The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-05-01
NO. 81.
MRS. MARTIN ACQUITTED.
After Protracted Trial for Murder She
is INDICATED Amid Shouts Of APP
plause.

BrRM,SGHAM, Ala, April 30.-When the
Julia Martin case came up in the Crimi-
nal Court today, j. l.. Wardc. attorney for
the defense, who was taken i'll Yesterday
afternoon, announced that he was still
sick today and too weak TO speak. Solicit
ior Hawkins then began his closing
speech Tor The State
dramatic scene took place in the
course OF The trial. As Solicitor Haw-
kins proceeded in the speech, lie became
more incisivc and spared not wherever
the defendants life record afforded the
least opportunity for attack.
He dwelt wildly and powerfully upon
her life in houses of ill-tamc ard pictur-
ell her degradation in burning colors.
The defendant become more and more
affected as be fingered upon these scenes,
and finally broke down in tears. She was
joined in her ebullitiun Of grief by her
female friends and The quartcttc wcpt
copously The scene caused such COM
motion that Mr.. Hawkins had to dcsist
fox time and let the tcarstancd women
compose themselves.
Solicitor Hawkins spoke MI The morn
in. and part of the afternoon.
we, the Jury, find the defendant not
guilty
Such was the verdict returned at 445
O'Clock this afternoon by the Jury in the
Julia Martin case This trial has been in
progress twelve DAYS and has attracted
attention all over the country. Every
day it has been watched by hundreds OF
eager people. Able counsel were EN-
p.ovcd on both sides and they fought
every inch Of ground.
1t was $3.50 o'clock when Solicitor Haw-
kins finished his long and able plea for
the State Judge Green then read II
lengthy and exhaustive charge to the
Jury While the charge was being read
the prisoner rested her head upon her
hand and looked sdcwise at the Jury,
displaying. no emotion The deadly
silence that prevailed in the court room
was only broken by Judge Green's strong
voice as he introduced in the law.
At 20 the jury retired, and twenty
five minutes later they were announced as
ready to report Every man in the conrt
room fairly held his breath rs the jury
entered The prisoners beautiful face
turned deep red as she leaned forward to
listen to her fate. AS the Clerk began to
read the verdict mot guilty" she sprang
from her chair and ran forward to shake
hands with the jury. She smiled sweetly
as big tears ran trickling down her fair
cheek. Judge Green had warned the
crowd in the court room to make no dem
onstration, but in spite Of this several
Young men shouted forth their joy, and
one who was seen by the judge was fined
s. for his enthusiasm. Court then ad-
ourned and the widest pandcmonium
rcigncd.
Public opinion was with Mrs. Martin
from the beginning and her acquittal only
served to give it expression. Thousands
crowded around the woman to ahake her
hand, and many could not be favored with
this opportunity and shook the hands of
friends. Law books were thrown with
violence On the floor, hats were hurled up
to the ceiling, shouts rent the air and the
widest excitement followed. The heroine
was escorted ont by her counsel, followed
by yelling thousands. Men pushed
through the crowd to hand her money
and offer assistance Subscriptions for
her benefit were started, and the poor
woman of few minutes before soon had
a pocket full of ducats. She went home
with Col. John, her attorney. She says
she has not decided what she will do.
The crime with which Mrs. Martin was
charged was the murder of her brother
n-Iaw. Ed y. Martin, prominent bank
or and broker. whom she shot down on
TWENTY first street in October last. Her
plea was persecution by Martin, and we'll
did she sustain it.