The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-01-24
Wollert Youth
Accused by Girl
Is Found Guilt,
Boy Maintains Poker Face
When Verdict Is Given
Sentence Later-Jury
Out 2 l-2 Hours.

Jury i'm the case OF Robert Wollert,
20. son of Mrs. Adah X. Wollert, l1S
Fifth avenue, charged by Miss Nir-
ginIa. Neigh, 10, of Grand Island,
Neb.. with a statutory offense, In
| district court at Council Bluffs re
turned a verdict of guilty at last
night after two and a half hours dc
liberation. Six ballots we're taken.
There was no display Of emotion
when the verdict was given. The jury
waited 20 minutes for the arrival OF
the defendant and his mother. Miss
Neigh was not in the courtroom
relatives saying that she was in a
highly nervous state from testifying
at the trial. She stayed at the home
of her sister.
WolIert Is Calm.
Robert Wollert maintained 'pok-
er face" as the verdict was read. His
mother stated that she was salts
fed after the jury's report. The
Wollerts and their attorney refused
to state whether the decision would
be appealed
f>tA'~AAN1
fense is five years in prison. Date
for imposing sentence was set for
January 80. Marriage OF the couple
or granting OF new trial would halt
| sentencing.
Asked as TO the possibilities of
marriage, relatives of the girl stated
that it was too late and that they
we're unanimous In opposition 70
such a ceremony now. They inu-
mated, however. that Miss Neigh
still holds sentiment for Woliert,
hom they characterized as her fret
sweetheart.
Trial In the case was begun Mon
day morning before Judge Earl
Peters. -Four witnesses were intro
duced by the state and nearly dozen
by the defense, which was conducted
| by w. e. Mitchell. Closing arguments
we're made yesterday afternoon and
the case was given 10 the jury at B.
"Insinuations against the character
OF Miss Neigh have crept into this
case" said Frank Z. Northrop. coun.
| ty attorney, in his closing argument.
Under the law she is assumed 10
| De Oh DTtNlOuS IHdcNc vim oNN"A thfN
the burden OF proof against this Is
upon the defense. They were hard
pressed for evidence TO stoop to sinis-
| ter insinuations OF this sort.
Praise Boys Character.
'The letters written by both young
people after Miss Neigh returned TO
her home In Grand Island show plain
iy that there was an understanding
between them. l believe there was
mutual. sincere feeling OF love be-
tween Robert and Virginia until the
time these charges were filed.
THE whole foundation of the de.
fense argument is the number of
character witnesses introduced for
young Wollert. I grant you that his
reputation was high and that i would
have failed to find witnesses to tes-
tify TO the contrary. But that tesu.
mony is as much i'm favor OF Miss
Neigh as Of Robert Wollert.
ut shows that she wasn't associ.
ating with a bunch of roughnecks or
young men OF ill.repute. She was
selecting her company carefully. And
submit that when a girl Of such
discrimination falls in love with Al
young man of Robert Wollert's char.
acter, he is the only kind of n man
who could have relations with that
kind OF girl.
you jurors heard the cross-ex
animation of Miss Neigh by MIR.
Mitchell for the defense and you
know that he left nothing To the i'm
agination In his questioning. Yet, she
did not attempt to evade n single
question. The 1s.year old girl doesn't
| live, who can sit on the witness stand
| for a full day under Eli Mitchells
cross examination and lie without get
ting caught
Until October IS, according to the
testimony Robert Wollert had de
clded to play the man ana TO marry
this girl. Then some sinister influ.
ence changed his mind! don't know
what that influence was. but I do
know that on that Sunday night,
when he was discussing the problem
with Miss Neigh at the Swanson
home. his sister and James Malone
came there and took him away
l. Nearly all of the morning session
yesterday was devoted TO tho testl.
mony OF Robert Wolert IN his own
behalf. His story Of his association
with Miss Neigh during 1928 Tailed
almost exactly with that told 10y the
girl on the witness stand. except that
he denied emphntlcally any relations
with her and also denied that he ever
had admitted responsibility for her
condition.
Dr. NJ. \. Tinley and Mrs. pollio
Dick Burgess. n high school teacher,
were introduced by tho defense as
| character witnesses for Wollctt yea
terday and SamVel McInitre testified
details OF conversation between Miss
Neigh and tho youth on November
5. st n conference arranged hy him Ia
ettempt settlement Of the controversy
out Of court