Evening star., 1942-02-21
Ewing Convicted
|0fAssau|t, but
Escapes Death
Hears Verdict Without
Emotion After Jury
DeIiberutes 2H Hours
BY HORACE A. KNOWLES.

By HORACE A. KNOWLES.
A verdict of guilty, bpt with
out the death penalty. was re-
turned today in District Court
against Orman w. Ewing, former
Democratic national committee
man from Utah, charged with
criminally assaulting a 20-year-
old Government worker.
The jury of II men and one
woman, which deliberated two hours
and Is minutes, did not elect to add
the supreme penalty to the verdict,
as the law provides it may do. With
this omission, the maximum SEN
tence is 80 years imprisonment.
Ewing, ashen-faced and looking
very tired, took the verdict without
a show of emotion He was dressed
in the dark blue suit, blue shirt and
dark tie as he has been attired
throughout the trial. Just before
he was led from the courtroom, he
blew a kiss toward members CT his
family who were sitting in the front
row of the filled court room. One
Of his daughters answered it with
a like gesture.
While the jury was being polled
the defendants wife, Mrs. Leola H.
Ewing, and one Of their three
daughters sobbed audibly. The Ew-
ir1gs also have two sons
The complainant was not in the
court room when the verdict was re-
turned.
Defense counsel said a motion for
a new trial would be filed within a
few days. After this has been dis
posed Of, Justice James w. Morris
will set date for sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys
John w. Ffhelly and Charles Murray
the case. s,.
Judge Gives COMMUTE Charge.
The jury was given the case at
11:05 am, after 4 40-minute charge
by Justice Morris, who pointed out
that the defendant was as innocent
of the accusation as any one in the
jury box until the weight of evi-
dence proved him guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt.
Ewing sat motionless throughout
the charge, his eyes fixed on the
judge.
II cannot see that there will be
any verdict except not guilty." Mrs.
Ewing said before the jury returned.
One of Ewing's two sons, Lowell
Ewing. sat beside him and gripped
his fathers hand now and then.
Cautioning the jury to exercise
great care in weighing the evidence
because the charge was such a
"heinous" one, Justice Morris en-
phaSized that it was not sufficient
for the Government to establish
probability" that the alleged crime
was committed. He also urged that
the jury take into consideration
whether the witnesses had any "bias
or prejudice" in the case.
Complaint Was Newcomer.
The 55-year-old defendant was ac-
cused of attacking the girl In
rooming house at 1101 Sixteenth
street, N. W., in the early morning
of October 26. Ewing was co-owner
of the building with Miss Hester
Chamberlin.
The complaining witness had been
in Washington only two weeks, hav-
ing come here from Utah to take
stenographic position with the
Government. The girls mother and
Miss Chamberlin had been almost
lifelong friends, and the COM
plainant came to stay with Miss
Chamberlin, until she had made ar
rangements for permanent lodging.
Miss Chamberlin gave the COM
plainant the bedroom of her apart
ment. It was in this room that the
attack is alleged to have occurred.
Ewing steadfastly denied the at
tack. Miss Chamberlin, a star de-
fenSe witness in the six-day long
trial, testified that she slept in a
room adjoining that Of the girl
and she heard no disturbance to in
dicate that an assault was taking
place.
The complainant testified that
Ewing threatened her life If she
resisted the attack.