The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-06-08
mot GUILTY."
The Verdict of the Jury In the
Doucet Case.
A Resume OF tho Evidence In the
case-The Verdict Surprise.
The Jury ReprImanded.

hpftuti uttcUttou ipf tuiuJ "Ntnof -"
disposed OF ia Circuit court on Tuesday
by the jury, after being out less than
two hours, returning verdict OF ac-
quittnI.
Doucet was arraigned on the charge oi
assault, with intent to do great bodily
harm. The story, in brief, OF the crime
alleged by the prosecution is as follows:
On March IL, OF this year, that being
the day of the annual village election, mt
about eight o'clock in the evening. Rev.
Everett SmitS, accompanied by one
Mimic. made a trip down Superior
avenue. in Crystal Falls. peering into the
saloons ns they pissed along to observe
whether or not the liquor laws were
being violated. As the two men neared
the Crystal Falls Opera House, II was
discovered that they were being pursued
by VIM Doucet and upon arriving IN
front OF the opera house Smits was
accosted by Doucet with tho inquiry
wmt afa yoa doing here" The
clergyman is alleged 10 have told Doucet
his errand, when the latter removed his
coat, and. finally. set upon the minister
and dealt him several blows with his
c.inched fist In the assault, Smits'
GLASSES were broken and three ugly
gashes cut in his face from the force OF
blows upon the steel bows. The people
averred that when Doucet set upon
Smits, he muttercd, between curses. I'm
settle your hasl." and upon this fact
the attempt was made TO substantiate
the charge OF intent TO do great bodily
harm, less than the crime of murder.
The case was opened at 2 o'clock on
Monday afternoon. Hon. A. c. Cook
was, by request, retained to assist the
people, while III. o. Fairchild, A. l..
Fleweling and NJ. ID. l.. Fuller appeared
for Mr.. Doucet. Considering the circum-
stances in the case, very little difficulty
was experienced in empannelling jury,
and in less than an hour after the first
jurors name WAS drawn from the box,
the evidence was being taken.
Rev. Smits was the first witness called.
lie gave a very clear recital of the Incl
dents, the main facts of which Tailed
very nicely with the story given above,
and the rigid cross-examlnation To which
he was subjected by Mr.. Fairchild Jailed
TO break the chain OF his evidence. The
badly damaged spectacles, with one
lenso intact, smenred with blood. were
identified by Smits as those worn ON the
night Of the assault. They were placed
in evidence.
Mimic WAS next called to the stand.
His version of the affair agreed with that
Of Mr.. Smits only in few details. The
witness seemed Co recall the incidents ia
much more aggravated form than did
Mr.. Smits aud swote that when Doucet
assaulted Mr.. Smits he several times
threatened to kill him, following which
Doueet knocked Smits down repeatedly.
Mimic's story added nothing To the
prosecutions side of the case and coun-
sci for the defense in crossexamination
drew out several incongrnties which
tended TO relieve the testimony Of any
weight in evidence it might have other
wise carried.
John Sabin and George johnson were
then sworn in the order named. They
witnessed the difficulty butd not recall
hearing any threats upon Smits by
Doucct. They were agreed, however, on
the fact that Doucet dealt SmitS several
blows about the face with his clinched
fist.
DR.. Darling testified TO having dressed
Smits' wounds after the assault. Hs
swore that tho wounds under the eyes
that under The left eye being m inch nno
"A hall Ia length, were not clean cuts, bui
were somewhat lacerated, giving evidence
oi extreme force having been applied IL
addition To the wound inflicted by thu
spectacle rims. Here the prosecution
rested its case. and the court adjourned
to . O'Clock ON Tuesday morning.
The frat witness called To testify fo
the defense was Maurice Kelly. Kell,
resides at Menominee, but has frequentet
Crystal Falls during the past year, Il
the employ of the Marineite Lumbe
company. lie testified that on th
night Of the assault, he was walking Il
the direction 81 the opera house. III
saw Mr.. Doncet walking in the Sam
direction IA short distance ahead 81 hin
and arrived at the opera house In tim
TO witness the trouble. lie swor
positively that at no time did Douce
strike Smits with his clirched fist, bu
merely slapped him three or four time
with his open hand. lie also swor
positively that Smits was not knocke
down. lie was not certain, but wa
under the impression that when u
kelly gave smits his cap and the latte
walked away smits had his spectacle
on. Kelly Was positive that Doucs
made no threats upon the life oi smil