The Mankato free press., 1923-12-28
Daughter Testifies In
Behalf of Her Father
r. J. Soule Must, Howeuer,
SerUe Jail Sentence For
Non-Support

II. ]. Soule, arrested last week on
the complaint of Mary q. Bunce who
charged the defendant with non sup
port Of his four minor children,
was arraigned this morning and
given hearing on that charge.
Judge William Stradtmann after
hearing the evidence in the case,
sentenced the defendent to sixty
days in the county Jail, but at the
suggestion Of County Attorney Frank
Z. Morse, suspended sentence pro-
Vided the defendant cam furnish a
bond for the payment OF $50 a
month toward the SUPPORT of his
children for a period of one year.
After sentence was passed defend
ant notified the court that he has no
money with which to start making
payments, and no means of securing
u bond. Mr.. Soule was confined in
one Of the cells at the police station
about noon, but may get the neces-
sary bond before night.
E. Z. Wright, brother in law of
the defendant, was the first witness
sworn. He testified that his wife had
been caring for Willard Soule, one
Of the seven year old children.
Soule, who acted as his own at
torney, on the cross examination
of Mr.. Wright brought out the fact
that Mr.. Soule had promised to pay
for the support of Willard, but that
Mr.. Wright had not as yet received
any of the money.
Mrs. Mary E. Bunce, mother in
law Of the defendant, and grand
mother Of the Soule children, who
Is now eighty eight years OF age,
testified that directly following the
death of Mrs. Soule the defendant
had supported the children in the
proper manner, but that for about
fourteen months past she had not
been receiving anythingttoward the
support Of her grand children, who
had been making their home with
her. The grandmother intimated that
food had been so scarce at times that
neighbors had brought in eatables.
Sybil Soule, the seventeen year
old daughter of Mr.. Soule, was in
clined to defend her father, whom
she said had paid over to the fam
lily all the money he could spare
from his own support. She said that
her father when he lived in Mankato
used to purchase all of the groceries
and he had frequently sent her
money with which to pay room rent
grandmother's home. Cross examin-
ed by her father, Miss Soule, said
that she at no time thought that her
father was trying to dodge support
of herself and brothers.
County Attorney Frank E. Morse,
first duly sworn as witness, read a
memorandum and payments he had
made to his children for the past
fourteen months. These payments
amounted to $84 up to October first
of this year.
Mr. Soule did not question the
statement, only to remark that he
gave Sybil $40 for some clothes in
addition to that amount. He said that
that was all he could spare for he
had run into hard luck.
The defendant r. j. Soule volun
tarfly asked to be sworn as witness
and said that he had been sick in an
hospital in South Dakota some time
ago, but for the past fourteen
months he had been feeling fine.
the nursery firm for which he travels
and when, he did start to work, the
firm held, back certain amount each
week. This he said set him back con-
siderably. He realized that his fam
lily did not get the support they
should, but, it was all that he could
spare from his own living expenses.
When sentenced to sixty days in
the county. jail in default Of a bond
for the payment of $50 per month
toward the support of his children,
Soule said he would serve out his
time, for he had no way of produc-
ing the necessary bond