The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-11-24
Jennie White Acquitted of the
Charge Of Murder.
THE ARGUMENTS WERE BRIEF
She 4 DIM nistered the Drug at the Re
quest of the Deceased, Who
Was Hop FIend.

Spokane, Nov 49, Correspondence. :
Jennie White was acquitted at IL 80
o'clock last night of the charge of muir
dering Joubert Roberts. The argu-
ment on both sides was brief.
Prosecutor Fenton adhered to the
theory that she found the man in a
state of intoxication awaited herself
of his weakness and for the purpose of
robbing him administered the poison
that caused his death. Colonel Ridpath
argued that Roberts was addicted to
the morphine habit and was also at the
time of the administration of the drug
in a state of intoxication, He contend
ed that the man might have died from
the effects of his debauch, without the
application of the poison. There was no
evidence, he said, that the woman rob-
bed him. On the contrary, they met
as congenial spirits, drank together and
each assisted the other'in the partaking
of the morphine. Admitting for the sake
of argument, that Roberts died of the
poison, no evidence had been offered to
show that it was administered with
felonious intent, as charged.
The courts instruction to the jury
was brief. The law was interpreted in
the usual way, with reference to muir
der in the first and second degrees, and
reasonable allowance was made for the
probability of death having resulted
from causes other than poisoning.
The jury retired at 1925 and in an
hour arrived at the verdict mot guilty"
Yesterday forenoon was occupied in
hearing testimony for the state. DR..
Newman was recalled to explain the
effects of morphine, when taken in con-
nection with intoxicating liquor. Sew
eral police officers testified to the con
dition of the body when they were
called upon and numerous witnesses
were examined with reference to the
confession of the woman, subsequent to
her Imprisonment, that she gave him
the drug at his request Nothing of
Importance was developed on the part
of the state, additional to the testimony
at the preliminary examination
THE DEFENSE.
G.. I'll. Wilson, a brother of Benton
Wilson, convicted of the murder of
Johnson at Chattaroy, stated that he
had known Roberts in Montana, and
that he was addicted to the use of NOR
phine. Police officer Bringgold testi-
fed that he had seen Roberts when he
thought he was under the influence of
morphine or opium. Mrs. White testi-
fed in her own defense that Roberts
came to the house of Mrs. Belle Clark
on the island. She was introduced to
him there and accompanied him to his
cabin. They INDUCED in whisky an6
beer and she related in detail the modus
operandi of taking a shot" Roberts
held her arm while she inserted the
needle. He performed the same office
for her. THAT is customary with
fiends," she said. Roberts told her of a
falling out between himself and Mrs.
Clark and stated that one of his chill
dren was an inmate of a charitable
institution. She sympathized with him,
because she was a mother. Thus the
mountaineering grew until they be-
came quite chummy. Roberts was
taken sick and she went for a doctor.
Mrs. Clark insisted that the coroner
should be called. Argument was adj
vanced that if the man wasn't dead he
would be before that official could ar
rive. She paid little attention to that,
but went for DR.. Faulkner and other
physicians. She did not believe the
mans life to be really in danger, but
wanted prompt medical attendance.