
with others in a carriage out On
College Hill to take himself and
Lyons to Albany.
The testimony of witnesses on
both sides showed that within
short time after the boys had been
lodged in Jail by officers, they were
in communication with friends on
the outside, arranging for escape.
The planning began before six
o. clock, and before nine, the pris-
oners had tools to work and were
digging their way through the
brick wall. At quarter to
twelve Lyons and Ready emerged
from the hole in the wall, joined
some friends on Manuel Knights
corner and then went out on Col
1ege Hill, where later the carriage
appeared to take them to Albany.
On the witness stand Lyons and
Cameron swore that Stewart watch
ed the officers and acted as an in
formant to the boys inside, notify
ing them when it was safe and
when it was not safe for them to
work at the wall. The signal for
the boys not to work was. for one
Of the outsiders to pass by the Jail
whistling "a Hot Time in the Old
Town., an air equisitely appro-
pirate to the purpose Stewart de-
MED that he gave the signals, and
Ready corroborated the denial,
Stewart admitted. however, that he
was near the Jail with Cameron at
the time the latter was removing
piano box from in front of the hole
SO the prisoners could get out, but
said he did not know what Gamer
on was doing.
The whole story of the escape
was gone over several times in the
taking of the testimony and in the
addresses of the lawyers, and in
the main there was but little differ
ence in the purport of how the
thing was done.
The verdict of the jury, recon-
mended Stewart to the mercy of the
court on account of his youth, and
the fact was that the present was
his first ofense. Sentence was pro-
nounced at one o'clock yesterday by
Judge Grefoz, and twenty days
in jail or fine of $40 was imposed.
At last accounts, the defendant had
begun serving out his sentence,
along with Ready in the city jail.
Lyons and Cameron are in the