"CHYC SENTENCED TO FIFTEEN YEARS IN PENITENTIARY," Winnipeg Tribune. December 5, 1913. Page 1.
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Declaring that there were conditions in the north end of the city which were a scandal and an outrage to any community, Mr. Justice Prendergast this morning sentenced Steve Chye to fifteen years in the penitentiary for the manslaughter of Mike Bruse on the night of Nov, 11 at the corner of Derby and Jarvis, Paulo Lychkum, who with Chyc was charged with the wilful murder of the deceased, was acquitted.
This was the last case to be disposed at the fall assizes and the jury that had considered it - they were locked up all night bringing in their verdict shortly after eleven o'clock - and all the other jurors were discharged.
Painful Scene
On the reception of the verdict a painful scene was witnessed by the crowded court. Immediately they heard it the mother and sister of Chyc broke out into loud cries and so disturbing and distracting were they that they had to be helped out while the session was suspended for a quarter of an hour. This was the only time Chyc had shown any strong symptoms of emotion. Sobbing as if he had lost control of himself he remained bent and convulsed with weeping while his counsel was pleading with the court for leniency and his lordship was passing sentence.
Percy Hagel, who represented him, commented upon his youth and the fact that during all the nine years he has been in Canada he had not been in trouble of any kind. He had borne, said counsel, the best possible reputation and whatever he had done this night was done on the impulse of the moment.
Sentence of Court.
Mr. Justice Prendergast said that although, considering the nature of the evidence, he regarded the prisoner as having been fortunate in not having been found guilty of murder, he was disposed to leniency but for the fact that there was in the north end of the city a certain district, of which perhaps the section about Derby street and Dufferin avenue was the centre, in which there were conditions that were an outrage and scandal in the community. "That," declared his lordship, forbids me extending to him the leniency which perhaps otherwise might have extended. The sentence of the court is that he be imprisoned fifteen years in the penitentiary."
Chyc, who had nothing to say when asked either after the verdict was brought in or before sentence was passed, was then removed from court and Lychkum released from custody.
ONE GUILTY AND OTHER IS NOT
Steve Chyc, who was sentenced by Judge Prendergast this morning to fifteen years for the killing of Mike Brusc.
Paulo Lychkum, who was found not guilty of causing the death of Miko Brusc by a jury of the assizes court this morning.
[Chyc or Chic was 24, born in Galicia in Austria-Hungary, a naturalized Canadian, and a switchman for the railways. He was convict #1868 at Manitoba Penitentiary, uniform number #152. He was relatively well conducted, with few reports, and was paroled January 1919 to the custody of the Winnipeg police. He was turned over to the North-West Mounted Police for supervision in April 1919.]