Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-04-05
MRS. SHARP ACQUITTED.
Verdict Of mot Guilty" in Sen
sational Acid Throwing Case.
CROWD SHOUTS GOOD"
One Juror Who Held Out for Convic-
zion for Seventeen
Hours.

Fond du Lac, Wis, April 1.-[Spe
rlai. The words mot guilty were read
by Judge kirwan when the sealed ver-
dict was opened this morning at 9:1o in
the sensational Mrs. Rose Sharp acid
throwing case and there was shout
went UP from Il number of men in the
courtroom, Good
There were about $50 men and no
women present, small number com
pared with the large audiences which
have been III attendance throughout the
entire trial. The jury had been out sew
enteen hours and thirty-hve minutes and
had kept up ballotins almost continu-
ously during a greater portion of the
night, only one man holding out for con-
TIctlon, the vote standing II to 1.
MIS-. SharpS countenance relaxed
into smile of intense qualification as
The words of acQulttal fell from the
judges lips and she turned to receive
the proffered hand of Gen. Bragg, her
counsel. who cordially congratulated her.
She then shook hands with her attorney,
Charles w. Felker, and thanked him.
Mrs. Kate Pier went over to the defend
ant and, after expressing her gratifca-
tlon for the acquittal, assisted her in
putting on her cape.
To a Wisconsin representative Mrs
t1HdFp Sdlu. as she was about to leave
the courtroom with Mrs. Pier and her
two attorneys: i should not have been
surprised il | had been found guilty,
considering the manner in which the
state has conducted the prosecution.
They have prosecuted me in a shameful
way
Mrs. Sharp Heavily Yelled.
Mrs. Sharp came into court fifteen
minutes after it had opened, in company
Iu6F Toll dole he
ings few minutes. She was heavily
yelled. a black veil being doubled over
her face. The sheriff informed the court
that the defendant and her attorneys
We're IN court and the judge took the
sealed verdict from Z. r. Vinton, fore
man Of the jury and said. You will
listen to the verdict as it will be recorded
against you and read from the slip of
paper: We. the jury, find the defend
ant not guilty
Mrs. Sharp left for her home in Oconto
this afternoon. with E1r two children.
Robert and Francis
One Man Holds Out
The Rose A. Sharp case went to the
jury at 3:35 Friday afternoon, and all
night long the twelve men were locked in
room at the courthouse celebrating
over the fate Of the defendant At II
o'clock the jury stood eleven for acquit-
tai and one for conviction. At tnat hour
'hC l1ASu members came 1Or-
ward and had 4 light lunch at the jail
and were then returned to their room.
1t was safe to pick the one who was
hanging the jury. He kept himself aloof
from the others and his appearance indi-
Gated that he had been repeatedly called
upon by the other members. and possibly
rather harshly at times. They returned
10 the jury room at 1870 and remained
out all night.
The TEHpe's Charge
The closing argument of Attorney p
IL. Martin was eloquent and the specta-
tors cringed forward in their efforts to
hear every word that was uttered At
POO Judge KirWan commenced his
charge to the jury. 1t took thirty min
utes to deliver it and the defendant
seemed to take great interest in it. She
sat beside her attorneys with arms fold
ed, and a slight smile adjoining her fea-
lures When the charge had been de-
livered she turned TO her counsel and all
three smiled. Gen. Bragg and Mr. Eel
ker both stated that it was the kind of
charge they had expected. The prosecu-
ton had nothing to say on the subject.
Mr.. Martin Informed the court that, if
there was no objection, he would like to
have the diagram, showing the streets of
OcOnto, go into the jury room so the
proper distances could be determined
Gen. Bragg said he had objected to al
lowing it in during the progress of the
trial and he would enter an objection
again The court stated that, unless the
attorneys agreed on the matter the dia-
gram would be excluded. At that Gen
Bragg stated that he was not going to
have any cheap practice of that kind in
the case and he would cast aside his OBJ
lection and allow the dia gram to go in.
Mr.. Felller was up in an instant and en-
tered his objection to the map going in,
stating as his grounds that the diagram
did not show the boarding place Of Mr..
Lynch or the streets leading up to the
boarding house, and for that reason it
was not proper that it should be allowed
to go in. The court ruled with the de-
Tense and Deputy Fred Konz was sworn
to ia Ike charge of the jury.
The clerk has not fully footed up the
costs in the case. but it is believed that
it will reach in the neighborhood of
$4,000. The greatest expense is in travel
ing costs for witnesses and officers. Some
of the witnesses were forced to testify
for the state on direct and then upon
their arrival home were sent for to give
eridence IN rebuttal.
Important Cases Held Over.
As a result of the length of the case,
ali matters of q criminal and civil nature
that have been placed on the calendar for
trial at this session will have to go over
Judge Kirwan held court this morning
at which time William Below, charged
with stealing goods from the North West
ern Railway company. was given one
year III the refOrmatOry at Green Bay.
his sentence beng somewhat lightened by
his coming in and pleading guilty to the
charge. He was represented by Ettor-
ney Maurice McKenna.
George Gardner, charged with carry
ing burglars tools, was given six months
in the county Jail and Alfred Wilkinson,
charged with obtaining money under
false pretenses, eight months. The two
latter also entered pleas OF guilty. At
torney Worthing appeared for the former
and Attorney Chadbourne for the latter
The trio under arrest for the Prinslow
murder, and George Wightman, for muir
dering Clarence Updike, will have to re-
main in jail until the next term of court,
which will probably be held in May, a
recess having been taken this morning
until that time.
Judge Kirwan opens court at Sheboy-
gan Tuesday.
Reception to Judge and Counsel.
Judge Kirwan and Attorney p. n.
Martin were given Il farewell reception