The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-03-11
JURYMEN ACQUIT
FRANTZ-ROBBINS
MOSCOW YOUNG MEN CLEARED
OF CHARGES OF BURGLARY
OF POOL HALL

Browning Robbins and Devere
Frantz were cleared of charges of
burglary filed against them in district
court by a jury late Friday afternoon.
The jury returned a verdict of not
guilty after deliberation of between
Is and 20 minutes. The jury's verdict
closed the trial, which has attracted
considerable interest from Moscow
people on account of the prominence
of the two young men.
Judge E. C. Steele, following the
announcement of the verdict of not
guilty by the foreman of the jury, in
statement to the two defendants
from the bench, advised then to mend
their ways" and to keep away from
bad associates
Robbins is the son of Chief of Police
Grant Robbins of Moscow and Frantz
is the son of c. A. Frantz, owner of
the F'rantz Hardware company.
Cleared of Charges
The verdict of not guilty clears the
two young men of the charges of bur-
glary which were filed against them
in connection with the burglary of
the Robbins pool hall on the night of
January 81. On that night the pool
hall, operated by w. S. Robbins, was
broken into and between S23 AMI $25
removed from the two cash registers.
Patrolman Ern Stanley, the prin-
cipal witness for the prosecution,
testified to examining The rear door
of the pool hall at 1:30 that night
According to his testimony he went
from there to Iuff's cafe where be
saw the two defendants. lie then
went on to the Pastime where he was
joined by Robbins and Fraarz ten
minutes later. Patrolma1 Stanley
and the two defendants left the Ias-
time at 1:45 and Stanley went ON
down the alley west Of Main street
to Blanchards pool hall. He then
circled around to Washington street
and saw Frantz and Robbins going UP
the hill on Second street. 1t WAS then
2 o'clock according to the testimony.
Discovers Burglary
Patrolman Stanley then discovered
upon inspection that the pool hall lad
been broken into and burglarized.
After waiting three quarters Of an
hour in town Patrolman Stanley call
ed Chief of Police Grant Robbins and
w. S. Robbins. Just after w. S. Rob
bins came in Browning Robbins
knocked at the front door and asked
to come in.
and there was a row OF tra:ks leading
from the broken window 20 the two
cash registers Patr0lman Stanley
claimed that the tracks fitted Brown
ing Robbins shoe. In the pool ha,,
Grant Robbins asked his son if be
had committed the burglary and
Robbins denied any knowl-
edge of the burglary
Thirteen dollars of the money was
discovered in a snow drift back of
Samms' Furniture store.
Kinnison Star Witness
For the defense the most important
testimony was given by Frank Kjnni-
son of Payette, a sophomore in the
who was employed on
light shift at Huffs cafe The night
he burglary was committed He
estified that he reached Huff's cafe
1t 1 80 and that both defendants were
n the cafe at that time. He said that
hey stayed there for 10 minutes when
hey went out and that after a few
minutes more they returned again
md stayed ten minutes more before
eaving.
This evidence was most important
n that it showed that the two de-
endants were in Huff's cafe 10 Of tie
> minutes in which the burglary oc-
urred according 10 Patrolman Stan
ey's testimony This, according to
he defense, gave only five minutes
n which to commit the burglary and
he defense showed that it was i'm
,ossible to break the glass of the door
md rifle the cash registers in that
ime.
William E. Lee, as attorney for
robbins. and A. L. Morgan as attor-
ey for Frantz argued the case for
he defense. Other attorneys inter-
sted in the case were G. G. Pickett
nd Clayton Keane for Frantz John
Jisbet, prosecuting attorney. was in
harge of the case for the state