Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-11-01
SPICY POEMS A N D
A WOMAN'S W|LES
GET MAN OFF EASY
ALLEGED ASSAlLANT OF MAR
RiED LADY PLEADS ATTACK
WAS PROVOKED BY COMPLAIN.
ANTS GENERAL ATTITUDE TO-
WARD HIM.

On the strength of evidence pre-
scented at the trial late yesterday after
noon Of Wesley Fields, paving worker,
arrested on a charge of attempted rape
on the person OF Mrs. Ellie CALVIN
whose husband is employed at n west
Side sand works, Judge Koenig Or
dered the complaint changed from
felony TO misdemeanor. The Judge
tined the defendant s25 and costs ana
committed him to the county jail Tor
two days and two nights.
Fields was arrested after Mrs. Gal.
win had warrants issued for him. the
woman alleged that he came into her
room and attempted an assault, but
failed when she drove him of by
hurting shoes and whatever else came
handy in his direction. The alleged
crime occurred Monday afternoon at
the Burlington hotel where both make
their home.
When couple OF poems were sub
mitted In evidence and the authorship
accepted by the complaining witness
Judge Koenig ruled that there was
some extenuating circumstances IN
connection with the usual case and
decided to lessen the charge against
| the defendant, changing 1t from Eel
ony to misdemeanor.
The poems, according to Jud5e
| Koenig, were OF the 'unmentionable
type. II was further brought out tha'
Fields had gone iGto the room at Mrs
Galvin's request to repair lock. Once
there he forgot he was a gentleman
long enough to make overtures thai
any self.respecting woman would re
sent.
Summing all the facts as presented
him, the ceurt decided that Fields
should be punished for his act, an
ordered him fined the S25 and sen
to jail for two days.
| Mrs. Calvin was the first Witnes!
called. She said that during Monda!
morning she had asked Mr.. Fields t
fix the lock on the door Of room III
which he did. After finishing the re
pairs she said the defendant asked
her what he would get for his serV
:ces and she replied, "Oh, almost any
thing" in a joking manner. He thel
left the room and she did not see hin
until later in the day. The first tim
was at the dinner table and the mex
time was when the attempted assault
took place in room 10. She told tn
court of going to the police station
with her husband fling the complain
against Fields. But on a cross-eXam
nation by Russell A. Hanson, attorne,
s0r Tields the weak points were foun'
in the testimony.
The husband, John Calvin, took tn
stanu ana recitGd what ne was tol
by his wife.
Wesley Fields testified in his ow
, behalf, and the manner in which n
told his story saved him from bein
convicted on the more serious charge
He told how the woman had acted tt
, ward him and another man at tn
hotel. He told of the poems sh
passed about the hotel. He exhibite
a scratch which the complainant CAV
him. He declared he left the ROOF
after being clawed.
Seifert Thorson declared that hi
roommate was only gone from tn
: room few seconds, probably abor
n two minutes. There was no noise G
e anything else that he could hear c
e see, and Fields was soon back in III
0 room, and they left for Grand Ridge.
= The attorneys made their closin
speeches and gave the case to tn