Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-19
Judge Cochran Instructs
Jury to Free the
Defendants.
MURDER NOT PROVED
Case Which Was Prosecuted In
Response to Public Sentl-
ment Ends Usual Way.

Decatur. H., Oct. 19.-Fred H. Mi
gill and his young wife, Faye Graham
Magill, are not guilty of the murder
of Mrs. Pet Candy Magill of Clinton
| last May. So declared the jury in the
case last night, acting under instrun-
| tions OF Judge Cochran, who said that,
| while the state had proved beyond
doubt the death of the first Mrs. Ma
gill. it had failed to show that a mu"-
der had been committed. This being
the case. the jury was ordered to bring
| III a verdict of not guilty.
| Ten minutes later the jury filed in-a
| the courtroom with the verdict. and
when it was read the crowd broke
into hand-clapping and cheers. The
bailiff hammered for order. but the
crowd paid no attention. and the court,
finally managing TO make himself
heard. threatened heavy fines for cor-
! tempt Even after that the crowd
cheered every word and showered Ma
| gill and his wife with congratulations.
The jury on leaving the room pass al
by the defendants and shook them b.
the hand
Jurors Not All Agreed.
1t was noticed that when the Jurors
We're asked if this verdict was their
finding. three of them did not respond.
One OF them afterward told States A.
tOrney Miller that had he been LETT
luninstructed he would not have voted
not guilty.
| Magill. who was once a wealthy man
in his own right. made his fight for
remnant of his fortune. He had about
$4,000. After such an expensive trial
he can have but little left.
story of Famous Case.
Mrs. Pet Candy Magill was found
dead i'll bed in the spare room of her
home in Clinton the morning of May
81. The funeral took place in a few
days and it was some time before the
cry that murder had been committed
was raised. The body of Mrs. Magill
was eventually exhumed and the in
ternal organs removed by Chicago
physicians who made an examination
that was not convincing as to the
murder charge. The fact. however.
that the remains had been in the
ground for nearly 50 days made any
autopsy of doubtful value so far as
legal proof was concerned.
Needed Sentiment.
Meanwhile tongues were wagging
savagely. All of Dewitt county was
wrought up. States Attorney Arthur
Miller was not anxious to proceed
however, as he was by no means GER
tain of producing evidence enough to
secure an Indictment.
| But sentiment ruled. Mr.. Miller
; was virtually forced to act. and he
did so, though reluctantly Magill and
I his daughter, Marguerite. accompanied
! by Faye Graham. had departed. En-
route to California the trio stopped
= over in Denver. and Magill married
Faye Graham there. The marriage so
0 soon after the death of the first Mrs.
! Magill added fuel to public resent
4 ment and the states attorney was
n urged 10 make haste. The Magills
, were arrested at San Diego, Cal, on
4 the night of July 13
: Brought Back and Indicted.
: Sheriff H. A. Campbell and wife
went to the coast and brought the Ma
SlllS Dack 10 clinton. arriving IHeTe
: early Sunday morning, July 2S. The
grand jury indicted the suspects on the
< evidence presented. which was sup
ported by chain of inexplicable cir
4 cumstances
n The sum total of the evidence
3 against Magill and his young wife may
! be summarized as follows:
5 Fred Magill paid marked attention
; to Fave Graham before the death of
; Pet Candy Magill.
= Miss Graham used TO go to the NJ
a gill home frequently and is said II
n have taken out-of-town trips with Ma.
Q gill.
& Marguerite Magill the daughter, and
j Faye Graham were fast friends and
e Marguerite generally was taken alons
n as third person" So far as known
Mrs Pet Magill, Marguerite's mother
was not jealous of Faye Graham.
/ 1t was a fact. however. that Fay.
d Graham and Fred Magill were FIRE