The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-23

In a court room barred to spec
tators, the story of the criminal at
tack upon housemaid in the
home of Lewis j. Hart, "a Murray
street, on January oath, was UNI
folded before Judge Frederick M.
Peasley in superior court this
morning. Judge Peasley found
Wiley Ebert, the accused, guilty
and deferred sentence until March
18th when the negro youth will
be 16 years Of age.
Only court officials, deputy sher-
ifs, police officers, principal wit
nesses and newspapermen were
admitted into the court room when
the case was called at o'clock
this morning. The case was heard
in a little more than half an hour.
Two representatives of the state
child welfare department were
among those in the court room.
They are Kenneth L. Messenger,
commissioner of the bureau of
child welfare and Richard K.
Goodwin, deputy Juvenile proba-
ton officer, both of Hartford. They
were present in the interest of the
state and to lend support to At
torney w. w. eager, public defend
er, appearing for Elbert.
1t is Attorney Gager's contention
that the superior court has no jur-
isdiction over Ebert because he is
only Is years of age and should
come under the jurisdiction of the
juvenile court for disposition of
his case.
The victim of the attack, pref
ty, softspoken girl Of % years, took
the stand and related the harrow
ing ordeal she experienced in
the early morning of January gath.
ALFRED in a blue turban hat and
blue dress with gray fur collared
coat, the young lady told of awak :
ing in her bedroom on the first
floor of the Hart home to learn
that her watch had stopped. She
decided she better learn the cor
rect time and went into the dining
room to find it was three minutes
to o'clock. She went into the
bath room and found mans
footprint OH the floor. She had re-
turned to her home about 1880
o'clock the night before after Wis
iting friends in Waterville and
know something was not right be-
cause two doors on the first floor
were open that were never opened
before.
She direced her steps from the
bathroom to her bedroom. AS she
stepped across the door sill, a man
stepped from behind the door,
placed a hand over her mouth and
threatened her with knife If she
made an outcry. She screamed at
first but felt the point of knife
sticking into her ribs. She was
afraid to make another outcry.
Patrolman Patrick j. Griffin Of
the motor patrol was the first po-
lice officer to take the stand. He
told Of responding to call from
the Hart home and of hearing the
story Of the attack from the girl.
He was followed by Mr. Hart who
told of being awakened between 7
and 1880 o'clock the same morning
by heavy pounding on the door.
1t was their maid who was in u
highly nervous and distraught con-
dition, who told them there was a
man in her room. Something aw-
full has happened" Mr. Hart said
the girl stated. TITS so awful I
can't tell you about It," the girl
added.
Lieutenant William F. Pollard
took the stand to tell of the taking
of Ebert into custody on North Elm
street, three days after the assault
was committed. Lieutenant Pollard
said Gilbert readily admitted his
guilt and stated he wanted to be
put away without coming to court.
The officer said Ebert willingly
wrote a confession to the crime
and signed his name after first be-
ing warned that anything he put
on the paper might be used