The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-12-22
JONES FOUND
NOT GUILTY
Surprising Verdict in
the Parmenter
Case.

Edward NJ. Jones was found mot
guilty of the murder Of Mrs. Sarah
Parmenter by the jury who tried him
for the crime. They were out only for
ty minutes when, at five minutes be-
fore six o'clock yesterday evening, they
returned the verdict of acquittal. For,
although the jury retired at five min
utes after FIVE. they Immediately sent
out a request for information about the
form of the verdict Judge Gear had
them called in and instructed, clerical
defect in the form being corrected,
which consumed fully ten minutes.
DEFENDANT SHOWS APPRECIA-
TION.
Although. from the nature OF the
defense and of the courts charge, the
reason for the verdict was presumably
the insanity of the defendant Jones
manifested a clear intelligence OF his
good fortune. On the announcement OF
the verdict he smlingly accepted the
congratulations of his counsel, relatives
and friends, who quickly surrounded
him. and joyfully extended his hand to
all for a shake.
STILL A PRISONER.
tones is not yet free man. He is
held under an indictment Tor the mur-
der of Mrs. Linda Jones, from whom
for some time before her death he was
divorced. 1t is likely, owing to the
shortness of time left, that his trial
will be continued to the January term.
Possibly the Territory may ask Tor
change OF venue to another Circuit
BEGINNING OF TRIAL.
The trial concluded yesterday was
begun on Monday, November 20, with
the work OF empaneling a jury. That
night the defendants father died and
in consequence on Tuesday the trial
was continued until the following Fri
day. As the regular panel OF jurors be
came exhausted the first day, special
yenire for 20 more was issued. ne
empaneling was not resumed until the
27th when twelve men had passed for
cause Then the peremptory challenges
began, of which the law gives the l er-
ritory six and the defense twelve. 10
fill the places OF two jurors challenged
the entire new panel was exhausted and
as more jurors were summoned. on
November 80 there was another ex-
haustion OF names to draw and, finally.
on December 3, after $50 men all told
had been called, the following jury was
accepted and sworn to try the case:
THE ACQUIl llNu JURY.
]. X. Manase, Henry Zerbe Hiram
Kolomoku, Edmund Norrie, w. NJ.
Bush, ID. X Hoapili, ]. ID. Cockett, J.
A. Lawelawe Tom Jones' Joseph X.
Clark, Charles II. Bellina and Frank
Godfrey.
DURATION OF TRIAL.
For private reasons, by consent OF
both sides, the trial was continued on
December until Monday, the 9TH inst,
when the taking of evidence began. The
actual trial has therefore not been a
record one for length.
With regard to the trial OF Jones for
the murder OF Mrs. Jones, again, the
difficulty of obtaining jury in the
First Judicial Circuit will be enhanced
over that experienced in the Parmcnter
case from the fact that the $50 men
called for the latter will be disquali-
fed,
THE LAST, DAY.
7 After further preliminary Discussion
of the requested instructions by the
court to the jury, the closing argument
of counsel to the jury began yesterday
morning. 1t was the privilege OF each |
of the counsel to participate, but for the |
defense Mr.. Dunno elected to leave
the speaking entirely to Mr.. Robertson.
ADDRESS FOR DEFENSE.
A. G. NJ. Robertson began the closing
address on behalf of the defendant at
Io:45 and spoke until I:l5, when the
court took recess until 2:I5. His speech
naturally dwelt almost wholly upon the
evidence of Jones's insanity The de-
PENDANTS love for his wife was held to
be an infatuation amounting to mania
and his suspicion OF her fidelity de-
fusion that became madness.
FOR THE PROSECUTION.
f. c. Peters, Deputy Attorney Gen
eral, began his address at the opening
of the afternoon session. concluding an
hour and half later. He characterized
the delusion theory as 'dastardly de-
fense" inasmuch as it challenged coun-
sci for the prosecution to attack the
character OF the poor dead woman
who had been defendants wife. Mr..
Peters heaped scorn upon the theory OF
insanity and DR., Mays, its chief up
holder on the witness stand From his
evidence DR.. Mays might himself be
found insane. Jones, in his own mar
rative of the shooting and his immedi-
ately subsequent actions, counsel main
tained had evinced keen mental capacity.
His exact memory OF words and details.
his reloading OF the pistol, his flight and
hiding, his stealing OF garments to
clothe him on returning TO surrender.
were mentioned with emphasis Mr..
Peters said he had himself, since his
childhood, suffered all OF the symptoms
of insanity stated in "the hypothetical
question" Before closing he cautioned
the jury to remember that Jones was
not being tried for the murder of Mrs.
Jones but that OF Mrs. Parmenter. so
that the theory OF insanity from jealousy
did not fit the case in any manner
Lorrin Andrews, Attorney General,
opened the last words for the prosecu-
ton at 3:45, speaking about half an
hour.
CHARGE tn ITrpV