The New York herald., 1879-10-23
" MOT GUILTY"
Joseph A. Blair Acquitted Of the Murder
of His COachman. a
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT.
The Exculpated Man Breaks Down Upon
Hearing the Verdict.

june which has occupied the attention Of tho Essex
County Court at Newark tor the last seventeen days.
was brought to . close yesterday. 1t ended in ver
dict of acquitai and the complete Liberation OF the
accused and his exoneration from all blame In the
eyes of the law.
Early yesterday morning report was circulated
In Newark that the agony all but over; that the
Court had decided to call the jury in and see If con-
clusion could not be reached. AS early as nine
o'clock people who had heard the report began to
nle into court. At half-past nine the two Judges
who have tried the case--Presiding Judge David A.
Depue and Lay Judge john H. Meeker-took their
to fill up. lawyers reporters and well known citi-
zens of Newark and Montclair crowded in and took
seats inside the railing and in front Of the bench.
Blair was brought down from the County Jail about
nine o'clock, and was placed in an anteroom where
his wife joined him. The time wore on. Minutes
seemed to be unusually long. They multiplied by
sixty, and still change came, except that tho
judges left the bench for their private room and
people still crowded into the Court House. The
crowd was q highly respectable one. 1t included
q few ladies-friends Of Blair and of court officers
At exactly half past ten O'Clock Judge Dcpue
ordered the court convened. Tho Crier made the
usual announcement and the Court was in session.
Tho Judge sent for Colonel Davis the Deputy
Sucrlu, anu ulrccteu uliu W ecuu Wofo " Suo
Jury that tho Court was in session and
would be pleased to receive any communi-
cation or request they might make. As the
Judge spoke deep silence prevailed in the cham
bcr After brief absence the Colonel returned
and whispered something to the Court. The latter
said In o loud whisper. "Say to the jury that the
Court will wait reasonable timc." 1t was now
eleven O'Clock lacking ten minutes. The audience
chatted. but the slightest movement of an officer.
judge any inside the railing stopped tho talk
and set and eyes alert. Expectancy stood on
tip-toe and the excitement all the feverish
because suppressed by the presence OF tho Court.
Judge Depue being great stickler tor dccorum.
sII.ENcE IN THE COURT.
At half-past eleven O'Clock Judge Depue tapped to
"Lot the jurors come in and let space be cleared
for them" the Judge said.
The space was cleared by Sheriff Van Cortlandt Van
Rensselaer,.
..Let the prisoner be provided with place. said
Joseph A. Blair was brought into court and pro-
vided with seat beside his counsel ex-Judge Caleb
s. Ellsworth. He looked pale and haggard. His
features plainly revealed tho awful strain upon his
nerves. The suspense was manfestly wearing the
flesh from his FRAME He was painly dressed in dark
gray suit Mrs. Blair took y seat by her husband.
She too, looked pale and wan. her white face look
ing all the whittier because OF her dark hat and cos
tune.
Tho silence in court had become positively oppres-
sive 1t o relief to hear the door open and to
the jury le in and take the positions assigned
them by the Sheriff They all stood. Then the
silence was deeper than ever. pin could almost be
heard to drop. The vast audience held its breath.
'.Let the the jury be polled." said the Judge.
County Clerk Smith and the Crier went through
the formula. Every man answered to hts name.
Let the prisoner stand up.
i5lax arose. He fairly shivered with emotion and
1t was plain to be seen he was waging desperate
battle with himself to maintain An appearance OF
The usual form of telling the jury and the pris-
oner to look ut each other gone through.
The following dialogue ensued:-
Clerk-Gentlemen. have you agreed upon ver-
dict9
Several Jurors-We have.
Clerk-Who speaks for you?
Several Jurors--Our foreman.
clerk-Mr ForeIas.n: how say you and how say
The scene that followed was for a moment one Of
from Blair's friends in the audience. Women gave
won't to their feelings in loud sghs Of relief Biar
lost entrS S or he
knees and threw himself the lap Of his coun-
sell Judge Ellsworth: Mrs. Blair also burst
would break. Judge Ellsworth also showed
deep emotion. The scene presented was
Judge Depue sharply reSascd those who sppsude
especially some lawyers. When silence was re-
stored he addressed the jury. thanking them for
for their attention to the and then discharged
them. They had been out just four full days. one
or tho longest perlOuS on recOru III ESSex county,
They returned to the Grand Jury ROOM exchanged
final salutations and then left for their homes.
DISCHARGED FROM CUSTODY.
Meanwhile Blair recovered himself. Upon mo-
ton OF his counsel he was formally discharged by
the Court. He went to his old court room quarters
William Blair: Mr.. W. <. Torrey. his principal
Montclair friend; Judge Ellsworth and many other
friends. including Constable Andrew Jackson
Jones, Of Milburn, who had carefully guarded him
all along.
HERALD reporter was admitted to the room and
ox.1. 1,o.o
no words" he said 'n which to thank tho press for
the generous and impartial manner In which 1t has
treated me all tho way through feel especially in
debted to the HERALD forjts course toward me, both
in its reports aud its editorials"
VALUE or FRIENDS.
''You had many friends Mr.. Blair, who stood by
.sYes, indeed, sir. No man ever had such friends
as have can never repay them; In all this ter,
to turn bis back on me. While WIS In jail and
during the trial not day has passed that somo
hope and their continued confidence. All. SIR. no
man knows what friends are until he needs them.
Then he finds out, as have found out
''This has been costly affair for your
'It has, indeed. was poor before 1t began. am
still poorer now. of courses but care nothing for
that. have fortune in tho result just reached In
open court"
'"Did you the seamstress' story in to-day's
HERALDy'
al did, and read 1t through but do not liko to say
anything about 1t without the consent of my couu-
sci. who cautioned not to say anything to report
crA. ho Will DC III suOrty ana VIII MIN. 1
would like to talk with you about it, though it's all
over now aud may be 1t will be best to let IL go.
Some OF it Is, OF course true, but more OF II IL not
Here Hall Blair was introduced to tho reporter.
He said. laughing :-"why can't you put In tho
HERALD Personal Intelligence tomorrow tho fact
that have that $500 all ready for Ophelia Dyer's
father ii he will call on mo in BrooklynY
EYES, do" said Blair.
COUNSEL on Mrs. MULHEAN's STORY.
Presently Judge Ellsworth entered. Mr.. Blair
asked him about Mrs. Mulhean's story.
''Oh, IL isn't worth talking about now" said Mr..
warth IIo nI haw In tr.t<.
that Mr.. Blair took her homo in his carriage that
night before the shooting but 1t isn't true that he
used the expression she puts IN his mouth"
Afr. Blair himself said d:--"I mover said any hing
whatever about John being only ovcrgrown Irish.
man."
GOING HOME.
The interview was here interrupted by tho nn-
nouncemont that carriage IN waiting to take
Mr.. and Mrs. Blair home TO Montclair. Accompanied
by Judge Ellsworth Mr. Torrey and Constable Jonos,
they entered the vehicle which stood at tho OF
the Court House. at a quarter past one p. NJ, and