Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-08-01
FOSBURGH'SRELEASE
Acquitted on The Charge of Murd ring
lis Sister
PEOPLE PLEASED WITH VERDICT
Close of Very Sensational Trial In
Which Young Fosbergh Stood
Charged With the nurder of Ills
Sister.

Pittsheld. Mass. Special.-Tha trial
OF Robert Stewart Fosburgh for the
alleged killing Of his sister May. was
brought to an abrupt close Friday.
when the jury, under instructions
from the court. returned a verdict OF
not guilty. When the court convened
the chamber was crowded and a large
number OF members Of the Berkshire
bar occupied seats which had Eeen re
served for them. Many women who
had attended the trial at every ses-
sion, carrying their lunChcOns with
them, were there again with their
lunch baskets. The Fosburgh family
came into the court room in n body
and passed to their accustomed seats.
1t was just 9:15 O'Clock whea Judge
Stevens entered. and Immediately
upon the on"ning of court his honor
arose, faced the jury and directed
them that a verdict OF aCQuittal lie
given for the defendant Judge Stevens
said: Foreman and gentlemen. Dur
ing six days we have listened TO a
painful recital of one OF the sadieSt
tragedies ever presented to a jury. \
beautiful girl just budding into wo-
manhood was shot down and her
brother has been accused Of the
crime. The government has enGcay-
Ored to prove first that the girl was
not shot by burglars: second it has
endeayOred to exclude all other mem
bcrs of the family from the affair, ana
third, to prove that the shot was fired
by her brother. Robert S. Foshurgh.
The trial has proceeded some
what in the form of an inquest AMI
has been tried with great pains on tn"
part of the government and the de
fense. There has been a desire to
obtain proof and so a great deal of
evidence has been Introduced AMI al
mitted without objection which might
have been excluded under the strict
rule Of the law. | think | ought also
to say TO you that it is due 10 the
chief of police who has stood behind
this prosecution, that in view Of the
court, he has tried to do his duty
with a single eye to asCertaintng the
truth. Now, Mr.. Foreman, and gen
tlemen. motion hes been made that
this case be taken from the jury AMI
it becomes my duty to say to you that
in the opinion Of the court. the rOv-
ernment has not furnished proof sutii
cient to sustain a verdict of guilty
against the defendant. and, therefore,
under the direction Of the court. in
the Indictment Of Robert $. Fos-
burgh, for killing his sister You viii
return a verdict of not guilty
AS the judge concluded his remarks
the people in the court room began
claDping their hands. but the judge
Immediately ordered that the applause
be suppressed and this was done BY
the court officers. The defendant
stood while the foreman Of the jury
replied to the question: What is your
verdict?" The reply was, Not Guil-
ty."
The defendant was then formally
discharged by order Of the court
Judge Stevens then dismissed tEo
jury. but before doing so, he thanked
them warmly for their services and
congratulated them because they had
not shirked the responsibility that
fell upon them. Immediately after
this, the Foshburgh family was given
an opportunity to leave the court
chamber in advance Of the rest Of the
people and the did so, passing down
a private stairway. They proCc"dcG
at once to the Wendell House, wh"r"
a reception was held and where hun
dreds of people took ADVANTAGE Of III"
opportunity to shake hands WIN
young Robert FOshburgh.
AS soon as the jury was dismissed
the foreman called them together IN
his private room and for tn" hTSt
time there was conference as to
what the jurors believed. WI .hout
exception they declared that they
would have returned verdict OF no.
guilty within - minutes, even h2a
they not been instructed h. the court