Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-25
SECOND HANDMAN
Is FOUND GUILTY
BY JURY VERDICT
Sam Fryer Convicted in Circuit
Court of Receiving Stolen
Property.
FENCE FOR SILAS BENDER
Penalty is From One 20 10 Years In
State enitentiary-End of
Hard Fought Case.

Buffalo Prairie-Hans Schafe, Will
Kelley.
MoIine-Louis Larson. c. A. lsse,
o. Mullins. Paul L. Edstrand, r. A
Sass, Aft Oberg.
Rock IsIand-F. w. Freistat, Jr., X.
T. Anderson.
South Rock IsIand-WiII Hofer, viii
Tiedemann.
Guilty" was the verdict which the
jury returned in the sam Fryer case
yesterday afternoon at Sis in cir
cult court. convicting the defendant OF
receiving stolen property from Silas
Bender valued at $1z5 and fixing his
age at 80. The penalty is from one to
10 years IN the state penitentiary.
The jury got the case yesterday
r. W. Olmsted was about to leave the
court room shortly after . o'clock to
take his daily plunge in the Y. NJ. c.
4. swimming pool when the ominOus
rapping on the steam pipe. the jury
signal that a bailiff is wanted, was
heard. The court was informed that
verdict had been reached but il took
10 minutes TO locate the defendant.
Circuit Clerk George w. Campbell
had left the building for his home. but
his efficient deputy, Miss Sara Wake
field, very capably assumed his duties
and read the verdict which meant a
long term at Joliet, unless the SUI
preme court OF the state reverses the
findings OF the lower circuit.
Will Appeal.
Immediately Attorney B. F. Schriv-
er for the defendant, asked that the
jury be polled and each juror upheld
in the affirmative to the clerks ques- /
tion. WAS this aud is this your YER
dict?" Attorney Schriver then mott /
fled the court that motions for a new !
trial and arrest OF Judgment would be
filed and in case these failed, that an
appeal TO the supreme court of the
state would be asked. The court, be-
fore excusing the jurors, thanked
them for their services IN rne long
drawn out case, which started March |
.. The taking of evidence was com |.
pIeted Thursday evening of last 1
week, followed by the lengthy argu- !
ments OF attorneys. The case has /
been bitterly fought every step of the /
way, 5. r Kenworthy, Andrew Olson 1
and Ben Schriyer appearing for 1
Fryer and States Attorney F. L.
Thompson for the prosecution.
Believe Bender Story.
II was Silas Bender's remarkable |
story OF a long series of burglaries !
that convicted Fryer. Bender, a
h
than passing reputation as an anna
teur crook" was arrested on the
night of November 7. 1913, as a sus-
pect in connection with the investiga-
ton of the murder of SchoesseI. He
proved an alibi, alleging that he had
been in Silvis where he robbed six
saloons and from there went to West
Liberty. getting back to the city
about o'clock in the evening. He 1
was held at the county jail for a week,
however. On the night of Nov. %, he
robbed four saloons in Moline.
II was while these cases were pend
ing that Bender notified States At
torney r. r Thompson that he want ,
ed TO make a confession to the rob {,
berry of numerous Moline stores, in
which he declared that Fryer acted as
which he and his pals had stolen. II
Is alleged by the prosecution that ;
Bender's statement was prompted ,
through threats which Fryer and his !
wife are alleged TO nave made to
Bender's mother.
Fryer was arrested on the strength
Of Bender's confession and on the day .
that Mrs Fryer appeared in court to q,
bond for her husband, she was
also arrested on a complaint. in order :
TO prevent her from concealing goods :
alleged to have been sstolen by Bender
and his pals and-so1d 10 Fryer.
Treatment for Bender. =
Seven indictments. We're returned a
against Fryer. Elk charging receiving Il
stolen property and one conspsracy.l c
Bender was also indicted four times
for burglary and plead guilty, but
ias not been sentenced as yet. The
story that States Attorney Thompson
expects TO have Bender sent to a
hospital for treatment is denied Ben
Ter is said to be a dope fend, being a :,
confirmed user OF morphine. 81 ex-
,ect to have the boy treated at Joliet" =
aid Mr.. Thompson today.
The feature of the trial was Ben =
Ier's testimony. He declared that he =
lad robbed the Reed and Parks hard