The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-15
FAILED TO AGREE
Morrison Jury Unable TO
Arrive at a Verdict.
STOOD NINE TO TWO
On First Ballot in Favor Of
ACquittaI, One Not Voting.
Defendant Returns to Her
Cell and Sheds Tears.
STOOD NINE TO TWO

AS was predicted in the Eagle the Nor
rison jury was dismissed yesterday by
Judge shinn at FL Dorado, after having
failed to reach a verdict IN one Of the
most famous murder cases in the his
tory Of the state. After being out four
days. twelve men reported in the Butler
county court room stating that they were
unable to agree. The report Of the fore
man was taken and it was ascertained
that nine of the men had stood for the
acquittaI Of Jessie Morrison and three
were Of the opinion that the defendant
was guilty. The FIRST ballot. however.
was nine for acquittal and two for con-
victiou, one man not voting. This
changed, however, and the vote stood as
above stated during the entire time that
the jury remained out
The action Of the jury means that the
entire case must be gone over again. 1t
means that it win be very hard to Sc
cure a jury Of twelve men in Butler
county TO try Jessie Morrison. It may
result in the failure to get a jury and
the case viii go down in history as par
allel TO that Of Sam Woods in western
Kansas
A new Judge VIII be on the bench ii
Butler county by next spring Tt is Judge
Aukman and he Is a resident of Ell Do
rsdo. 4 new county attorney win prose
cute the case and this is County Attor-
ney- Elect Reece of FL Dorado.
There are probabilities that a change
Of venue viii be taken by the defense,
but since the state failed to convict In
the first trial, the chances are that a
change viii not be taken.
PRISONER WAS READY.
When the jury was called into the
court room yesterday morning, Jessie
Morrison was in her accustomed seat
surrounded by her family. waiting ex-
uectantly to hear the report Of the jury
What that mind was doing while the
jury was taking seats cannot be esHmat-
ed. but there is no question but what
that prisoner was hoping for acquittal
When Judge Shinn was calling for the
report Of Foreman Hewitt, there was alb
solute- silence and the spectators bent
forward TO catch every word. The pris-
Oner sat looking at the jury-the twelve
men who held her fate in their control
but never a sign Of nervousness was
shown
When the foreman reported, the prison
er turned to her father and laid one hand
on his arm Other than that there was
no motion. AS soon as the jurors were
dismissed, the Morrison family went to
the little cell IN the Jail Jessie Morrf-
son walked out looking neither to right
OF left and when once inside of that
room, threw herself on the bed. sobbing
as il her heart. would break. Tt was the
last act IN the sensational trial and was
the showing Of the spirit Of the girl who
has been under such a severe strain for
weeks
TRIED TO COMFORT HER
The family tried to comfort Jessie. and
while they were doing that, tears were
running down their own cheeks. These
tears were not those of remorse by any
means for they were those of joy, to
know that Jessie Morrison was not TO be
sentenced TO the penitentary.
The aged father stood by the cot on
which mis- daughter was lying and with
tears in his eyes. looked down tenderly
on his child. The benevolent old man.
who has stood tie brunt Of this trouble.
was rejoicing and he did not care who
knew Is
JUDGE MORRISON TALKS.
Although Jessie Morrison's attorneys
gave orders that no one outside of the
Immediate family Of the prisoner should
be admitted to the cell. the Eagle CORE
Epondent gained sdmittance The pris-