El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-05
FORD WAS
ACQUITTED
a Touching Scene In the
Court Room
WHEN WIFE OF ACCUSED
Made Her plea To the Jury.-h
plausible Oefenseput Up. Other
Court Notes

| Ii will never he known whether or
not the Jury in the w. r. Ford burg
larry case was Influenced by the tears
of woman. At any rate grief strick-
en- woman wept in the court room
while telling the jury that her husband
was innocent of the crime with which
he was charged and those twelve good
men and true returned a verdict OF not
guilty.
They were just ten minutes by the
clock in forming this conclusion but
by il w. r. Ford was vindicated of
that specific charge for all time to
come.
The states side of the case was well
handled by the acting district attorney
and many persons in and about the
court room We're positive that Ford
would he convicted. His wife. how
ever. who appeared in court with n
two months old infant in her arms.
came to his rescue and if pity for her
did not influence the jury her testi-
mony certainly did. She was weeping
when called to the witness stand but
talked coherently and was very posi-
tive in her statements.
The plumber from the box cars. she
said. had been brought to their tent
on Texas street by two men whom she
did not know. They came at night
| just after the Ford family had moved
| into the tent and asked permission to
leave the goods for two days. Her
husband was slightly acquainted with
one OF the men and reluctantly grant
ed his request. There was no effort
made to conceal the goods, but one
box was covered up when the floor
was laid. In spite of the fact that
! there We're groceries of all kinds
among the goods. evidence was pro-
duced to show that the Ford family
had been purchasing groceries regu-
larry up to the time of defendants ar
rest from the Pioneer Grocery COM
pany. Mrs. Ford said the officers took
away a piece of bacon that belonged
left the goods. Her husband. she said
had purchased the bicycle from one
of the men several weeks before his ar
rest and had ridden it around town
and made no effort to conceal il.
Cross examined by Mr.. Dyer: DO
you know of your own knowledge that
your husband didn't take these things
from the cars"
20. yes. sir, 1 am positive he didn't
He wouldn't do such a thing. He
thinks too much of me and the baby"
But do you know it-know it of
your own knowledge"
Yes. sir: l know he never did any
| thing of that kind in his life
But you don't understand me. Mrs.
Ford. You We're certainly not with
him all the time and how can you
know of your own knowledge that he
didn't rob these cars?"
But do know he didn't. OF course
wasn't with him all the time but |
know he didn't
The lawyer laid down his hand.
Ford's testimony was practically the
Same as his wife's in regard to the
main facts. He said the two men who
brought the goods to his tent had been
in the habit of occasionally sleeping in
the pump house where he worked at
night. They We're hoboes and he gave
them permission to sleep there. He
denied all knowledge of the crime or
any connection Herewith.
The lawyers argued briefly and after
being out about ten minutes the jury
brought in verdict of not guilty A
dozen or more witnesses for the rail-
way company gathered up their papers
and went home.
After the veruict had been rendered
Ford was taken back to Jail to await
trial on several other indictments for
the same OffenSe. Acquitted in the
crease the chances for conviction in the
others.
Jury Excused
The district court excused the jury
from attendance until after election
Court is in session this afternoon but
only non jury cases being heard by
Judge Walthall. Several divorce cases
are to be tried before nightfall.
Schultz Store Robbed
Robbers broke into the department
store of Max Schultz on Overland street
some time during the night Saturday
night and carried off about $500 worth
of goods. They gained an entrance
through a back window by prying the
heavy bars across the window to one
side. They then placed a bag of sand
against the window and broke a hole
in the glass large enough for man to
crawl through. The work was evident
~ the work of professionals and they
got away with n lot of silk handker-
chiefs. two dozen fine silk shawls.
lot of shirts. several suits of underwear
and over $3.50 worth of jewelry. a
tray of fine ribbons was found in the
back yard where they were dropped by
the thieves. There is no clue what
ever rs to the guilty parties were but
there must have been four or five i'm
the affair.
Fined For Fighting.
A. j. Morrison pleaded guilty to an
ARRAY this morning before Justice Ell
lis and was fined 81 and costs amount
ing to $3.50. The case against J. III.
Klaus for the same offense was con-