Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-12-14
STOUT ENTERS GUILTY PLEA
County Attorney Changes Information
in Grand Island Case.
ONE JUROR PUT UNDER CONTEMPT
Withdrawn from Case Following
Disclosure of His Opinion when
State Accepts PIea-Crime
Brutal One.

GRAND ISLAND. Neb.. Dec. 2-CSpe-
cial Tolegram.)-Ernest Z. stout pleaded
guilty to mAnslaughter in killing Joseph f.
Riehesen today. following a sensational
withdrawal OF Juror Ed Mullin on q show
ing that he had. before being chosen de-
clared he would send the defendant to ---
II selected TO serve. The county attorney
changed the information at once. Stout
was re-arrested. re-srraigned, and pleaded
guilty. and viii be sentenced tomorrow
morning at o'clock
The murder was committed on the 18th
Of August. Joseph Richeson, IS years OF
age, was moving hay for Stout, IS years
Of age and much stOuter and stronger than
Richeson- Richeson seems not 10 have
moved in the lines indicated by Stout and
the latter went over TO the mower. Three
other employees ran over 10 where Stout,
as they testified. was seen beating Richie
son. but the latter only gasped and ex-
pired.
A Most Brutal Crime.
Richeson's face had been beaten TO a
pulp, as described by some Of the wit
nesses and the doctors holding the autopsy
described a wound, Of itself mortal on the
head. Stout pleaded self-defense, stating
that when he swore at Richeson the lat
ter came al him with the whip. and that
he struck in self-defense.
The administrators for the orphaned
Richeson children, whose mother died some
years ago, have filed a case for 500 dam
ages against Stout. Stours grandfather
was some years ago convicted OF the muir
der Of one FarT, in about this same To-
cality.
On Saturday and Sunday, when opposing
counsel were contending for and agains
the alleged defect in the complaint, whIcf
defect If the objection had been sustained
might have set the defendant free OF, a.
most, given him a sentence only for as
sault with intent to do great bodily in
jury. there was much speculation as Il
the outcome and no little Indignation wa
expressed on the streets and in the CORR
dor. But Judge Paul overruled the obJec
ton Of the defense this morning and the
trial proceeded.
Juror Taken from Case.
Today in an affidavit W. r. Thompson
Of Wood River alleges under oath that
Ed Mullin. one OF the juro.s s. in a con-
versalion about a week before the tr a
made the remark he would like 10 get OF
the jury and he would send the - -
TO -" Affiant relates tEat he said couru
usually do not select jurors having suci
views Whereupon, according 10 the aft
davit, Mullin replied that ne could hide
that from the court. This, said affaut
was told in the presence Of John Bulger
Benjamin Cross, Guy Westcott and Charles
MadEen-
The defense read the affidavit, follOwet
By one BY the defendant N which he asked
that the juror be Withdrawn from the case
The court held that the defendant upon
the showing, had that right and juror
Mullin was asked 10 withdraw from The
jury. AS ne stepped out Of the box be-
fore a crowded court room Judge Pau
issued an order OF attachment and in
structed that the Juror be held 70 January
4 for contemplated perversion Of jusuc,
and contempt OF court