Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-06-23
ROSS GETS OFF EASY.
Jury Finds the kaukauna Man
Guilty of Manslaughter in
Fourth Degree,

Appleton. Wis, June 49, Special /
The jury in the case of Porter Ross,
who killed his wife at a disreputable
resort in Kaukauna on March s rendered
verdict of guilty of manslaughter in
the fourth degree at o'clock this morn
ing. The maximum penalty in this case
is one year in the penitentiary. AttOr-
neys for the defense gave notice of mo-
ton for new trial, but this is probably
formality, as the general impression is
that Ross escaped extremely lucky. If
new tnal is denied sentence will be I'M
posed Monday morning.
The verdict was reached at 5 O'Clock
this morning after an all-night discussion,
III which several jurors hung out for ac-
qulttal. The jury, which, with one eX-
ception, was composed entirely of farm
ers, was apparently Influenced by the
eloquent plea for mercy by the defend
ants counsel. 1t is probable that upon
the completion of his sentence Ross will
be arralgned for the murder of kittie
Duprey, his Wife's sister, which occurred
at the same time and place as the killing
of Nellie Ross, but which was not inclnd-
ed in the indictment under which the
present trial was brought
The crime was committed on the aft
ernoon of March last at resort near
kaukauna. known as the Beaulieu place
On that day Mrs. Ross her sister, Kittie
Duprey, and two men. one named
Brown and the other Fred Schabo, drove
in carriage to the Beaulieu place. Por-
ter Ross had seen the party pass his
house, and at once secured a rig and
drove after them. Arriving at the re-
sort Ross asked for his wife and was
admitted. He found his wife with her
sister and two men in the upper part of
the house. He demanded that his wife
leave the place at once. but the woman
laughed and told one of the men to put
him (Ross) out of the place.
Schabo grappled with Ross and tried
10 put him out of Il window, when the
latter pulled a revolver and began to
shoot. One of the bullets struck his
wife in the shoulder, another struck
Schabo in the abdomen while a third
found lodging place in Miss Duprey's
breast. He then fired another at Scha-
DO. which struck Mrs. Ross in the side
and killed her instantly. Ross. after the
shooting, Immediately drove to the city
and gave himself up to Officer Reardon.
kittie Duprey fingered between life
and death for two weeks when her
strength gave out and she died from the
effect of the wound i'll her breast. Scha-
no was not so severely injured as at first
supposed and recovered in few days.
After being placed in jail Ross tried
the insanity dodge and made an attempt
wire mattress. When he was finally
brought to trial. however. he discarded
all play of insanity and set up a claim of
self-defense.
Ross is said to have been quite we'll
TODD at one time. He became infatu-
ated with Nellie Duprey and he married
her upon the promise that she would live
better life with him. The longing for
old times got the better of his wife, how
ever, and she soon drifted from the
straight path. She left Ross many times
but he always took her back upon her
promise to reform. The last time she
disappeared she came to Appleton and
led a rather gay life This made Ross
desperate and when he found his wife
at the Beaulieu resort he lost his self
control and committed murder. Ross
has two pretty daughters.