The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-04
MRS. BRADLEY FREE
 OF MURDER CHARGE
Jury ACquits Her of Killing
 Former Senator Brown
GREAT APPLAUSE IN COURT
Prisoner Bears Up We'll In the Final Moments of Waiting and Receives Announcement of the Yer
 dict With Calmness.

Washington December s.-'Not
 guilty" was the verdict rendered to- l day in the case of Mrs. Annie NJ Brad ley charged with the murder of former 1 United States Senator Arthur M.
 Brown on December last Amid the 1 applause of crowd that filled the 1 court room, Mrs. Bradley, with tear
 dimmed eyes, was discharged from GUS 1 tody and trial that has evoked na-
 tional attention during the past three 1 weeks was at an end.
 { Throughout it's deliberations tn jury into whose hands the case was deliv
 cred by Justice Stafford in the United i States criminal court No. at 4:17 o'clock yesterday afternoon, practically stood at II to for acquittal untf1 the
 nnal ballot, when the lone juror who was holding out for some form of pun ishment, Juror Julius H. Prigg. gave in and the verdict of acouittal was agreed on Almost three-auarters of an hour before the time for the open ing of court at 10 o'clock, the court room began to fill with spectators. The earlier arrivals, and in fact, the ma Jority of the crowd during the brief session of the court were women. A few minutes before 10 o'clock word reached the court room that the jury was ready to make report. As the judge entered the crowd stood while the court crier announced the opening of the court with the customary God save the government" There was brief suspense, the door opened and 1 the jury filed in. The. room was so quiet that pin could have been heard to drop. All eyes were fastened on the jury all necks craned in that direction and everyone in the crowd anxiously awaited the announcement of the jury's conclusions.
 Verdict Is Announced
 Justice Stafford admonished those present to avoid any demonstration Meantime the jury waited to deliver it's verdict, Foreman James L. Feeney nervously clutching in his hand the document that meant so much to the frail and nerve-racked woman in the prisoners chair.
 "Gentlemen of the jury asked the clerk. "have you reached verdict?"
 We have" answered the foreman.
 What is your verdict; is the defend ant guilty or not guilty?"
 Every neck was craned; every per- son in the court room from judge to spectator, almost breathlessly awaited the answer
 Not guilty" replied the foreman and mot guilty" echoed the jurors who sat in judgment in the case. For
 moment, in the tenseness of excitement not word could be heard, then the suspense was over and murmuring thank God from group of women who sat on the front bench was heard through the court room and was the signal for demonstration.
 Bears Up BraveIy.
 The prisoner, who had arrived at her cell in the city hall-a dark, i'll ventilated room directly under the criminal court-an hour before and re- mained there with her eldest son, Ar thur, until just before court con vened, sat directly back of Attorney Hoover, her counsel. She was dressed in black, and with suppressed excite ment, watched the jury. There were tears in her eyes but she bore up
 
 of collapse as might have been eX- pected at the crisis of such an ordeal.
 Immediately after the jury delivered it's verdict the court thanked the jury for the manner in which 1t had performed It's duty and the jury in turn through it's foreman, expressed to the court and counsel It's thanks for the consideration and courtesy shown them. The jury was then discharged and Mrs. Bradley was re- leased from custody. She was immed- ately surrounded by men and women from among whom the spectators be- slowed her their congratulations. She re- turned to the cell, from which she had come to hear the verdict and there she re- ceived few visitors. She thanked them for their Congratulations and expressed her relief at the conclusion of her trial. In the meantime an automobile was waiting at a side door and through lane of curious spectators, she was es- corted to the car, where, joined by her counsel and several women friends smil- ing and lowing to them as they called to her, she left the court house. No Plans Mapped Out. The party returned shortly afterward, but remained outside the building only few minutes and then left for the home of some of Mrs. Bradeys friends. Mrs. Bradley herself had little te say. She expressed gratitude over the outcome Of the trial, which she had confidently an
 ticipated, and when asked what plans she had replied that there was very little mapped out.
 Attorney George Hoover of her counsel said that he felt that the verdict was in accordance with the law and evidence. He began work on the case almost a year ago, and the result he said was the elimination that he and his asso- ciates had expected. He had not at any time, he added, any fear of the outcome. Judge Powers, the senior counsel for the defense, left last night for Salt Lake City.
 United States District Attorney Baker in discussing the verdict, said: Mrs. l Bradley was given a fair and impartial trial Twelve men on the jury have declared her not guilty and that ends the case so far as the government is l concerned"
 l Mrs Bradley will leave here shortly | for Goldfeld, New, there to join her sis | ter.
 The final ballot of the jury was taken shortly before midnight.
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