The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-04-28
Overlooked District Attorney
Baker Who Scaihlngly De-
nounced Him.
MRS. HERMANN NOT IN COURT
When psefsion Was Rendered De-
fsndant shewsrsd With cenerssuls.
tIons Of Friends and Reiaslvss--Ex.
pressed That Verdict Was Fair.

WASHINGTON, April a7,---Binger
Hermann was today acquitted Of the
charges OF destroying public records
when, upon hla retirement from the
general land ofiice he destroyed waat
ho eontandod wege his private letter
press eopyhooka.' The jury brought IN
itH verdict Of acaulttai at 1870 o'clock.
The jury went out yesterday at S;ss;
II had not agreed at fps p'eaoek plast
night end MAS iockapFup' II had not
agreed when court met this morning.
hut al 1850 asked that the Judge 70.
peat his charge, Justice STAFFORD de-
voted exactly one hour 10 reviewing
the most important features OF his
charge. and the jury at 1880 again
retired, In a few minutes word was
sent TO tho court that an agreement
had been reached. In the meantime
Hermann and his counsel, his wife and
frlenda had left the court and tho
fudge was al lunch. A hurried search
was made, the principals were brought
In. and In response 10 question or
the Judge. the foreman OF the jury re-
plicl that verdict had been found
"what IL your verdict2" tho court
asked.
mot guilty" was the reply
An the words were uttered II p. Cat
Icy, Hcrmnnn'a son-in-iaw and assoc
clatc attorney, jumped up, threw his
arms about Hermann'a neck, ana tho
two affectionateiy patted eacn other
on the back. Meanwhile each Juror
war asked II he found the defendant
not guilty. and replied atfirmatiyely
On motion Of counsel, Hermann was
discharged ana released from bond and
tho Jury was dismissed
Hermann at this point walked over
to the juryhox and ahook hands with
each Individual member OF tho jury,
thanking him warmly. He also shook
hanls with some Of the court officials,
but overlooked the district attorney
and hls associates Mrs Hermann did
not return to court IN time 10 hear the
verdict.
'It Ii n very strange thing that q
man should ba IN public lie 10 years,
ana be the kind OF man painted by the
prosecution said Hermann aftcrward,
sand not be found out until the end
or that time. My life has been In the
open have long been before the
public eye, and never nad any fear OF
exposure am intensely gfatifled at
the finding OF tho jury II was only a
fair verdict"
1t IL commonly reported that at the
outset the Jury stood seven to Ave for
acauittal This morning all but one
Juror was won over and repetition Of
the judges charge readily convinced
him that his II associates were Cor
rect.
The Judge In his charge. today, as
yesterday, made 1t plain that unless
the Jury was satisfied beyond all rea-
sonable doubt that Hermann was
guilty OF every charge Of the indict-
ment, that they must return o verdict
OF not guilty. II was not enough that
they be convinced Hermann's letter
books contained official letters; not
enough that they be convinced the
books formed part OF the records Of the
land office or that they were referred
to by the land Office employees; that
they must be satisfied that Hermann
knew their contents to be official;
knew that In destroying them he was
destroying records that would be called
for in connection with subsequent land