Evening journal., 1917-12-03
stephens GUILTY.
Gwen Nine months
Immediately Takes Appeal
and Will be Released
on $4,000 Bail
FATHERS UNUSUAL
STATEMENT TO COURT

Stpehens, one OF the leaders at the Ar
den colony. In Brandywine hundred,
was placed on trial before Judge
Bradford, in United States Court to-
day. for falling TO register under the
selective draft law The jury retired
at o'clock after all the testimony had
been presented.
The jury returned with a verdict Of
guilty at ii6 o'clock. The jurors were
discharged by Judge Bradford, but all
remained in the jury box. Judge Brad
ford sentenced stephens TO be lmpris-
oned nine months and TO paw the costs.
lie also ordered that a certificate copy
OF the Indictment and verdict be SCAT
10 the rural New Castle county oxemp-
tion board. 10 is supposed that the
board will register stephens.
The court then allowed Atto~nev
Budd to call witnesses to prove that
stephens was con -cientlOus onJectur
Mr.. Budd named Bottom Hall, noted
single Tax orator, and Frank stephens,
father Of the accused young man, as
Witnesses. Mr.. Hall was not present.
Frank stephens. the father, said:
MY son came into life at the death
Of his mother years ago. Two taught
him what / believe TO be the binding
force Of q divine command, thou shalt
not KILL and in later life / Taught INN
love thy neighbOr The boy in his
early life would not kill even an animal.
His sister and brother have never
tasted meat When a boy he went to
! England and studied in the Friends
I school. or as we say the Quakers.
/ While there he followed the teachings
Of Tolstoi and Of Garrison, the liberator.
In my judgment we are against muir
der, and in our belief war is organized
murder"
/ Judge Bradford remarked when
Stephens had finished:
"The logical result OF the principles
/ lust set forth would lead 10 anarchy.
Judge Bradford said the proper action
for Donald stephens TO have taken would
have been to register and flc an appeal
with the axem TO nn "a
Mr.. Budd for the defendant, then asked
leave t0 Ole -
Of judgment. District Attorney Curley
sugg I'd $500 bll brt tns cou fixed
It at 5000. The bail bond and writ OF
I error will be passed on by the court this
t afternoon. AVID f satfsrarto " S
viii be released pending an appeal TO the
Cou.t OF Appeals.
stephens Is a conscientious Obiector
and was an organizer for the Delaware
branch OF the Peoples Council for
Peace. lie was represented in court hy
Henry Budd. a Philadelphia attorney
Charles r. Curley, district attorney, ap-
peared for the government.
seats in the space allotted for spec
iators were nearly all occupied. Ih'
following men composed the Jury VII
liam Holten, George II. Spackman
Henry NJ. Taylor, Lewis NJ. Price
James Nirden, Willard S. Torbett
Charles Hopkins. W. Atwood Weldin
Abel Sevel, Thomas +. McEvily, JOSEPH
"a. could. Jr, James r. Marshall an'
Huston Galbraiih.
In his opening address District At
torney Curley stated that he woult
show that the defendant had not pre-
sented himself for registration, though
Z he did not belong 10 the army or navy
, N,nlcn fact would give grounds for e1
, emption.
Martin 7. Fairy, United states Mar
shal. called for the Government, testl
fed ne called on stephens shortly be
fore stephens arrest and informed hiI
that he was United states Marsha
and asked II he stephens was regis
tered. STEPHENS said he was not regis
tered because he was opposed TO WaT
In answer TO a question The defend
ant said he did not belong 20 any mill
tarv organization. that he was a peac
man and unalterably opposed TO an
kind Of military demonstration, Ma"
shal Fairy testified.
% on cross-cXaminatiOn Marshal Farr,
, said stephens led him to believe that
did not make any difference what ih
y Government did 20 him, he would no
2 serve as q soldier. The marsal OILS
Q said that stephens told him that Oh
! marshal did not need to go after hin
Il with "A warrant OF arrest. as he W6
willing TO surrender himself. Marsha
,, Fairy said stephens told him he wa
? 27 vars.
g Attorney Budd. who inadverently re
s mained sitting while questioning IL
witness. was reminded by the cour
!, that II is the custom 20 stand Will
II carrying ont the practice OF law in ih
b United Siaies Court in this city. Nj
Budd Immediately apologized to tn
y court
john I. Wright Clerk Of the Peace q
c New Castle County, was sworn 10
a record.
n Or. Wilbur o. Sypherd, OF Newarl
N member Of the rural New Castle Count
/ draft board, under which iurisdictio
the defendant is, said stephens was 10
registered IN that district.
Alr. Budd. the defense, in addrcssir
the Jury. said he would not waste tin
in going into the legality OF the dra
p act. Tie said he would show dcfcndal
rs Is not q coward and did not try to 81
y away; that there h.c some who fro
u ethics and religious belief, have co
scicntious objections 10 army scrViC
= Attorney Budd said his client is not
but 30 years old That he is a marri
Z man and that child has bccn horn
his family since his arrest. From th
point Of view. the attorney stated tn
his client fully believed he would ha
been exempted, and that he was SON
what too strong in his consciontio
objections and didn't register.
stephens was then placed on {
stand and said he has been married I
four years. and That he is 30 years o
The defendants attorney attempted
bring before the court the facts n
Stephens had been educated agaiI
war by his father. and that the defer
ant wrote letter as far back as
years ago. expressing his opposition
war. This was not admitted as e.
dcncc.