The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-12-14
MRS. H(jNELLACQUIITED
The Jury Declares She Did Not
Murder Libbie Knapp.
THE VERDICT LOUDLY cHEBRED
The Prisoner Heard the words That Gave
Nor Liberty with Modest Dignity-Tho
( atemarknbie Poisoning Mystery Now
Deeper Than Ever.

I Remarkable Poisoning Mystery Now
Deeper Than Ever.
j WEnIsBoRo, Pa, Dec. 14.-Mrs. Char
1pttr Howell WAS acquitted OF the charge
of murder in poisoning Libbie Knapp last
night The verdict Of tho jury was gtpstod
with irronrious applause In the court
room. Mrs Howell remained calm until
her relatives stepped mp to congratulatc
her Then her eyes flied with tears for
moment, but she dashed them away and
was herself ngnin. The Messrs. Dutton,
OF New York, her two brothers. her sister
and & few other friendsclustered about her
as she rose from her chair FREQ woman.
She quietly accepted the hands offered.
and when two or three of the jurors ap-
preached to be presented to her she met
them in a tligniiied and modest manner,
and with no demonstration of emotion.
For the first time IN four months she ate
hor supper outside of the jail walls last
night. Major Mcrrlck, one Of her counsel,
tool her and her family to his homo for
tea, and they remained there until today
when they went back to Tioga.
Jerome b. Niles occupied the entiro
morning session in a forcible presentation
OF the commonwealth side OF the case.
He was followed by Judge Mitchell, who
consumed nearly two hours and q half in
his charge to the jury. This was con.
aidered by members of the bar fair and
i impartial statement of the case He OK
piaincd the law OF murder, and presented
all tho points In the case, some OF which
have been new and peculiar He dweit
ispon the fact that the evidence had
been wholly circumstantial and In
structed the Jury that unless they could
satisfy their minds beyona reasonable
doubt that Mrs. Howell had committed
the crime, and no one else, 1t twould clearly
be their duty to acquit her.
The case was given to the jury at
o'clock, and exactly an hour later they
had reached their verdict Many OF tho
Jurors are elderly men, and they showed
the strain Of the twenty days confinement
They appeared TO bc relieved and we'll sat
tsfied with their work,
The Howell case WAS one OF the stranyest
In the criminal annals of Pennsylvania
Mrs. Howell, who is the wife of Chaunces
Howell, of Tioga, Is member of well
known New York family, nhd her twc
brothers, Dutton by name, arc among tht
wealthiest merchants Of that city. Sht
was estranged from them from the timt
Of her marriage until the charge of mur
came to her assistance The Howells ant
Knapps were neighbors, and warm in
timacy existed between Mrs. Howell ami
4 ribbie, who was 10 years old. Libbie hat
hove affair, which ended in a parting
and thereafter she began to receive letters
which would be found tied TO the door
knob, thrust in Il broken window pane o
thrown in the doorway. Most OF them, Il
was alleged. were found by Mrs Howell
Last May Iibbio was taken suddenly i'll
and Mrs Howell took her to her own hous
TO attend her. On May IL she died, ant
subsequently evidence Of poisoning wa
found. Mrs Howell was soon afterwardi
arrested. The letters, which were both OBJ
scene and threatening In character wer
all printed in Roman letters with a leat
pencll. It was the commemorative pur
nose to prove that the prisoner had poi
goned the girl because of jealousy.
The trial begun three weeks ago, and OIL
the fourth day Mrs Howell was put ol
the stand in her own behalf She create,
q sensation by declaring that she had beei
offered money and promised aoquittal
sho would mako q confession. This prop
ositlen was alleged to have been nado b
detectives before the formal Charge wa
3nade against her. 1t was denied by thos
implicated.
One of the witnesses for the prosecution
was William Rightiuire, the discarde
lover Of Iiibhle Knapp. upon whom couu
sci for the defense attempted to fastcn sui
picion The medical testimony proved TIM
the girl had been killed by arsenic, but
was all along the impression that no me
tive for committing the crime had bee
fxed on Mrs Howell. 1t was also show
that others beside herself had found th
letters, and there was much testimony G
an inferential character directed toward
Rightmire as their nuthor. There wa
nothing adduced TO show thnt the relation
of the two women had ever been anythin
but warm and friendly.
There is general satisfaction over tho ri
suit OF the trial, but the case remain
shrouded in mystery. There is no questio
OF the fact that the girl was murdered, bu
nothing positive has been brought out
fssten the crime upon any one.