Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-07-01
JUDGE LOVING ACQUITTED.

MONDAY last LOT Tue mufucI VI 1uSOlOie
Estes Oh April % last, was, On Saturday
evening, declared innocent Of the crime
of which he was charged. Prosecuting
Attorney Bouldin spoke last ia the utter.
est of the commonwealth, and imme-
diately upon the closing of his remarks
Judge Barksdale handed the instructions
to the jury, with information that the
instructions which referred to the un-
written law, and which had been stricken
out Friday, we're added again, pursuant
to an agreement OF counsel for the de-
tense and the commonwealth. The jury
then left the room.
The verdict was reached after an hour
deliberation. Argument was concluded
at 4.46 o'clock, and 60 minutes later the
jurymen returned to the courtroom and
announced that Judge Loving was not
guilty.
The vote for acquittal wss unanimous
and, after being discharged, a statement
was given out by the jurymen that the
prisoner was declared ianocent on the
ground that he had upheld the sancity
Of his home. The plea of insanity, SO
often referred to by the counsel for the
defense, was considered slightly, but il
was declared that it had no Influence on
the jury in framing the verdict.
Judge Loving walked out of the court
free man during one of the most re-
markable scenes that has ever been Wit
messed in any courtroom. When the
verdict was announced the immense
crowd present went wild with entbu-
siasm, and Loving was almost swept of
his feet by the mad rush that was made
by the spectators to grasp his hand.
Judge Barksdsle, in discharging the
Jury, made no reference to the verdict,
but thanked the jurors for the patience
which they had exhibited in attending
the proceedings and the interest which
they had manifested in sill things per-
tanning to the trial of the accused.
The acquittal of Judge Loving APP
parently met with general approval.
From the moment the verdict came
from the lips of the foreman of the jury
until Loving left the courtroom he re-
ceived a continuous ovation. But among
the happy people, the happiest were the
prisoner and his wife. The frail little
woman who has helped her husband
bear the burden fell in his arms just as
SOON as she heard bis innocence declared
and was entirely overcome by Joy over
the thought that her husband was free
again.
Judge Loving, too, broke down. He
wept like a child. With tears stream
ing down his cheeks he kissed his wife,
and, turning to his brother, who sat 10
his left, embraced him tenderly.
All the counsel for the defense, in
GLIDING Messrs. Walton Moore, and John
L. Lee, who made such masterful ar
guments in defense Of the accused, hur-
ried to Judge Loving aud warmly grasp
ed his hand.
From his seat the accused then walked
to Judge Barksdsle and asked the privi-
lege of shaking hands with the jurymen.
The jurymenl gave vent to their emo
tons as the accused grasped their hands
and poured ont words of appreciation to
them for declaring him innocent. Be-
hind him came his wife, who with ex-
tended hands, thanked each one of the
iurymen. Judge Barksdsle was much
affected. In the general Handwriting the
jurist was not forgotten. Endeavoripg
to remember all who bad been connected
with the case, Judge Loving mounted
the steps and babe the presiding judge
an afectionate good-by.
Accompanied by more than 80 of bis
friends, Judge Loving and his wife re-
turned to the hotel, where they had been
stopping since the trial began, and i.
was in the hotel that by far one of the
most touching scenes of the entire day
was enacted. 1t was the meeting Of
Judge Loving and his daughter. The
girl did not attend the session of court
Saturday, owing to her nervous cOndi-
ton; but she waited in her room at the
hotel for news of the result of the trial,
and when her father walked into her
room free man she almost tainted in
bis arms, and, shaking with emotion,
she said:
ooh, father, then you are free You
are innocent at last ~ She embraced
Judge Loving and repeatedly kissed him.
Judge Loving bore her in his arms to a
chair and sat down beside her. lie ex.
hibited the same tenderness for his only
daughter that his friends say has been
second nature with him.
Judge Loving and the other members
of his family remained at Houston Satur.
day night, and returned to their home
yesterday.
All the counsel for the defense stated
that they expected nothing else but the
acquittal of their client.
Prosecution Attorney Bouldin refused
to comment on the case further than to
8 y that he had done his duty as he
saw it.
The members of the Estes family had
no comment to mako on the verdict as
rendered by the jury. John P. Swanson,
however, said that there was no truth in
the report that the relatives Of Estes
were going to institute civil suit
against Judge Loving for the purpose Of
clearing the name of Estes. No such
action, be declared, had ever been con-
templated by them. owe had hoped,
however," said Mr.. Swanson, THAT the
court would admit the evidence Of the
commonwealth as offered by Mr.. Har-
mon, which would have yindicated
Theodore Estes OF assault upon Miss
Loving"