Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-04-29
LIBERTY IS GIVEN
MRS. STANDIFER
tainted When Speeches Were
Made In Her Defense.
BABY WAS PRESENT IN COURT
Sisters of Mrs. Standifer Sat Near and
Were Stirred by the TriaI-Jury was
Quickly Secured and Verdict Soon
Given,
Given.

Atlanta, April 28.-"We, the jury,
find the defendant not guilty"
| That was the verdict reached in less
than ten minutes in the case of Mrs.
| Willie Standifer, who was tried in the
criminal branch of the superior court
Friday for the killing of her sister,
Miss Chapel Whisenant, on March 9Th
| last.
The verdict was received in silence
that was oppressive. The stiffness was
| so intense that the breathing of the
people in the packed court room was
audible.
There would probably have been an
outburst of applause If Judge Roam had
not commanded that there should be
no demonstration, no matter what the
verdict was
That was why the verdict was re-
ceived with such deep silence.
The women who sat near the pris-
oner, her sisters and her friends,
dropped their faces in their hands and
! wept.
Mrs. Standifer looked about her like
a frightened child, and clasped and
unclasped her fingers nervously.
The last chapter in one Of the most
pathetic tragedies that ever occurred
in Atlanta had ended
A poor, frail woman, upon whom
death is about to set it's seal in con
sumption's ghastly FORM" had been ar
ratgned at the bar of justice for slay-
Ing her own sister. Her plea was
that she was so goaded to desperation
by heartless husband, who had found
IN her young sister a victim for his
faithlessness, that she became so mad
| ly insane that she slew the sister to
save her from dishonor, and to pro-
| tect herself and little child from the
| social ruin that must follow.
The jury was out only nine minutes,
and half when they announced that
| they were ready with a verdict Ed
gar Thompson had been chosen fore
man, and he handed the slip of paper
to the clerk of the court, who took
it and read:
1--WE, the jury, find the defendant
| not guilty"
The story had all been told, and
Mrs. Standifer left the court room
with her sisters and lady friends, a
free woman in the eyes of the law,
| and doubtless in the sight of that God
whom she appealed in the last words
of her statement to the jury.
At one time while Mr.. Westmore-
land was speaking to the jury Mrs.
Standifer tainted, and her sisters had
to revive her by throwing water in
her face.
There have been many touching
scenes witnessed in the criminal su-
perior court Of Fulton county, but
never one more laden with pathos than
that Of this case, when a woman
was arraigned at the bar of Justice for
the Staying Of her own sister.
There were tears in the eyes of wo-
men and men, but the eyes of her
whose life and liberty were in the
hands of the jury, were dry and cold.
Whatever affection had once moved
her soul had dried up when a faithless
and heartless husband caused her to
shoot to death a sister who had been
the playmate of her girlhood.
Temporary insanity at the time of
the commission of the deed was the
plea of the defense, and 1t was appar-
ent to all who looked upon the prison
er at the bar that her mind was yet
unbalanced because of the terrible
tragedy which had blighted her life
Not even the prattle of the little child
her child and his who had caused the
crime, seemed to move her