The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-30
TANNING ACQUITTED.
After Being Out Fourteen Hours, the Jury
Returned a Verdict OF Not entity.

Yesterday morning the most noted case
tried in the district court in 1892 WAS fin
ished by the jury returning a verdict of
not guilty, after being fourteen hourscon-
sidering the evidence.
1t was the case of the state of Kansas
against a young man named Tanning,
who. with his brotherin-law, young
man named Short, was charged with the
! famous Thompson robbery case On
| November 80 two masked men entered the
home of Bob Thompson. who lives on the
! Drake farm, few miles north of the city,
and, after first shooting at and tying Mrs
| Thompson, hand and foot, to the kitchen
| safe went through the house and robbed
| it of $50. which was hidden in the mat
tress of the bed. The affair caused consid
cradle excitement at the time, excitement
which has not yet subsidized in that neigh
borhood. In few days afterwards more
| money was seen in the hands of William
Tanning than some people thought he
ought to have, and Immediately suspicion
was directed towards him and
Short. They were arrested, and
at the preliminary hearing Justice
Jones bound them over TO the district
case was called up Tuesday and con-
tinued till yesterday morning when the
jury brought in their verdict as stated.
During all these DAYS the spacious court
room was crowded with people, over 100
witnesses being present. The entire fan
ming family was present, including the
father and mother, who watched the pro-
ceedings with the most intense interest,
for if the son was found guilty be would
probably have to serve term of five years
in the penitentiary. County Attorney
Morris assisted by Judge w. 2. Campbell
prosecuted, while Ed O'Bryan made the
defense Both side fought hard and the
smallest circumstance was taken advan-
tage of for the case was a very close one.
In fact it hung on the possibility of Fan
ming riding fourteen or fifteen miles in
about an hour, providing the robbery was
committed at O'Clock, which was the evil
dence of the lady who was robbed All of
Thursday was devoted to argument. Judge
Campbell opened for the state and made
strong and forcible argument, which
made everybody think that Tanning was
doomed When the Judge uttered his
last words they sounded like the closing of
the gate of the penitentiary. Ed OBryan
followed and made quite a speech. He
slowly ana cautiously began to dig the
foundation from Judge CampbelPs argu- |
meut and when he got through the peni |
Tertiary gate was open again and Tanning |
was at liberty once more. He was not |
long enjoying his metopholical liberty, |
however, for County Attorney Norris fol- |
lowed O'Bryan and every sentence he ut
tered forced Tanning that much nearer /
the penitentiary again and when he was |
through the gates were all bolted aud |
locked with Tanning on the inside. That |
was certainly the way it looked to out
s!ders. At f:30 the case was given to the /
jury and for fourteen hours they gave
their attention TO the situation, and when |
they had agreed Tanning was at liberty
again, fer they returned verdict of not
guilty and nothing was left to the judge
yesterday morning when the court con-
vened but to discharge the prisoner. which
be did.
Shorts case was postponed until the
May term. Short was delighted with the
result, AS it will have strong bearing on
his case