Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1901 — Charged With Incest. [ARTICLE]

Charged With Incest.

On complaint of the girl’s father, Joseph Sigman, of near Sharon, Jordan tp., Charles Sigman, the 24 year-old son of the complainant, was arrested at Lafayette last Tuesday and brought here and lodged in jail, charged with incest, the victim being his 16-year-old sister. The girl is how in a delicate condition, and if the charge is sustained it is likely to go pretty hard with the young man. The preliminary examination was held before Esq. Burnham in the east court room Wednesday afternoon, and the girl swore quite strongly, fixing time, pla.ee. etc. Her sister and mother were also examined briefly but their testimony added nothing to the case. The defendant was not examined in his own behalf, but entered a plea of not guilty. The court bound him over to the circuit court, fixing the bond at $709, in default of which he was remanded to jail. The young man is a bright, good looking young fellow, and one whom the casual observer would not expect to be guilty of so grave an offense. The defense, if its cross examination can be taken as a criterion, will plead that the girl attended dances and parties in the neighborhood, and that someone else is responsible for her condition. Some of the neighbors whom we talked with also take this view, and say the prosecution is largely spite work, the boy and his father having had considerable trouble, it is said. Hanley & Hunt are defendant’s attorneys, The affair is a most deplorable one indeed