Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-07-05
DAN GOES FREE.
Conclusion Of a Most Sensational Muir
der Trial.

Neilsyille, Wis, July 2.--The trial
of the Allen murder case, which has
occupied ten days, was concluded by
the jury, bringing III a verdict III thirty
minutes OF not guilty.
Daniel Allen, the defendant, was
married man about forty-tive years of
age who for many years had lived
with his wife on Il farm in the town Of
Loyal III this county, one of the lead
ing members of the Methodist church
III his locality, and had the respect
and confidence of all his neighbors.
III 1884 Henry Wright and Margaret
his wife, moved into Aliens neighbor-
hood. The Allen and Wright families
wife was an invalid. In the spring of
1886 Wright was taken sick, but his
illness was not considered serious AL
len attended Wright as a nurse d por-
ton of the time and sat up nights
with him occasionally. Wright grew
gradually worse and about May 10 he
died and was buried in the LOYAL
the night preceding his death. and
both Allen and Mrs. Wright attended
the funeral. A short time thereafter
neighborS began to suspect that aA1
undue intimacy existed between Allen
and Mrs. Wright, which coupled with
other circumstances, aroused their sus-
PIGEONS as to Wright's death. 1t was
thought that there were indications of
poisoning. The matter was quietly in
VeSuga ted and a month or more after
the death, the body was eXhumed by
direction of Dist.-Atty. Sturdevant,
and the stomach taken to Prof. HaineS
OF Chicago for chemical analysis. 1t
was found to contain arsenic in quite
large quantities. Allen and Mrs.
Wright were both placed under ar
rest and bound over to the circuit
court. In the spring of 1887 the trial
of Allen took place. DiSt.-Atty. j. E.
Campbell assisted by S. n Dickinson
prosecuting, r. j MacBride and Ring
Il 1ouman's defending. Among other
things disclosed by the evidence were
several letters which it is said Allen
had written to Mrs. Wright and con-
veyed to her clandestinely during their
confinement in jail. These letters in
Dictated that Allen was deadly in love
with Mrs. Wright ana probably were
the strongest and most important evil
dence produced by the prosecution.
The information on which Allen was
tried charged him with murder in the
first degree. Judge Newman charged
the jury that if Allen was found guilty
at all it must be Of murder in the
first degree. The jury found Allen
guilty, but the form of verdict which
they had been furnished with read
guilty as charged in the informa-
ton" Aliens attorneys moved an ar
rest of judgment and for a new trial
on account of defective information
and verdict.
During the tendency OF these mo-
tons Allen broke out Of jail and for
three Or four years was a fugitive
from justice, but after an expenditure
OF large amount of money he was
recaptured by Sheriff Page in wild
''iN' t|Su polllon VI tue Stdte VI
Washington, brought back, sentenced
and committed to the states prison.
where he remained for year or more,
| during which time his case was taken
| to the supreme court, where the judg-
| ment was reversed and the cause re-
| manded for new trial. Allen was
then brought back to Clark county,
where he secured bail and had his