The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-03-23
Willie Cook Araisned on Charge
Of Manslaushter Before Justice
OF the Peace Goodman.
RELEASED ON $4,000 BONDS
lfFound Guilty In Higher Court
Lad May BE Sentenced to Re-
form school, but Not
to Prison.

The verdict of the coroners jury In
the investigation OF the death Of Miss
Santra vilen served the same purpose
as an indictment by the district attor-
ney's office. and. in accordance with
the verdict. 14-year-old Willie Cook
was yesterday arraigned before Jus
tice Goodman on a charge of man
slaughter, The lads attorney, John
H. Smith. waived examination. and
Justice Goodman fixed the bonds of
the boy at $4,000. Street Superintend-
ent Kearney and Archie A. Cook fur
nished the necessary BAH. and the boy
was Immediately released from GUS
tody, For several days he had virtual
ly been in custody. but Sheriff Llhville
ldeclined to lock him up. The sheriff
has formed warm attachment for
the lad. whom he regards as manly in
every sense OF the word. and while
the boy was in his custody arranged
matters so the two would be constant
ly together, day and night.
Deputy District Attorney Eakln
stated yesterday that he had not in
dicted the boy, as the verdict Of the
jury was sufficient to hold him. being
equivalent to an information filed by
the district attorney. Mr.. Eakin ex-
planned that the verdict OF the jury
was in effect charge Of manslaughter
against the lad and upon that charge
he will be tried in the circuit court.
The trial will proceed In regular man
ner, such as would be observed in the
case of an adult, and the jury will find
him guilty or not guilty. It will be
up to Circuit Judge Mcbride, II the
jury's verdict is that of guilty, TO SEN
tence the lad. Under the oregon law
boy between the ages Of 10 and l6
can not be sentenced to the peniten-
tiary. In the present case, II the Coos
boy is found guilty Of manslaughter-
for conviction of which crime an adult
would be sent to the penitentiary-he
will be liable to a term in the reform
school. The law provides big jump
in penalties for children between 10 and
16, who may be confined In the county
Jail for a few offenses or in the re-
form school for offenses which would
cause an adult TO be sent to the states
prison, or who may be hanged for cap
ital crime. But boy under 16 can
not be sentenced to the penitentiary.
The statement has been made re-
peatedly during the past few days that
the Finnish people Of the city have
raised large fund for the purpose OF
carrying on this case, and estimates
of the amount vary from $1,000 to
$4,000. Judge Winton, special prose-
cutor, said yesterday that he believed
these stories had been greatly exag-
gerated, and that the sum was suffi-
cient only to insure proper handling
of the case.
A delegation Of Firms called at the
Office Of The Astorian last evening to
ask that an alleged misstatement ap-
pearing in these columns yesterday be
corrected. The error was alleged tc
have occurred in the testimony of Johr
Jokela. The Astorian stated yesterday
that Jokela quoted his sweetheart
Miss Christine Lehto, as having sale
that Willie Cook took undue liberties
with her The delegation which called
last evening at this Office made th'
statement that Jokela really testified
Miss Vilen told him the lad had i'm
properly molested her at times. The
writer was in the court room at th'
time Jokela was on the stand and un.
derstood the man to have testified thai
Miss Lehto made the statement. Tht
testimony was secured through thu
medium of an interpreter, and it Il
just possible an error was made. j
was very difficult to understand wha
was said because of the noise in th'
court room and the mixture Of Finn
ish and English incident to the taking
Of testimony. Jokela states that hC
quoted Miss vilen, the dead girl, ant
not Miss Lehto, and the mans state
ment is cheerfully published.