The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-04-28
NOT Guilty..
Has, "a, Lewis acquitted OF The charge
or Murder.

The trial OF JAS II. Lewis for th,
murder OF John wyau began las
Tuesday morning and lasted coupl,
of days. Much less interest than usua
In murder cases. was manifested, al
though there was considerable Ia the
case TO excite attention The prosecu
tien was conducted by w. q. Piper
and Humphrey and wolyerton, while
the prisoner was ably defended by
Hon. J. X weatherford and fud &c
Kelsay,
Last fall the prisoner, tire deceased
and another person wero IN partner
ship under the firm name OF Wyan,
Lewis & Co, getting out buhr atoRe
at Sweet Home, for milling purposes,
As II often tho case some difficulty
arose between the parties, Lewis being
uHable tC get copy Of tho ooalract
Of partnership. which resulted In the
defendant going to Corvallis 10 consult
his attorney. Judge Kelsay ON his
return the breach became wider aud "A
quarrel Of some kind orsued. which re-.
suited In the killing OF wynan by the
defendant. There seemed 10 be 40
disagreement az TO these fnots. The
result Of the case hinged or the cir.
cu=stances eoHaectsd with the kllliEg.
The principal evidence of the prosecu.
ZION was the dying statement of the
deceased, made ia tho presenso OF
several witnesses According To- their
testimony Wynan stated ia connection
with tho auarrei. that ho followed
Lewis ia drive him from tho quarry,
but with no weapoa. when Lewis
turned and shot him. Evidence was
also Ia lreduoed to proved that Lewis
had made throatson the life Of Rynan.
saying that he would get away With
him, &c. perhaps the strongest was
that OF Stewart Lewis, hbrothor Of the
prisoner. who appeared against him
wltheut belng aubpoeaaed. II went
to show that tho killing was deliber.
ate aud in cold blood.
The evidences OF Lewis was that
when lac went to the shop In tho morn
Ing lie was greeted by Wynan with
"Jim Lewis. you dds. Of b. leave here.
you are no partner" or somsthlng 10
that effect whlch nc repeated several
times. and followed the prisoEer with
. club. who WHOM he got tso close to
him In selfaefsnss turHed and shot,
and then ran TO the village. telling
several that lac had shot wynan. aud
fer them to &c aud help him and
then gave himself up to the Justice 81
the psace, by who's he was aiterwsrd.
discharged on an examination. There
was considerable conflicting testimony
as ta whether wynaa had elnb
I.ewis's owD brother .sstiiyiag thal
he searched the grounds and conle
find nene, while iho Justice testified
that he did fnd one. Evidence wa
giyGa by several witaesses 10 show thAt
WyuaR hal ca different oecasl0ni
threatened Lewis. Two w!tnvssc,
stated bat Wynan said 10 lhcm shortly
after shot these words "Go for doc.
ter let Lewis alone I die. was -
he wrong1 Geo Robsris testified
that wynan offered hlm $50 to xii
Lewis bat several witnesses lcagill "a
t. tho bad character Of Roberts fSl
the purpose of impeae hing his cl,arae
ter.
Elaborate arguments wers made D.
the Counsel, aud Wednesday afternoon
the easc wa, given Ia tho jury aftsi
| being duly charged by Jadss EoIso a'
to the law in the matter.
After being out abou: half au hout
tho jury came la With verdict %
"uot guilty" n result expected by
everybody vino heard the case, and th'
prisoner va. st at liberty,