Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-06-14
o. p. BEARDsLEy Is ACQUITTED.
The Jury After Few Hours Retrrn
N verdict of Not Guilty.

l clOSeu DeIDTe Ine CPuTi duJOuIu utu lol
supper last evening and as soon as
Judge BOISE had pronounced his in
structions they retired to consider.
Late in the evening the jury APP
piled for information regarding the
degrees Of manslaughter and muir
der and their punishment, after re-
ceiving which they retired. They
reached verdict early In the night
but could not deliver it until court
reassembled this morning at $3.50.
After the instructions of the judge
had been heard there no longer re-
mained doubt as to what verdict
! the jury mightreturn. The iIstruc-
ton, favored the defense at every
turn. Even in the release Of the
Jury the defense was favored.
1t was never before known, perhaps,
I'm the history Of Oregon, where a
Jury before which was being tried a
man accused Of wilful murder, was
permitted to separate at noon and
night, each man being allowed to go
his own way. But the trial is over
and the murderer of Perryman is
once more a free man-free
to go where he chooses
and when. The instructions
license him and every other
man to boldly shoot down whom
soever he may live in fear Of. This
is the expression of great many
cool-headed citizens. 1t may be ex-
pected Polk county is excited. They
think justice has been defeated.
They say they cannot look to the
courts for justice.
Public opinion is greatly divided
on the outcome of this trial. A num-
ber are to be found yho pronounce
the instructions rs just and in the
line of the evidence. They cannot
see how the outcome could have
been otherwise. This opinion, how
ever, Is held by the minority.
One gentlemen, who had heard
the trial from beginning to ending
told IA JOURNAL reporter this morn
ing when the verdict was read that
"the trial was II farce all the way
through and should not be coun-
tenanced in civilized country"
The jury was composed of the
following named gentlemen: VIM.
Fry, Joseph Ashby, James Coleman,
Frank Buskas, |. NJ. Wagner, John
Looney, Y. II. Mcintyre, Samuel
Staufrer, J. j. Barnett, james Batch
elor, f. X. Molsan, Adam Ohmart.
The verdict as returned by the
jury in open court at $40 this morn
ing is as follows:
we, uie jury enAponolod in tho
case of the State of Oregon VS.. o. p.
Beardsley, find the defendant not
guilty. I. NJ. WAGNER,
Foreman"
There was not II great crowd pres
ent when the verdict was read, 1t |
being 10 early in the morning. Many |
of those present were from Polk
county. A deadly silence stole over
the halls of Justice, high above
M IA inh tha InIJ ofnnl mill, L,I /
ance in hand and eyes blindtolded,
as the brief verdict was read, an,
the complete acquittal of
o. L. Beardsley.
Congratulations were extended the
more than fortunate man by those
who Were enlisted in his cause,
while a rough and stormy wave of
discomfort swept over the room and
left Its mark on the dissat siied eX-
pressions of the friends of the pros
Mr.. Beardsley, accompanied by
his wife aud daughter, walked out
IF tn elcourt room To the street, con-
graduating and shaking the hands
If the jurymen. The two latter pro-
'eeded on to their no lie In Eola, the
after remaining here To .attend TO
'ome business affairs. lie will fol-
ow them shortly, and announces
lis intention of continuing to reside
II the once more quiet little village
IN the river banks.