The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-15

Il move the prisoner be discharged, -
said Judge c. C. Stanley when the above
verdict was read and Coroner MeCoHis-
ter-said An right and willis Bart
lett. who shot and killed Luther Cross
weight Saturday night. walked out Of the
coroaer's Office yesterday afternoon a
free man. He was not acquitted, how
ever. and may be tried in the district
court. but he was indicated Of the
crime in the eyes Of the jury.
Here viii probably end the trial Of
Willis Bartlett for kuling his step-father.
for not che person IN The court room
yesterday that heard all II the evidence
but fully believes that the man shot
Cr0ssweight in self defense and in pro
tecting his family and home. When the
coroner discharged the young man there
was a scene Of great rejoicing in the
court room. Not one word of sympathy
was expressed for Cr0ssweight. not even
by his wife and step-chIdren. but the
moment the coroner announced his de-
cision Bartlett stood up and was immedl
ately seized by his wife. mother. sister
and other relatives and friends. Tears OF
JOY flowed freely. women kissed each
other and the discharged man. friend
shook the hand of friend and all shook
hands with the man but a few moments
before with charge of murder hanging
over his head and his relatives. The
court room was filed almost entirely
with negroes and each one walked up
and took Bartlett by the hand and ex-
pressed some words that meant II know
you did IL 20 protect yourself" and all
this time the mother. wife and sister
were standing 10 one side. wiping the
tears from their faces. All of the
friends OF the family also shook hands
with the jurors In turn as they filed out
OF the box after giving the verdict.
The c0roners inquest began ar clock
and lasted for nearly three hours. All
OF the witnesses examined were rela-
tives or friends who were in the house
at the time Of the killing or had heard
Crossweight make threats against his
wife and other members of his family.
with the exception Of three white men.
c. C. Stanley and C.. P. Derrick who
reached the scene soon after the shoot
ing, and Park Massey. who made tbs
arrest
The jury was composed entirely Of col
ored men and they sat IN their chairs
intently listening 70 the evidence given
BY the witnesses. They leaned forward
20 catch the words Of the witnesses and
often asked questions concerning some
points the attorneys did not bring out
Willis Bartlett sat I'm chair beside
his attorney. C.. C. Stanley. and watched
the faces az the witnesses intendy. He
very seldom moved until he was called
upon TO take the stand in his own be
half His wife sat back in the crowd
with his mother and sister They
watched the witnesses ana attorneys in
the questioning and when either attorneys
or witnesses stood up q explain more
infinitely the women crowded around the
box 70 see what was going on. The
coroner had made q diagram of the house
and premises and when Omcer Massey
was explaining how he found the shot
gun there was good deal OF good IA
tured csowdius To see.
Daring the inquest there was not one
hit of evidence brought Out showing that
Bartlett was a man n evu intentions
toward anyone and that he would attack
a man in any way unless himself at
tackled. By several witnesses il was
shown that Crossweient on the other
hand, had made threats against the life
or The prisoner ard his mother
The jurors were called yesterday morn
fuS and taken 10 the morese and sworn
over the body. and also viewed b. They
were dismissed until o'clock and tie
coroner ordered The body inferred TIE