Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-30
BOTH GIVEN THEIR LIBERTY.
Mrs. sheely and Monday Mcfarland Found
Not Gu lty.
VERDICT WAS REC WED WITH CHEERS,
Some Kisses, However, We're Mingled
with the Shouts-Thc Court
in an Uproar for
Few Minutes.

LrxcoLN Neb, May 90. Special Telegram
TO The BEE. AT 3:!5 this afternoon the
jury in the great Sheedy murder case filed
into the court room and it was then known
that they had agreed upon verdict.
All day an eager crowd of people had been
In waiting expecting verdict and they were
not disappointed. Tho sealed document con-
tanning the fates of Mrs Sheedy and Monday
Mcfarland were handed to Mr.. Siaer, and as
he opened it the result was awaited breath.
lessly.
Tho clerk then read the papers through
and announced the verdict for both, mot
guilty.
Wild cheer went up at this and 1t was
some time before the court could resume its
operation.
A number of Kisses were mingled with the
cheers.
Mrs. Sheedy's sisters grasped her hands
ana cried for Joy, while Monday Mcfarland
showed more emotion than he has displayed
throughout the trial.
The Judge then asked the jurymen ono by
one if this was their verdict and each res
ponded in the affirmative. The judge then
declared that Monday Mcfarland and Mrs
Sheedy were released from custody. Tho
two were Immediately surrounded by their
friends and rendered something of an or
alton.
The verdict was as follows:
ave, the jury, duly impauellcd and sworn
in the cause of the State versus Mary Sheedy
and Monday Mcfarland, find the defendants
not gully as they stand charged in the nfor-
nation JOIN ROBERTSON, Foreman
Three of the Jurors were seen Immediately
afterward and they said that all but two
were in favor of acqutting both defendants,
and those two were Robertson and Cadwal-
lader. The major portion Of the morning
was spent in reading the instructions of the
Judge, and in the discussion over them the
two dissenting iurymen were won over to the
majority. Robertson was seen and he said
There was no evidence to convict the
woman, and if she escaped the darkey should
also. Outside of the nfessions of Mcfarland
there was nothing TO convict. The
Judge instructed us not to consider
the confession so far as it affected
Mrs. Sheedy, consequently as there
was scarcely any other evidence against her
we had to acquit her. according to our oaths.
Tho judge further instructed US that unless
we could believe beyond reasonable doubt
that the confession had not been extorted
promises that we must bring in an acquittal.
So whatever our suspicious might have been,
we had to act according to instructions.
Until yesterday had suspicious that Mrs
Sheedy was guilty, but when that hair was
produced began to believe that there was u
plot against the woman. | don't believe now
that even the hair alleged to have been taken
from her body is that kind of hair'
The acquittal of Mrs. Sheedy was expected
by most citizens who nave watched the trial,
but tho acquittal of the negro was a surprise,
1t is generally conceded by many persons
who have been seen that the negro should be
acquitted since Mrs. Sheedy, the alleged in
stgator of the crime was freed. The jury
. men give as their reason for acquitting the
sasgro the fact that the confession was tho
stumbling block. They were not
convinced that the confession was
obtained rightfuly, and Consequently
they could not convict the negro,
because the other evidence was not sufficient
to convict For the same reason they could
not convict Mrs. Sheedy.
Mrs. Sheedy is stopping with her uncle,
Colonel Biggerstaff at Fourteenth and p
streets.
1t is needless to say that Messrs. Strobe,
Stearns, Billingsley, Woodward and Philpot,
VINO nave Chatnploneu the uetenSe, are de-
lighted. Detective Pinneo and Grove also
smile.
Mrs. Sheedy will leave in day or two for
Iowa to visit her mother.
Monday Mcfarland was seen this evening
and he declared that he was confident all the
time of acquittal He asserted that rs far as he
knew Mrs. Sheedy she was a pure woman.
When asked about the confession, he said
"Supposing that the officers should tell
you that mob was after you and you could
take your choice of confessing who had
prompted the crime or be hung in fifteen
minutes, what would you dol"
Monday showed great huency and readi-
ness in talking, This was the first time that
areporcr has had 4 chance to talk with him
since his arrest. Monday says he viii go to
White Cloud, Kan, to visit his mother in IA
few days
MIR. Strobe, the attorney for Mrs. Sheedy,
Is to get II $1,000 Zee for his services. He
first was to receive $4,000, but Colonel Weir
OF Boise City strongly opposed such fee and
$500 was Topped off.