The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-02-01


wnlliamson's Brain Slowly Compre-
hend, led it and When He Finally Caught
on Eke Joined in the CIarping of Hands
He Thanked the Jury and shed Some
Teslrs-He is still in Jail as a Witness
Against His Wife.
MOT Guilty" was the verdict Of the
jury yesterday morning in the case of
the State against Marion Williamson
who's was charged with the murder Of
Henry H. Leonard on the night Of
November H.
tt was four minutes after nine
O'Clock. The jury came down one by
one and scattered from the room
above the court room and took their
sea bus Each man looked haggard and
fro WHY from want Of sleep.
Williamson sat in a chair back Of
hiss attorney and 10 the left of the
jury. His eyes were red and his iron
gray hair but poorly combed. His
shoulders were bent further down than
usual His natural pallor was deep
ened and he glanced around the court
i,oom rather blankly.
he WAS SLuLBtIiCl somewhat. dS II
/wiH be shown later. When the jury
was being polled and one after the 9TH
er answered present" with no tre-
NOR or tone Of voice that could possi-
bly, give the prisoner warning Of his
fate. Williamson scanned them blank
1y. OF course the strain upon him
was tremendous and stupefying. The
only nervous demonstration apparent
was a shufiing Of the feet, but he did
not TO do even this to any great extent
Charles Luling had called the roll of
the jury. The crowd in the court room
was not large and many were talking
while the roll call was in progress.
That finished, the buzz Of curiosity
subsided- somewhat but it did not cease
entirely until the important words in
the verdict We're reached.
Judge Dale asked the foreman Of the
jury if d verdict had been reached. He
said yes" and handed the verdict TO
Mr.. Luling who read the finding clearly
and distinctly and when the last words
mot guilty" were reached the room
was silent as the tomb
AS the reading of the short verdict
approached the words TO convict or ac-
quit him, the shoulders Of Williamson
dropped lower and lower and his head
sank.
When the words mot guilty" were
spoken Williamson did not change his
position, for probably a second. Then
he turned 10 officer Lee Cone in the
next chair, and Cone, by a remark ap-
prised him that he was not guilty.
VIII hanson sat back in his chair, this
time his shoulders straight, and as ap-
plauSe broke out back of him among
the spectators, he clapped his hands
slowly, and too mechanically TO indi-
ffa} 2-, ,rsI -r
overjoyed at something
Farmer DOolfttle, sitting immediate
ly in front of him arose and extended
his long arm, and for the first time
Williamson seemed TO appreciate the
vital import of the verdict. He arose
ard clasped Doolittle's hand and shook
Il hard. He continued shaking 1T un-
til his lawyer, Helm, touched him on
tine shoulder when he turned and shook
Helms hand. At this point he at
tempted to speak and his emotion for
the first time during the trial could
not be st.fed and instead of a word
which he intended, merely a sob was
articulated. He then turned to the
jury and shook their hands as they
\ passed, making the same sob occas-
ionally.
Although the verdict was read plain
ly and distinctly, Williamson did not
hear The intense excitement had
stupefied~him as he told a reporter af-
terward- The words were plain and
audible To his ears, but unintelligible
10 his brain.
Williamson was not released by the
verdict Of acquittal for the state de-
manded his presence as a witness in
Ahe case of his former wife, Irena Leon
ard. He was removed 10 the county
jail and required to give a bond of $500
10 insure his presence at the trial OF
his ex-wife He has not yet given the
bond but Mr.. Helm. his attorney. says
thai he can and VIII give it and that,
in all likelihood. he will go back to
the engine room of the Carey hotel
and take his old position.
The acquittaI of Williamson was the
cause of a great deal Of comment Near
ly everybody in town had an opinion
on the subject and their opinions were
about evenly divided. Some thought
the evidence was sufficient 10 convict
him while others thought it was not.
AS the jury said he was not guilty and
they were the sole judges of the evil
dence, there is no appeal from their
verdict.
II is now surprising TO observe the
number of people who knew a great
deal about the case. They drop hints
their knowledge was required either to
prove Williamson guilty or absolutely
and entirely innocent they did not have
the nerve to do SO. If a man Is gull
ty he should be proven so beyond a
doubt; if he is innocent he should be
proven so. in justice 10 him, 10 the
minds of everybody
Now that the jury has said he is in
nocent ii is hardly expected that he
win have any value as Q witness
against his wife. The presumption is
that being innocent he could not know
anything about the case whatever for
since the deed was committed he has
never talked with his former wife nor
had any communication with her II
he had any communications or talk
with her about the murder before ii
happened then he could hardly be con-
sidered innocent. It is not likely. even
though ne may know something about
the murder. that he viii give il out in
evidence for il viii be in the interest Of
ms reputation 10 SJill maintain that
ne knew nothing whatever about the
case.
1t has not been definitely settled yet
when Mrs Leonard'S second trial viii
pe commence hut il viii not. in al
probability come up before April Il
= not al ali likely thar her attorneys