Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-06
EMMA RiPKt NOT GUILTY
Jary Requires Only Thirty Minutes to
Arrive at the Verdict,
CROWD IN COURT ROOM APPLAUOS
Defendant After Receiving Cungratu-
iatioBs Goes TO Jail for Belong
49,, i6gu, Thanking Jsiier and
Doe. wife for Kindness. .... .l..
cRowO IN cOURI ROOM APPLAUOs

That Emma Ripke was not guilty Of
shooting and killing Frank Keith Potts on
the night Of october 10 last in the room
at Sal West Broadway, which they occupied
as man and wife, was the verdict of the
jury in the district court yesterday after
noon. The case was given to the jury at
4 o'clock, and thirty minutes later It had
reached its verdict OF acquittRl. 1t is stated
that one informal and two formal ballots
were taken. On. the informal the jury, 1t is
SAID was unanimous for a verdict Of &C
quittal, but that on the first formal ballot
eleven we're for acquittal and one for
guilty. On the second formal ballot, 1t is
said, the jury was unanimous for verdict
Of not guilty
A jury had been impaneled in the case Of
E. Higgins, charged with Assuming o. c.
Brown, when Baiun Matlack informed
Judge Green that the jury in the murder
case was ready to report. Miss Rlpke,
who. had been taken back to the county
Jail when the case was given to the jury,
was sent for and she entered the court
room attended by a number of women Of
the Fifteenth street mission and others.
The young woman took her seat apparently
quite composed, evidently assured from the
short time that the jury had been out that
/ its verdict would exonerate her When
Judge Green read the verdict and the fore
man had replied to the courts query that
it was correct. Miss Ripke partly raised
her hands and in low voice exclaimed,
! Thank God"
! As soon the verdict was announced the
crowd: which packed the court room gave
ventcto its pent-up feelings with loud APP
! plause and hand ciapping, which was not
} interrupted by the court officers. Then the
women crowded around the young woman
warmly congratulatiug and kissing her. But
one OF the Jury 3. s. Terwilliger or this
city. approached the defendant and SHOOK
hands with her. on leaving the court room
/ with her women attendants Miss RipkC
stopped in front of the bench and SHOOK
hands with Judge Green.
7 At the county Jail there was more hand
shaking, kissing and congratulations, anC
after she had secured her belongings anC
bid goodbye to Jailer Gallup and his famll,
and thanked them for the kind treatment
they had SaccoFded- her during the sever
weeks she was under their care, Mist
RiplSe left in company with the faithful
women. OF the mission who had attendeC
her during the trial.
Trial Resumed in Morning.
On court RECOMMENDING in the morning
Sheriff Canning was recalled by the stat
in rebuttal and he testified that the de
PENDANT had told him that she had left he
home i'm Hanover, Kan. to go to Oman,
for the purpose Of learning the dressfnakini
trade and that she first met Potts at tn
union depot in that city. On the wItnss
stand Miss Ripke said she Arst met Pott
while going to Maryville on a visit to
relative and that he called on her there
Mrs, Joehrendt, from whom Potts and tn
defendant rented the room where the trag
edy was enacted, was also recalled and sh
testified that the defendant was fun
dressed, when she called at her room an
said that her husband was sick. Mis-
Ripke had testified that she had merel
thrown on a skirt and jacket before sum
moning help
f. p, woodring, the undertaken on Yves
Broadway was the last witness Introduce
by the defense He testified that on tn
night OF the, shooting he met Potts and
companion by the name of OHara. Tn
witness was acquainted with O'Hara, VIII
introduced Potts to him. They asked for
loan Of money to get drink with and NJ
Woodring said he gave. them % cents. Bot
appeared to be intoxicated, and Pott
thanking the witness for the small LOAF
remarked: "Alf right, Mr.. woodring, niue
obliged; when we die Wen get you
hurry US"
In his opening argument County Alto,
ney Hess, referring 10 the letters write
2 by the defendant to advertisements in q
) matrominial journal, which had been o
: fered in evidence, sought to show that Il
, defendant wass.pOt the young. .unsophist
: Gated girl she claimed to be and he dive
r at length upon the alleged Inconsistent,
in her evidence and stories Of the shootn
. Mr.. Hess said ne did not ask for a verdi
: OF murder in the first degree, but expect,
the jury to find the defendant either gull
y of murder Ia the second degree or ma
slaughter
Attorney Baughn Of Omaha made Il
p opening argument for the defense and A
torney Askwith the closing The judge
instructions were regarded as somewh
favorable TO the defendant.