The Goodland republic., 1907-03-08
The TEACHER VAS ACQUITTED
Mss EDITH PRIEST TRIED n
COURT FOR ASSAULT.
Gave Fred GattschaH, a f9-Year-OId
school Boy, q Good TrOuncing-
Bouquet fOE the Teacher.

The sensation OF the season was a
ease tried before Justice Perdleu at
the court house on Wednesday.
The charge was criminal assault The
court room was crowded The defend
ant was Miss Edith L Priest, teacher
In district No. 90, near the old post
once OF LaBianche, about twenty
miles southwest Of GoodIand. The
teacher is a comely, slender. blond
of about 1S years, with blue eyes
shaded BY spectacles, and Iady-Iike
and refined in appearance
The complaining witness was Fred
Gattschall, a stout chunk OF a youth,
tipping the scales at 155 pounds and
In his 18th year, nearly man grown,
and old enough to be a gentleman and
courteous and gallant TO ladies. The
father OF the boy IS a weII-to-do farm
er. resident Of the school district,
and the one who brought the suit.
These contrasts, as they appeared in
court. were both striking and anus
ing
E F. Murphy being employed by
Gattschall to assist County Attorney
Calvert IN q brief absence from court
IN the forenoon, appeared for the
state Attorney Q. I Sparks appeared
Tor the defendant. Court conveded At
about 10 o'clock Wednesday morn
ing and proceeded to the monotonous
detail OF selecting a jury. A panel Of
about thirty was exhausted before
twelve men, good and true" were
found, one being added to complete
the list after the noon adjournment
The jurymen were William Walker,
Wallace Filler, Thomas Costello, Ben
jayne, Albert Starr, J. B. Cochrane,
Fred Slower, Lane Miller, Horatio
DOUthitt, James Rafferty,, Walter VIII
son and William Cray William wal
ker, after the case was given to the
jury was chosen foreman.
ConslderaI mirth was evoked as the
attorney for the defense in examin-
ing the jury solemnly asked:
Would the fact that the defendant
IS a lady and the complaining witness
boy-a young man-preyent you
from arriving at a just verdict, ac-
cording TO the law and evidence p
One young man, and even one eId-
eriy man, allowed that they were
effected by a tender leaning toward
the weaker and fairer sex"
They, however, promised to try
hard to do right And they did.
The witnesses for the state were Fred
Gattschall, Emory Moore, Carl Moore,
Mr. and Mrs William Hargraves, and
J. ". GattschaII; for the defense Miss
Priest in her own behalf, Glen Quick,
Nary and Carrie Taylor.
To state the trend Of the evidence
it was: fnsurbOrdination on the part OF
the young man on two different oc-
casiOnss when disciplined by being
kept in at recess, defed the teacher, |
pushed her aside and went out On
5ae last occasion, refusing to apologize
Tor previous Offenses, and required to |
stay in-from recess upon starting TO |
60 out, ran up against a slat about
three feet In lengh, thrs inches wide !
and ene-half inch in diameter, and a /
pair Of flashing blue eyes. He re-
treated, ran out, and after school ex-
hibited his wounds and bruises to /
MIS- Hargraves, one Of the members |
O. the school board. Then followed /
the suit
About $3.50 O'Clock Wednesday
evening the case was given to the
jury Mr.. Sparks, the new attorney
here, made a fine and telling plea for
the lady defendant The jury were
out Just fifteen minutes. The first
ballot stood twelve for acquital. On |
the subject Of taxing costs to the plain ]
tin, the first ballot stood eleven, and |
the second ballot twelve in favor Of |
the verdict. The verdict stood IN
brief:
Acquitted, and costs taxed to plain |
tin"
A scene followed. The clapping Of
hands, and, after the justice an
nounced the decision, there was a rush
to shake hands with the jurymen, and
to congratulate the plucly. blue-eyed
blushing school nam
In the evening money poured in TO
pay Miss Priests attorneys fees, and
Thursday morning she was presented
with a bouquet Of cut flowers costing
several dollars.