Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1905-03-20
FLETCHER HAS A
new LEASE on LIFE
Jury in Famous Chamberlain
Murder Case Couldn't Agree.
MIsuNDERsTooD The CHARGE

From Standpoint Of Law the Jury
Reached a Verdict Under Provision
of the Charge, but Reported Dis
agreement and Was Discharged
After tedious trial occupying three
and half days, in which Fletcher
Watson, colored was arraigned upon
charge OF murder OF Garrett Y.
Chamberlain, the jury has brought IN
verdict which gives the defendant
new lease on life, since the jury failed
to agree, after eighteen hours dell0-
Grafton.
The jury retired at 6'45 O'Clock
Wednesday afternoon, after hearing
the arguments in behalf Of the State
and defense. No agreement was
reached when the court re'conyened
in the evening Of Wednesday, and at
8 o'clock Thursday morning there was
apparently still no promise Of reaching
verdict. The jury came into open
court an hour later, however, and re-
ported through their foreman, L, p
Means, the inability to arrive at yer-
dict.
SIS the failure Of the jury to arrive
az verdict due to point Of law or
point Of fact?" queried the court.
ITO q point OF fact, Your Honor" re-
piled the foreman.
'Then the court directs that the jury
return to their room and endeavor to
arrive at a verdict" said Judge wills.
How the Jury Stood.
When the jury retired to their
quarters the'flrst vote stood eleven for
conviction and one for acquittal. OF
those voting for conviction four were
for murder in the first degree and
seven for murder with recommends
ton Of mercy. The vote remained the
same during the night, notwithstand-
ing that several ballots were said to
have been taken. In the morning,
however, the juror who had been hold
ing out for acquittal agreed TO ver-
dict OF murder with recommendation
70 the mercy OF the court.
The Charge Misunderstood.
Had the jury properly under
stood the charge Of Judge Wills, this
would have meant a verdict OF guilty
with recommendation 90 mercy as
His Honor's charge was explicit that
the Jury could find the defendant
guilty only by a unanimous vote, bat
thata majority Of the iurycould recon-
mend him TO the mercy OF the court
when Foreman Means replied TO the
query of the court % TO whether the
jury was hung on point OF law or a
point OF fact that gentleman made a
reverse reply. as 10 was understood lat.
er to be really a point Of law. How
ever. Il was technical point and
point which none but lawyer might
perfectly understand. Had che reply
been correctly made verdict with
recommendation 90 mercy would
have been rendered.
The jury in This celebrated ease which
has attracted so much interest was a'
follows;
LIE. Means, loremaniJ. C Bitch
Lucius Han, j. w, Dell, George killer
II. l. Beville, }. A. McKinstry, IL. j
Bailey, r. y smith, ,. L. DeLoach, J
b. Warren, ] Nj, Cox,
Among other business transacted by
the court was the sentence OF 500 ant
costs or six months in jail for Henry
Mcmillan, who pleaded guilty 70 cell
ing liquor In a dry county.
The judgement against A, y. sum
mers aud II Mel Grady on the estreat
ed bond OF ]. NJ Fryer was set aside
yaly the.payment Of costs in the matter
or Tmte being no further business
court adjourned for the term.