The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1907-07-03
LOVING rs FREED
or MURDER cHARGE
Jury Was Out Only Forty.fiye Minutes
Verdict Not AtSurprise.

IS Houston, Va, June 29.-After being
in the jury room 45 minutes the jury
this evening returned a verdict OF mot
guilty., in the case of former Judge
William q. Loving of Nelson county
Virginia who was placed on trial here
last Monday for the murder of Theo-
dore Estes. Judge Loving shot and
killed young Estes on April % at Oak
Ridge, following a buggy ride Estes
had taken with the judges daughter,
Miss Elizabeth Loving, who told her
father that her escort had drugged
and assaulted her.
The day was spent in argument, the
forenoon session being taken up by
counsel for the defense and the clos
ing speech for prosecution being made
this afternoon by Commonwealth At
torney Bouldin: Attorneys Barksdale,
Moore and Lee for the defense spoke
practically along the same lines.
They pleaded for an acquittal on the
grounds that Judge Loving was insane
at the time he killed Estes, having
lost control Of himself under hearing
the story of the ruin Of his daughter.
The real basis Of their argument,
however, was the s'unwritten law"
They spoke of the preservation Of the
sanetity OF Virginia homes, declaring
that any man who invaded the thres-
hold and spoiled q woman had forfeit
ed his claim on society.
On this point Mr.. Moore said:
sssYou would not raise the moral
standard or elevate the womanhood
Of Virginia by conyicting. Don't put
the badge Of dishonor on him by send
ing him to the penitentiary. Don't
let it 20 out to the world that jury
3 Of Virginia gentlemen put the felon's
stripes on q Virginia gentleman"
Mr.. Lee appealed strongly to the
sympathies Of the jury with both
words and tears. Sweep from Vir-
ginia the chaste homes of the citizens
and what remains Of the State? The
purity and the dignity of our homes
is the sweetest thing in life to Virgin
ians. Its the gift Of God. When any
one invades our homes they strike so
ciety and the body polite the dead
liest blow. You all know how love
for your wife and how the smile of a
daughter can bring out from your
nature the best there is in it.
my heart and my mind tell me,
gentlemen Of the jury, how I feel. ]
believe that the foreman asks you to
hold up your hands if you believe the
prisoner not guilty, that every hand
viii 60 up, and that your act will be
according to your conscientious opin-
ion. When Christ departed His life
His last words were Father, forgive
them; they know not what they do. ."
Foreman McCraw, said that when
he called for vote he requested all
who favored the acquittal of the de-
fendant to hold up their right hands.
On the first ballot every hand prompt
II went mp.
Judge Barksdale thanked the jurors
for their attendance upon court at
great sacrifices. He declared that he
believed the verdict was in accordance
with the conscientious views Of the
jury.
After the jury had been polled Judge
Loving, his wife and other relatives
shook hands with and thanked each
juror.
Tears streamed from the eyes Of the
defendant and his wife. Judge Loving
was congratulated by many of his
friends present.
South Carolina Day at James
town,