The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-21
VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY
IN CASE OF CAPT. MILLS.
Jury AcQuitS the Defendant After Taking But a
Single Ballot
Took Only Time 10 Elect Foreman and Cast VOte-ElS
Hears Weird Calmly But Later Breaks Down.

Another Utah jury has declared that
.fa s.lucer of a wife merits death.
rtst IS what the acquittal of Captain
frederick j. Mills in two minutes con-
Iteration OF the case by the jury
.srs These twelve men who had
r.-s-aI t8 the evidence for and against
Cr.n Mills. who had sat through ten
rr DAYS as witness after witness
+.-Hfe5 did hot hesitate over their
-.-Hlt They did not discuss the mat
t4- Every man had his mind made up
fsf-re DE retired to deliberate with the
Others.
There was no elaboration. There was
r-sy one ballot. and on each one of
re twelve little slips Of paper was
Vrstzn not guilty when Foreman
FaIalJ read them. It " as a quick and
decisive victory. showing that each
fr1r understood the case without de-
liberation and without further discus
SON Every one Of those men believed,
AS several of them said afterward, that
die man who seduces anOthers wife
takes bis lie in his own hands. They
stand upon the ancient law 80 often re
f4rred 90 bv Judge Powers, Thou shalt
not c0ye' thy uelghDOr's wife.
The jury has declared that Captain
Mills Vas justified in shooting . Mel
ytlry. not that the defendant vas in
sane These jurors do not discuss their
reasons fo~ acquiltal 10 any great eX-
tpHI Guy ybey admit that the plea OF
insanity was hardly considered. Not
that thev believed there were no
grunts .or fl, but because leg though
Il upeTiUous. Had Captain Mills
sanity been in question in making up
raer verdict they would have taken
longer 10 reach conclusion
Court Session Brief.
The session OF court was brief yester-
day morning. County Attorney Putnam
concluded his argument, end Judge
Nar=l charged the jury, declaring that
il vas not necessary for The defense TO
prove ,ha defiuuenJ o. MRS. Mills but
it was sufficient to show that Captain
Mills had r6as1na bic grounds for be
IevuE that the specific act had taken
place
At the conclusion Of his address,
which was clear and scholarly. Deputy
Snerif5 MAYOR and ALcDuff were sworn
in as bai.alS Co take charge Of the jury
and JJ heeI utl-7 from disturbing the
Twelve men during tneiF deliberations.
Win Deputy Nayl0r ia the lead ana
Deputy IeDun following the column,
the men who held a life within their
hands filed 0ut singly and retired to
the rooms provided for them on the
firth floor Of the building at Ills. Tley
did not however, 50 to the rooms at
CLce, but stretched themselves a little
and took breath of fresh air. They
We're just six minutes In the room by
themselves.
There was no discussion. no speeches
were made. Juror Spencer moved that
q foreman be elected, and he placed in
nomination Eli A. POLAND, who is
clerk of the board of health. Mr.. Fol-
land merely announced 10 the other
eleven that they should take a ballot
10 - how they stood When the
Twelve jus of paper were looked over
j was learned that a second ballot
Vas unnecessary.
Deputy AIcDUE came into the court
room. followed by a large crowd that
Dad been waiting dnXiOusly outside.
There was q rush for seats because
those people believed that a verdict
L-l been reached, and they wanted to
Near - read and see if there was to be
further sensation. The deputy sheriff
whispered q moment to Judge NoUell
and then went back to the jury room
Nrs. oMe.veney was not present.
Slf had gone out during the recess
That followed The retirement of the jury
a-A waited the announcement i'm the
private Office of the county attorney.
III. Putnam did not come into the
court room. and his assistant. Mr.. Van
tI.- stood i'm the back part of the
raW near the door leading into the
county attorneys orice. Judge Powers.
Who had gone home quite sick afteT his
speech off Friday afternoon, was not
PRESENT llr. Srraup was there to rep
resent tle defendant
Mills Was Calm.
Captain Mills. hi. brother-in-law.
I'-.- Jacob llIs. and sister, Mrs. Mills.
SUI l.s.. him, quiet and calm, and
@.a-l.1- HI victory AIr. lIOpf and
rev l Douglas Wallace. who have
A-.. constant vigil during many try
l- days. SAT just behind the defend
Then. WAS not a largo crowd pres
en-. n -1a court room. though an the
SEATS Ms-. llei. Many of the old
-s which have watched the progress
--' '. t0r two weeks were there. /
e-. OTHERS t.u. who had not before
. me court room Few ladies
COME that Isl, fewer than on Fri
...' o when Judge Powers ad- /
t- --. .-ry
~ DC .. understood" said Judge (
. Mill. Deputy McDuff had gone
..- " .ae jury. that whatever /
..-A-. IS .D this case there must /
."-. nor demonstrations.
7..... "..H.- probably saved an out :
- ".. courts look upon with hOr- /
captain Mills has excited much (
q .rHH .r
r .. .- not guilty was hoped I
many . those present.
E.- reached a verdict"
-. a-5-. N.rrsU
.. nave said Foreman POLAND, /
r-.- WITH -.s paper In his hand, 1
-#.r Co Clerk Little
-.. .... -- severely plain black 4
r..-. Hre face was more in I
...- .. . different kind of YER I
r.r... ". the jury, find the de- /
r.-.. ... -.-ry-' When the usual /
,r.. was put 90 the jurors by the /
-r..- ' whether or not that was
they nodded.
rr,..t t-.S buried down in his j
~ move hair. There was 4
- .H his face He was. at 4
as .. .-.l, as calm and collected /
gr.. .-. -"atitude he felt within
pressed later on. Mrs Mills bia
.r..-.. KEY Sir. Mills were visibIy +
M. -.. Hnpf the father-in-Iaw. /
---r.. N..i as ever, while his son
--...r- -f-.ef Judge NorreU had
and --- Jurors for their hard work
, ,--..- excused them for the term conrf .
was adjourned. H. 0''U-
Pressed About Defendant
I'm =. -'2teiy throng came forward
his -.-. audience and pressed about +
-..-.s.- --- VINO once, a member of the
ami ,-..E OBJ Idaho. once its liel,ten-
ono .- l5---. once its state engineer.
Ger of -.sll9red and Industrious Off !
-1oefaI army, had stepped /