The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-26
WILL BE NO APPEAL IN
FORKS WHITE SLAVE CASE
Judge Amidon Says Girl In Case
subnormaI and Gives Convicted
Boya Short Sentences.

Grand Forks, N. D., Nov. 2s.--
There will be no appeal to the. circuit
court OF appeals from the verdict of
the federal court jury under which
Roy Spriggs and William Hogg OF
Grand Forks were found guilty in
connection with the transportation
of Adelaide Chapman from Crooks
ton, Mimi, to Grand Forks, in viola
ton of the Mann act.
The boys were sentenced by Judge
G. F. Amidon late Saturday after
noon. Spriggs was given six months
in the county Jail in Grand Forks
Hogg was give nine months.
In .pronouncing sentence, Judge
Amidon declared the girl. Miss Chap
man, was evidently subnormal, and
that her own behavior, as set forth
by her evidence in court, impressed
him with the idea that she shouldn't
be permitted TO run at large without
a guardian.
In this case, three other defendants
were found not guilty, and have since
been accused Of rape in Polk county,
Mimi, courts.
Miss Chapman was in the court
room when sentence was pronounc-
ed, and heard Judge Amidon's state
ment.
Referring to the complaining wit
ness, Miss Chapman, Judge Amidon
said;
"By scientific Investigation 1t has
been found that many are children in
their minds although of adult phy-
sique, and from this class comes
more than Is per cent of the pros
titutes of the country.
Il have diligently informed myself
about Miss Chapman and have ad-
dressed many of those who have
known her for a long time. From
what have learned, / have formed
the conclusion that her mind is really
sub-normal. In her evidence she has
shown herself to be sub-normal and
feel satisfied that she is so, because
of the talks have had with various
persons about her, and because of
her appearance. All this has thrown
into my mind a great doubt as to
whether or not she actually consent
ed to what happened on the night
between June 8 and on the road
between sCrookston and Fisher,
MINI.
This circumstance mitigates your
crime, defendants, but IL you had
known that she was sub-normal, that
fact would have added to the enorm-
ity OF your crime"
Jury Asks Ciemency.
The jury, Judge Amidon said, had
prepared a. plea for clemency signed
by all twelve members and based on
the youth of the defendants as we'll
as on the fact that they had entered
army. The jurors had added that
the evidence had not clearly shown
whether or not force had been en-
ployed by the defendants, and, re-
garding this point, the court made
the remark that he felt rather doubt
full.
II have tried to ascertain all /
could about the conduct and state of
mind OF the complaining witness In
this case. So much has been found
out during recent years on the sub
Ject Of sub-normal minds that the
popular mind knows very little about
1t in reference to criminal acts. Dis
closures made in this field of research
have almost revolutionized GRIMM
ology as far as Juvenile criminals
are concerned, and for this reason
psychopathic experts have been at
tached to a. great number of courts
throughout the country for the pur-
pose OF tascertaining the exact state
of mind. OF the persons concerned in
the criminal cases that come before
the courts.
"This is not a white slave case In
the proper sense" the court added;
IF it were, the maximum sentence
should be imposed upon you. But /
feel that there is something strange
about girl who starts out of a noe
turnal journey with i've complete
strangers, and she ought not to be
allowed to be at large unprotected"