Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-12-27
NOT GUILTY.
A Dakota Woman Charged with Mur-
der Acquitted by Jury,

A Dakota Woman Charged with Mur-
der Acquitted by a Jury.
Mason Oity, Dec. 24-The jury in the
DIggle case at Clarion came In yesterday
morning ats O'Clock with verdict OF
NOT gcilty. Mrs. Diggie, who was en-
tirely Frustrated last night from ner-
vousness, sat with beg head in her hands
and when the jury returned their YER
dict she exclaimed, "Onp aud fell back
In her brother's arms. Her nerves were
entirely unstrung, caused her muscles TO
jerk, shaking her body violently. A
pbyslclan was called and in few mo-
ments she was sufficiently recovered to"
be asslsted to her hotel. On the first
ballot the jary stood 9 for acc uittal, ana
3 Tor convlcslon. During the day many
of the prominent cltizsns called to con-
gratulase her and number of congratu
iatory telegramB from frienGs ana rels-
tives IN Philadelphia Were received. We
understand that Mrs. DigRle will con-
slnue as an actress, accepting an engage
ment with Olint q. Ford.
Mrs. Bertha Diggle, whom the jury at
Clarion, To-, acquitted late Saturday
night, is mot unknown to the thealef
going public of this city, where she ap.
peared several times IN leading rolt 6
with the Andrews opera company. On
the 24th of last May the Ford dramatic
COMPANY. of which she was then MEM
Der, was playing at Clarion, and hei
husband, George Diggle, came there to
| ace her. That night he died suddenly
and an examination resulted in estab-
fishing the fact that he died from al
overdose OF morphine. Soon thereafter
Mrs. Diggle was arrested, and after Q
long and tedious trial she has been ac-
| gaitted
Mrs. Diggle is handsome and petite
blonde of some 90 years of age. She IS a
| native of Phlladeiphis. end has beer
married several times, Her first marriage
ives With dwarf who was oD exhibition
In Chicago museum. In 1884 she wal
married to George DIgRle, then resi-
/ dent of CLARK, d, I where he carried OF
the trade of barber. The two had know
each other frem childhood. Diggle wa
| ne'er-do we'll fellow, trifipg and silly
at times and the butt of ell jokes IN th,
towns where be resided. They left Clail
and went to Bookings, D. T., wher,
their first child was born
| at Brookipgs Diggle also followed
| the trade of barber and Mrs
| Diggle aided him all she conld b,
dressing hair for ladies'. II was whil
at Brookings that Mrs.. Diggie joined
I the An lreWs opera company in order tt
make little money. From Brooking
Disgle moved to Sioux Falls, where hi
wife joined him, but his poor manage
ment 10 money matters again forced he
to go upon the stage.
1 Her life has been full of dissppoint
mems for one OF her age and the out
come Of the trial she has had for her lif
will not cause many regrets, excep
among those who felt direct interes
IN Ter conviction. While in Dakota sh,
lived IN the most abject poverty, an
this was especially go OF Brookings
where she had only small, poorl
farnished room back OF her husband
shop. At CLARK she Jared no better en-
!, at Sioux Falls she would have ha
nothing if she had depended upon th
4 RESOURCES of her husband. Being
woman of some beauty Of face and forr
her husband became jealous and lost n
chances to make her life burden
Whatever may have been her failing
while the wife OF Diggle, or prior TO he
advent In the west, she has kept fre
from Rosndal. 1t is the suppositiol
that Diggle, in his desperation, and afte
his last appeal for her to come back
, Sioux Falls, suicided. And thus th
curtain drops on O mystery that th
future will never solve,