Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-11
JURY CoNVlCTS VALLEY JUNO.
TON sALooNlsT OF AS
sAulT AND ROBBERY.
SENTENCE WILL BE
PRONOUNCED DEG. is
Plea For Client and His Wife and
Children - Jury Refuses to Accept
Plea of Insanity at Time Crime Was
Communicable Ask New Trial.


ener, Valley Junction saloonkeeper,
VAS found guilty of assault and rob-
berry on the person OF Charles Ash
North =. yeGiey Junction Oct :, =s:=
by a jury in the criminal court last
night.
Judge Charles A. Dudley set Dec.
IS for the day OF sentence. In the
meantime. Wegener Mil be at liberty
On the $1,000 bond which was fur
5lisfied shortly after fI save himself
up.
Charles H. Bradshaw. chief coun-
sci for Wegener- announced iralnedi-
a,sly after The verdict that motion
would be filed for a new trial
L was exactly 5 o'clock last eve
Ming when Judge Dudley finished
reading the instructions and the twelve
men left the jury box and went to
their room 70 decide the fate Of the
former saloon man. real estate broker
and politician OF Valley Junction
where. during the last fourteen years
he 7ose from q bartender TO an infiu-
entail business man repU1ed to be
worth S75.0uQ
Verdict Reached at 7:So
Al 80 o'clock the foreman Of the
jury reported 10 the hailif that g YER
5tc- rad BEEN reached The twelve
men had been out just IMo and one
half hours including twenty five min
utes taken for dinner
Judge Dudley vas summoned from
his home and at -:.5 O'Clock the ye--
dict vas read Wegener, his wife and
their TWO children were in the court
room ard ali received the verdict
calmly Fewer than fly other per-
soI1s we're in the court room
The trial lasted twelve days and
everybody connected with it vas com
plecely worn out at the close yester-
day.
The closing hours Of the contest
were dramatic The big court room
was filed TO its capacity. some O. the
spectators even sitting on the steps
leading up 10 the judges bench, Every
available spo, big enough for person
10 stand or sit was taken
Bradshaw Makes Long Plea.
George Wilson. county attorney,
made the closing argument He fol-
lowed Judge Charles S. Bradshaw.
chief counsel for the defense, who fin-
ished at 2:e0 o'clock yesterday after
speaking four and one-half hours
Judge Bradshaw made an eloquent
appeal to the jury 10 hherate Wese-
ner. a thoro lawyer and a splendid
orator. Attorney Bradshaw pictured
the wegener home hereft Of happiness
at Christmas time if the father were
taken away and locked behind the cold
gray walls OF penitentiary.
! Tears ran down Judge Bradshaw .
cheeks as he told of the friendship
that had existed for years between
himself and Wegener and how ii was
his sincere belief that he was insane
at the time the alleged robbery was
committed
Picture to Yourself" Judge Brad
shaw declared in one part Of his talk,
his voice shaking "a home, wife
father and two little boys Picture to
yourself one Of these little fellows not
praying for Santa TO bring him toys,
but praying that Santa would bring
him back his father.
At the mention of his wife and chill
dren, Wegener buried his face in his
hands and his body shook with sobs
Mrs. Wegener was weeping and there
were but few dry eyes among the
women spectators In the crowded court
room
Bitter Attack by Wilson.
All ask, men. is for you 70 TEN :
per justice with mercy exclaimed
/ ge Bradshaw.
County Attorney Wilson made
bitter attack on Wesener.
| Judge Bradshaw accuses the states
prosecutor of being hard hearted and
cold. with no sympathy" said Wilson
| y want to say have as much sym
! patty for this defendants wife and
! little boys as Judge Bradshaw has.
| Do you men Of the jury. ne con-
tinued. assuming these facts the de-
Tense have submitted to be true, that
| Wegener is insane, want to send him
back there so at some time ne may
! do them HARM"
Asks For Conviction.
IF the truth liz known" the prose
cutor continued. the $4,000 you heaI
! of so much. has been accumulated a,
! the expense Of many a child In home s
I crying for bread and butter, only Il
be greeted by a drunken father who
! was sold liquor by Edward Wegensr.'
| In closing County Attorney Wilson
I asked for conviction. declaring Veg
! ener vas sane at the time ne commit.
ted the assault upon Charles Ashwortt
and that he should be punished for his
| crime.