The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-19
IRENE HOUSE ACQUITTED.
ELErEN JURORs oUf0K To CLEAR
HER IND ONE RELUCTANT

EIEPEN JURORs QUfOE To CLEAR
HER md ONE REL UCraNT.
A beautiful woman's Triumph Accomplished
The Prosecutors Address and n Good
Charge BY the Judge-A shaking Of Hands.
TRENTON, N. j., Oct. 18.-The trial of
Irene House ended to-day IN her acquittal, and
that result astonished nobody who had closely
observed the proceedings. The ctowding 10
and around the court room was greater at the
| opening han on either OF tho preceding days
| Mrs. House showed slightly paler face, perfect
composure, and unessened care In her toilet
| Attorney General vsnstta used the first two
| hours OF the morning session In addressing the
| Jury Tor the prosecution. He analyE ID the EVIL
dence, his deductions being that Mrs. House
and her son were not seriously ENDANGERED by
Houses attack, that she did not endeavor to
escape from him, that she was In no way in
jured. and that her controlling motives were
anger and revenge.
| Mrs. House controlled her feelings during the
argument against her, and sat very quietly be
tween her lawyer and her father. She was def
erentially attentive to Judge Beasley's charge,
which was ext delivered. His Honor began by
cautioninR the jury against allowing their emo
tions TO influence them, They ought be said,
| The question was not whether Mrs. Nous" was
maitreated bv her husband. or whether he was
|
! tlng him to death The conceded Tact OF provo
cation had prevented the indictment OF Mrs.
House, but that was not an excuse Zoe the HON
icide The Killing Deins conceded, the prisoner
SHOULD only be acquitted on evidence that az
tho time OF the sho ting she was In great peril
or reasonably supposed that she was. HIS
Honor reviewed the testimony Thoroughly. ex-
cent that given bv Mrs. House, which he DIS
missed with the remark that OF course 1t was
biased, and did not deserve much cOnsiuera-
tton. The charge sharply defined Tue issue,
Mario wing u to the simple question whether
Mrs. House nrrd In the honest Deief that " was
necessary In order to save herself from death OF
serious injury. The usual instruction was given
as to the prisoner being emitted To the beneht
of a reasonable DOUBT. The jury retired at
about | o'clock, and a recess until : was an
AWAITING THE VERDICT.
The court room was soon half empty, but Mrs..
House re nained. Ms did ner father and counsel,
with whom sue chatted smiliney At o'clock
she went 70 a corner OF the suartment, 50 as 10
the next case. The tiial Of negro for stauOing
a white man went on. md she seemed 10 De us
teninR to the proceedings. but without being
mucn diverted from great anxiety as to her own
cis-. The room hiled again with men ana wo-
men. and there was frequent laughter at tue tes-
tmOnN, which related To row AL y negro piSiie,
and described iudicrous phases OF ruth NE IN
New jersey; out Mis. houso 9nS sniueu , ,s,,,.
sue must nave been convinced % tnat tlme tnat
the Jury would not agree 'Of there - ohy one
degree Of manslaughter known 20 New Jersey
and tue delay indicated That either conviction
or an cddittai was improbable.
heavy veil. and fell into an attitude OF reverie.
Bradley House : NEAR her. but they seemed
ooiivious OF each other. The afternoon passed
tediously Tue negro was convicted at about
O'Clock, and at that time the assembly haa
dwiu died to not more than hundred, half OF
whom we're pertinacious women. Mrs. House
red IN newspaper an account OF her yester-
aav's conduct as a witness, and pouted pettishlY
Tue Judge went away, but she STAYED reso-
lutsly, although she mad eaten nothing since
: breakfast. Bradley House walked mere and
>" Really. now, didn't YOU wish to marry Mrs
Housei' he was asked.
| M. sir naVa - la m "a
, DID she wish To marry youf"
: "Neh. yes. she asked mo TO marry her, anc
J. "lio~ long were you at her fathers house Z
ABOUT Two weeks"
: "Did YOU reject h r proposalT"
!, IL didn't say e,tner ,e. OF no to 1t. III,
! family treated II az her wnln,
"Dil YOU see mucn OF her during your stay II
1 80. yes: we ate at the same tsbls, aud | went
to church with her several times In the evening
: but her son WAS ALWAYS along"
live YOU ever written her letter aoou
marri,ger
No, never. All the correspondence on tina
+, subject was between her aud INV brother Gar
{ retl. II VS. their idsl.. never for AN instan
= thought 81 mar. ying ner."
q AT o'clock the court room was closed. Nrs
+ House went with her father to his home In tn
n | village, and tue resi- Of the folks dispersed.
Q TnE VERDICT GIVEN.
:. Just before O'Clock the jIrnrs sent out wor
y from their room tn they mad agreed, ana IN
= news WAS sent uy County Clerk Moore 10 IN
!, Judge, the def udint, and lac counsel Toe ~
:. formation spiead last, and the rcopon"d cour
TUuu ht-tlN tnft n9eus W ~ NNr
. numerous. Mr.. House snd r f4ther wer
- quIck in responding 10 the summons. At IN
y door they me Clerk lio IRE.
g what Is the Verdictf Mr.. Nansant ea9eri
u asked
>, :" don't know" WAS the reply, but the jur
u "Pfoo liy rs acquittal." said the old nan.
" 1 know II is, exc aimed Mrs. House. &c o
W. told me 50 wien gray d.
~ Sne entered tue dtmiy lighted room with a
q air 4 "Xu alton. ye, was n gentle mannere
W. a. ever. aud took her hid seat by the l.wyer
u table. " utie w.i.ing for the Juuge her conf
:, dence seemed ~ wdne, aud sue gres nervous
VI Her counsel. Nh Green, came next, and he tOl
y her tina If the iry had agreed II was undoub
~ edly for acquittM Tn 4 revived her spirits, an
~ wuen her son came In aud asked her how su
DO felt she sad. "A great de Il better"
- Judge B,a>ley soon arriN ed, and the juror
20 were called la. 1hey stood la irons OF the
v, chairs, ana the cietk a-ked the tormul te
et | qu stions. lhe lnAl nswer was, Not guilty
y, Ev / / re friends OF Mrs. House applauded, hut
w. cid not vary her manner u dainty composer
,n The Judge quie'ed the noise. the jurors :,
~. down, aud NJ. Green moved for the dsenarl
~. OF ms client.
sr the judge. she is at liberty. The iurS Is d
~ Cnar ed
III The jurors, on their way out passed throu.
W gateway In the raiing thtt enclosed the Z
~, serssd part OF the room. 10 that LOint MI
~ House ami her father went, ana shook ham
40 vi each OF the twelve. She smiled on thei
W. bowed gracefull,, aud had the manner oi
W accomplished lady pi1dtrg goodnight % q
NC y ring guests. Sac SAID nothing, however, II
" TOOK ncr Tiers arm, amer the hand snaki
~" was over. snd walked through the press OF soc
~ tatuts To tue street. lnere sue got into IA c.
~, rage.
Oh The Jury were out about SIX hour-. Tn
- stood eleven Tor acqult AMI one tor cInN
ton from the rtart unNl Just Ueiore Tie close
tneiI conhnement' when the twelfth man ;,
cumbed.
THE TURF