The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-05-19
NAN PATTERSON
GIVEN FREEDOM
Show Girl Released From New
York Prison Without Bail.
CLOSE OF ROTTEN CASE
District Attorney Jerome, Despairing
of 4 Successful Trial, ASKS Tor
Her Discharge.

After more than eleven months in
prison and three mistrials on the
charge of numbering Caesar" Young,
Nan Patterson walked from the Tombs
prison at New York Friday a free
woman. AS she left the great build
ing which has been her home since
a few days after Young was found
dying in a cab in lower New York,
1000 people greeted her with cheers,
for the news that District Attorney
Jerome would move for her dismissal
from custody had spread Throughout,
the vicinity Of the court house.
The move to discharge Nan Pat
terson came rather Unexpectedly to
the public. 1t wac an hour or two
before noon when District Attorney
Jerome appeared before Recorder
Con in special sessions and announced
that he desired to move the discharge
Of the former chorus girl without
bail and on her own recognizanCe.
Not the least interesting of the
days events and perhaps the great.
est dramatic climax to the troubles
OF the former Florodora girl was the
reunion in freedom with her sister,
Mrs. j. Morgan Smith, and her bro
ther-ln-law, J. Morgan Smith, both
Of whom were discharged by Justice
Cowing in the court OF general ses-
sions, after being held on charges OF
conspiracy in connection with the Pat.
terson case. Smith was also held for
contempt Of court in falling to obey
a subpoena as a witness at the first
trial. He was fined $3.50 and released
on this charge. Then came the sur
prise, for Nan Patterson herself paid
the fine out OF q check which had
been given her by a friendly news
paper.
District Attorney Jerome announced
his decision to free Nan Patterson in
a speech In the course OF which he
declared that during the last trial
he had information that members of
the jury had agreed that J. Morgan
Smith had bought the revolver and
that Nan Patterson carried 1t in the
cab and that Young did not commit
suicide.
He took occasion to refute pub
lished reports as TO the cost of the
trial stating that the whole expense
was not more than $4,000. Following
this line he declared that the news.
papers had made gross misrepresen-
tations," and then said:
This case has caused one more
step in this country toward trial by
newspaper rather than trial by Jury.
| do not refer to those papers which
have merely reported the proceedings,
but TO those that in their editorial
rooms have labored to arouse sympa.
thy for the prisoner with the result
Of serious miscarriage OF justice.
Everything that the prosecution has
done had my cordial and hearty APP
probation. | fear nothing for myself
or my assistants My assistant did
rightly, bravely, honestly and went
forward with my entire and perfect
appreciation"
He concluded with the motion that
Nan Patterson be discharged on her
own recognizance.
When She came into conrt Nan was
smiling gayly, but as Recorder Con
began to address her the tears cBmU
into her eyes and before he concluded
she was weeping. The recorder spoke
with a kindly note in his voice that
seemed TO AFFECT her very much He
closed by saying:
Let me entreat you in all your fu.
ture life TO remember the terrible ex.
perience through which you have Just
passed and TO permit every action Of
your life hereafter TO be guided by
that experience. ] feel sure that you
will do so; that you will remember
your ordeal"