The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1911-10-06
MOT GUILTY. SOUNDED
GOOD TO PAONIA TEACHER
Other Cases of Importance and In
terest at the September Term
of Court

the Paonia school teacher who was
charged with assault upon little
Katherine Oliver, twelve years old.
a sixth grade pupil in Huessong's
school. come to an agreement as to
their verdict, and it was not until
10 o'clock on the morning of that
day that the defenadnt was apprised
OF his fate. There was gravity in
the charge and there was also SER
ious penalty prescribed for such Of
fense and consequently Prof. Hues-
song and his wife, who sat at his
side through the entire hearing.
awaited the return of verdict with
justifiable fear and trent bling. Not
GUILTY." was the word when it
came and it can easily be said that
no two words ever sounded sweeter
to the man who directed school work
in Paonia for two years than did
those two.
There were but few witnesses in
the case and the Independent will
undertake to give its subscribers
that showing made TO the jury
the evidence for jury to deal with
in determining guilt or innocence.
cipal witness in the case, was first
called to the stand, and she pro-
ceeded at once TO tell how she had
failed to pass examinations with
her class because OF absence from
school when i'll with a siege of ty-
phoid fever. She was well up in all
studies excepting mathematics and
if she could only make a gain in
this line of her school work, she
could advance to the next grade
with the rest of her class. She was
told to consult her teacher in the
matter and upon learning that the
lady was in Denver she wrote a
letter explaining conditions and her
desires in the matter.
/ Her teacher told her to see Prof.
Huessong and suggested that he
might lend a helping hand. Kather-
inc went to the professors office
one afternoon, according to her own
story, and shortly after her ap-
pearance in that gentleman's pres
ence he called her to him and asked
her to get upon his lap which she
did. He asked her TO kiss him and
this too was carried out. The matter
of examinations was talked over
briefly and then Prof. Huessong
told the child to return to his Of
flee the following afternoon. She
alleges that she went to his room
as requested and was again taken
upon his lap. after the door of his
affice had been locked. and he
asked her to kiss him again and she
put her tongue out at him. He
then embraced the child fondly and
began TO force his hands about her
person. she being unable TO ward
off his advances.
Finally a step sounded in the
hallway near the door and she was
put down to allow the professor to
get the door unlocked and opened.
T. ]. Curtis, secretary of the school
board, stepped in to get paper
of some kind and was there but IL
moment or so, after which the girl
found her way 10 the street. and
meeting her mother, related the
story as above told. excepting that
she first greeted her mother with
the sentence: "Oh, He is a horrible,
nasty man, or wretch.
Mrs. Charles Olivier, mother of
the little girl, testified to the above
report. of her own agitation over
the matter. and that, her husband
being out of town on business, she
did not know whom to go TO for
help and advice. She eventually
decided to go to Mrs. Huessong and
drove to that lady's home only to
find her absent. She then went to
the home of ]. T. Curtis, secretary
of the school board, and stated tho
case in full to him. In the cross eN-
animation of the witness by attor-
neys for the people, il was shown
or at least attempted to be shown
that she had had previous trouble
with the school fraternity and that
the conduct of the school was not
to her liking and that she was de-
sirous of a change in the school
forces.
Attorney Merle d. Vincent was
the next witness and Mr.. Vincent
stated that he and Mr.. Curtis held
a conference in his office at about
S or $50 o'clock that evening.
They summoned Mr., Huessong to
the office and told him to leave
town that night. Huessong stated
that "a mountain was being made
of mole HILL or words to that
effect. and that the child had not
been harmed. Huessong was told
that the matter should be kept as
Quiet as possible and that he should
leave the town that night for 1t was
feared that Mr.. oliver might do
him bodily harm when he came to
know of the charge Huessong
did not go that night however. AZ
1Gnntinmad on naga fourl