Salt Lake Telegram | 1948-12-23 | Page 1 | perjury Suspect Pleads Guilty to S. L. Grand Jury Charge

n Perjury Suspect Pleads Guilty To S. S L. L Grand Jury Charge Gus Weiser owner of G W V Amusement Co pleaded guilty to toa toa toa a second d degree gree perjury charge Thursday while Ra Ray H. H Leavitt former state road commission chairman was as granted until Jan 8 to enter plea on a first degree perjury charge Both had been Indicted by the Salt Lake county grand jury Weiser was sentenced to one year In jail and a fine with the thc jail sentence suspended on payment of fine Third district court Judge Ray Van C tt Jr issued the thc sentence A stay of execution was granted until Fri i day Originally Weiser had been accused accused ac ac- ac- ac of first degree perjury but the thc charge was reduced to second degree Thursday on motion of at J. J Richard defense counsel District Attorney Brigham E. E Roberts Rob Rob- crts erts approved the reduction sayIng sayIng saying say- say Ing that it had also been approved by grand gra d jury members Indicted on Perjury Weiser Welser was indicted July 29 on perjury growing out of testimony he gave before th the grand jury concerning concerning concerning con con- the disappearance of slot machines from irom Yank Haven a wartime night club at 39 Exchange i pi pl Police discovered the machines in July 1946 but when they re returned returned returned re- re turned with trucks truck to confiscate them nothing could b be found Weiser Welser had told the jury that he did not know what happened to them His counsel argued that first de degree perjury perjur must be given in regard to a crime The charge char e must st show what crime was in in- in Not w wishing sh ng to disclose the nature of their investigations the grand jury a agreed reed to low lower r the charge to second d degree grce was granted until Jan Jan- 8 j to enter plea when his attorney A. A H. H Hougaard told the thc court that an associate attorney in the case Martin M. M Larson was ill iii illand illand and that they therefore were Unable unable unable un un- able to prepare a brief supporting the motion to quash filed Wednes Wednes- day Asks Ask Postponement Mr Hougaard asked for a postponement postponement postponement post post- until sometime after after- the thc middle of of January but District District District Dis Dis- Attorney Roberts felt that t that was too long Leavitt was indicted Nov No 20 for allegedly testifying falsely to the grand jury last September 4 Yul 7 k 1 I G Gu Gus u Welder I Pleaded JUIl guilty t to perjury Thursday I The indictment grew out of testimony testimony testimony tes tes- tes- tes in which Leavitt allegedly said he had never received money from Val Hicks a former salesman for a rock asphalt firm Judge Albert H. H will hear the remainder of oC the Leavitt case cose since the criminal court judgeship is rotated rotated among among the Third district judges every six months Judge Van Colts Colt's term on the criminal bench expires Jan 1 1