The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29

wild with Joy when the Man Accused OF
killing IA Girl Was Set Free.
Erom ne Minneapolis Trfbuno

OTTUMwA, Ia, Nov. 23.-On the evening of
May 1o last Mamie Peterson, u ninoteen-year-
old girl, known as the belle of the country town
of Unionyille. In Appanoose county, was shot
down in cold blood while returning with a young
man from a party. At Bloomfield this week,
after listening for two weeks to the recital of
strong circumstantial evidence against the only
person who. II seemed. could have had q motive
for such a crime. o jury found this man not
guilty. and the announcement OF the verdict
was followed by scenes of demonstrative JOY on
the part OF the people of Bloomfield. including
hundreds of women.
Tho killing OF Mamie Peterson is. in many re-
speCts. with the trial which followed 1t, the
most peculiar murder case ever known in this
part OF tho country. Ned Hemphill. who was
arrested and tried for the crime, was purported
10 be u jealous lover of tho pretty girl. and the
motive for the crime, as argued by the State.
was his anger at the girls Keeping company
with another individual on the night of her
death. She was known as somewhat OF a CO.
quette. and had many admirers among the
young, men of Hemphill's class in the town.
lismphiii lad not been in Unionville Ions, coming
there from "A Kansas town. until he succumbeI to
the charms Of the Peterson girl. kept company
with her and was known as the most favored Of
all her suiturs. She seemed to he aware of his
Jealous nature and played upon II. On the
evening OF May ,i2. Miss Peterson, in company
with another girl, attended an ice cream social.
There she met, for the first time. two young
men, who accompanied the girls home. George
She told him that her lover had threatened to
shoot her II he caught her out with any kid"
They had hardly changed the subject when.
without u moments warning, three shots rang
out. With q moan the Peterson girl dropped
dead with = bullet in her forehead and her
The officers Immediately took up the matter.
There could be no motive. they argued. for the
acquaintance OF a few hours TO murder a girl in
cold blood. Hemphill had threatened. II was
learned that he had been on the street about
Weaver by name, and that the two had expected
to accompany the Peterson girl and her com
panion home. The officers went to lIomphilrs
house within a few moments after the murder
and found him sitting on the bed reading a book.
He was arrested. The case was tahent TO Bloom
field on u change of venue, and Judge Eichelber:
able counsel on both sides fought the legal bat
tie. The threat of llemphill was shown by the
State. The SHUTS boy gavei ia his testimony.
II was also proven that, although llemphill
owned no revolver. officers had found u revolver
at his home with five loaded cartridges and one
the murder was committed were fitted to the
boot OF the accused man. These. with Hemp
lill's relations to the girl. made up the evil
s%tantial. Hemphill's stories were somewhat
contradictory. and chances of conviction and
acQuittal seemed about even.
1t was then that the women Of Bloomfield in
terested themselves in the case. The court
the audience there had been many ladies. They
soon began to evince the most interest IN. the
proceedings, ana wnen the trlal was ABOUT half
over a few OF them seemed to pas; under some
hypnotic Influence OF Hemphill's. They eternal
ly talked Of him and settled down to q conclu-
sion that he was an injured innocent. The fever
spread. Soon men were unable to keep their
wives out OF the court room. and household
duties were neglected. while wives and mothers
and DAUGHTERS were engaged in making q hero
of a young man on trial.
The first recognition the court gave OF this
rapidly increasing influence in the case was
when one morning he refused to allow a huge
bouquet OF chrysanthemums. brought TO the
court room hy u bevy OF women, To be Drpsput sl !
TO the prisoner. The women grew indignant,
and the Judge only succeeded in making the
influence more deeply felt. Woman's wit was
the flower beds of Bloomfield were robbed
Hemphill in his cell. accompanied by other
presents Of fruits and dainty table deli
severe waichfulness over the jury. The mem
beers were escorted ut all times by a number OF
one large room at the hotel; and absolutely
allowed no communication with the world.ver-
AS the prisoner to and from the court room.
The hailif read all letters to members of the
jury before handing them to them.
But the sympathy of the women and girls was
only increased As the trial proceeded. When
he final charge was given 70 the jury and it
had assembled to hear the Judges Instructions
TO the jury refused to ]disperse. The Judge was
he would Indicate the finding Of a verdict by
ringing the Court House bell. Not until then
did the crowd disperse. All night long lots OF
men and women stood discussing the case,
AT the first tap of the Court House bell at o
O'Clock Friday morning men left their work.
women dropped household duties, and all joined
in the grand rush for the court room. The bell
kept changing Ike mad ana the people got wild
in their excitement. They paused for n moment
10 hear the verdict. ami when it was announced
that the jury had found the prisoner not guilty
the crowd became mad. Men stood up in their
seats. threw their hats in the air, and
shouted themselves hOnrsc: women waved
their handkerchiefs, clapped their hands in
a feeble effort to make n noise. threw
their arms about one another and wept.. Hemp
hill himself gave his emotions ful! reign. lie
clasped his mother in his arms, Kissed her pas
and danced and cried. The fortunate
ones on the inside OF the court room conveyed
the intelligence to those massed in the street
below. and 1t was passed from mouth to mouth
all over the city. People grasped one another's
hands and formed in bodies and paraded and
ncted like %lunatics. IIemphill left the court
room with HIS friends. and everywhere lie be-
visible IN the crowd he was madly cheered.
Ho Immediately made arrangements to leave
the city and went to his former home in Kansas.
This may have been a wise thing for him to do.
= the people Of Bloomfield were mad with joy.
the people Of Unionyille. who believe him guilty.
are mad with anger. II he had gone TO Union
vile there IL but little doubt he would have met
ut tho hands OF the people.