The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-05-01
NOT GUILTY
rs THE VERDICT OF DORA
JENNINGS JURY FOR THE
MURDER OF HER
FATHER.

Accused and Relatives Are Joyful at
Jury's Verdict as Announced
Outcome May Bring New
Trial for Jasper. 49, -
Grants Pass, Or, April 1.-THE
Jury in the Dora Jennings' case
brought. In verdict Of not guilty
at midnight. The prosecuting at
torney finished his argument short
ly after 10 P. NJ, Judge Hanna
delivered bis charge to the jury at
once, and in q few minutes they re-
turned from the juryroom with. the
above verdict. General, approval
is expressed at the result of the
trial. ...;...- =
The happiest girl in Oregon this
morning is Dora Jennings. Dora,
her mother, brothers and sisters
we're hysterical with joy. The girl
took the hands of the jurors as they
came out, one by one, as they went
into the crowd that waited in the
courtroom. Women = threw their
their arms about her and cried. It
was the most joyful scene the old
courtroom has ever known.
The plea of Attorney William
Co1vig, for the girl, was the ablest
ever heard here and the sympathy
he won for the girl played a big
part in winning the case. Dora and
her mother this morning visitf d the
Jail and the girl bid adieu to the
steel-barred room that has been her
home for several months past. She
thanked Sheriff Lewis for his kind
treatment and continued to shower
her praises upon the jury. The
outcome of the trial will be astrong
factor in reversing the case of her
brother, Jasper, now pending in the
supreme court. Both were tried on
the same indictment. If the boy
is given a new trial it Is believed he
will be acquitted.
The charge on which Dora Jen-
nings was last night acquitted was
the murder of her father, N. M.
Jennings,'who wasshot while asleep
in his cabin home at Granite Hill
one night last September, nine miles
from Grants Pass. No clue was left
by the murderer, but circumstances
surrounding the tragedy pointed to
his son and daughter, Jasper ard
Dora. Both were indicted and Jas
per was found guilty aud now has
an appeal pending in the supreme
court. 9<5Tzei3<9 - 80 Sc
The murdered man, N. M. Jen.
nings, had a contract to supply the
Granite Hill mine with wood, ard
had wood crew of Is men at work.
He was about 50 years old and had
a wife and four children. His wife
left him last spring returning to her
parents in North Carolina.
Jennings lived In small three
room house near the mine, having
with him a girl aged IS, one aged 9,
a boy of Is, and one of IA years.
He slept in a small bedroom down
stairs eff the living room, while the
two girls slept in the same room
In a bed three feet distant from
their fathers. The boys slept in a
little a tic room. dsi'5-z-
The father had been shot with a
rife, tbs ball penetrating the fore
head, passing through the head, and
was found in the pillow. The gun
was held so close to thu head that
the skull was split open by the ter
rife force OF the bullet, and the
brains were scattered over the bed
There were two guns in the house,
but both were 10 place when the
house was examined. The wind.
ows and doors were closed, and
There was no evidence that the shot
had been fred from the outside.
| TIE children claim to have not
heard the shot. but a man working
on the night shift at the mine says
he heard gun fred at 1 o'clock al
might. Mr.. Jennings was hard.
working man, but addicted to drink
| Portland, April 28.-Sunday Or.
egonian: John J. Collins, a well
to-do timber cruiser and member o
the firm Of E. Dorgan & Co., cf AL
bany, Is confined in the Multnoma
county Jail on an order issued BY
Judge c. E. Wolverton, of the Fed
eral court, holding him guilty 0
contempt Of court. Collins was or
/ dered by Judge Wolverton to ap
pear before the Federal grand ju'
ry yesterday morning and place ii
evidence the records Of the firm o
which he is a member. He was OF