, 1891-07-04
The Jury Returned a Verdict of Not
Guilty Last Night.
And Charles Parker FiIlebrOwn
Goes Forth Free.
The Verdict Greeted With Cheers
and Loud Applause.
Affecting Scene Upon Its Announce
ment in Court.
The Legal Battle of Yesterday
Which Closed the Case.
The verdict Renched.

It was just FIVE minutes before IL
O'Clock last night when the rich, melodi-
GUS voice of Major Talbot was heard re
sounding in the court room windows:
Come down, come down. The major
stood at the foot of the stairway leading
to the Jury room in the third floor and he
was thus notifying the jury that the court
was prepared to receive their verdict in
the Fillebrown murder case.
A short time previously the Jury had
notified the bailiff hat they were prepared
to render a verdict. Judge Scott was
promptly on hand, and Gibson Clarke for
the prosecution. and r. W. Breckuns. for
the defense. Soon atterward Mr.. Stoll
arrived from down town. The court
was comfortably well filed, the audience
including several ladies. Fillebrown sat
lust within tie bar rail, facing the bench,
a number of friends on either side of him.
Just a moment before the jury was an
nounced, Mr.. Fillebrown, father of the
young man, entered the court room hur-
riedly and took a seat beside his sou.
He held a half smoked cigar between his
teeth and tugged at 1t somewhat nervous
ly. but this was the only sign of excite
ment perceptible IN him.
The jury soon began to struggle rather
than file into court and took their places
in the jury box until it was filled. Father
and son both turned their eyes toward
them and gazed with extraordinary
interest until the paper containing the
verdict was handed to Judge Scott.
Clerk Atkinson began to slowly call the
names oil the Jury and as each one re-
sponded Deputy Sharpless called and
Tailed the number until the panel was
completed.
The Fillebrowns, father and son, the
only members OF the family present,
watched the jurors faces as though they
would read their Utmost thoughts and
wrest the secret of the verdict from them.
But the twelve faces remained almost
stolidly impassive and uone OF the eager
watchers IN the audience could get an
inkling of what was to come.
Gentlemen have you agreed upon
your verdict" asked Judge Scott turning
to the jury.
I'VE have, Sir" they all answered.
Foreman Morris then arose and handed
a legal looking document to the bailiff who
passed it up on the bench 10 Judge Scott.
The Judge uniolded the paper, glanced
through it hastily and said; This is
your Vvrra4i- gJ-HAemen. 1T is" they
all replied. The paper was then handed
over to Clerk Atkinson who began to read
it with all the preliminary legal phrase
ology which usually precedes The meat of
the verdict ltsrlt. The audience was by
this time worked up to an intense pitch
of interest. Attention was strained to
catch the slightest cord which fell from
the lips of the clerk until he came to this
sentence: And we fini the defendant
not guilty."
In an instant the scene was transformed
as though by magic. The audience, a
moment before alert, intent and scarcely
breathing, by a common impulse jumped
to their feet and gave a tremendous cheer.
The sheriff Pavel descended with terrific
emphasis aud was piled vigorously for
several seconds before order could be re.
stored. All eyes we're directed toward
the senior and junior Fillebrown. The
moment the verdict was announced the
father had bounded to bis feet with a cry
OF JOY. The young man followed the
same impulse but a moment later fell back
in his chair as though overcome. He
turned violently pale and then his lace as
violently flushed. In a brief space of
time these signs of extreme agitation
passed away and were replaced by a pic
ture of as pleasursable emotions as one is
ever permitted to see. His face became
radiant and the righteousness of his
youthful countenance, which had done so
much in impressing his story upon the
minds of the jury, shone forth with child
like intensity.
The formaIity of discharging the Jury
was gone through with very rapidly.
The momen court adjourned the crowd