Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-02-12
Dora Mcdonald Is Freed Of
Murder Of Her Lover
Guerin
State Alleged Her Relations
With Him Began When
He Was Boy
Her Husband Died Of Broken
Heart After the Killing
Occurred

CMCaSO, req. ll-MrS. DOra ME-
Donald, who has been ontrial here
since January 20, ona charge of muir
dering Webster Guerin was acquitted
by the jury tonight The verdict was
reached after six and a half hours de-
liberation.
he defendant, who. was the widow
Of Michael Mcdonald, formerly a po-
litical leader in Chicago, received the
verdict without apparent emotion.
During the trial she had frequently
collapsed and on several occasions
the case had been interrupted in or
der that she might receive medical at
tention. Tonight, however, she was
the least moved of any of the per-
sons concerned in the defense, her
attendant being SO overcome that
Mrs, Mcdonald was compelled to ex-
change roles with her and try and
quiet the woman.
Members or the jury took the oath
before reporting their findings not to
reveal the history of their dellbera-
stood s to for acquittal,' but subse-
tions. The first ballot, they said,
quent developments were carefully
kept secret.
After Mrs. Mcdonald had been dis
charged she was taken to an hotel
by relatives. 1t was announced later
that she will retire to a sanitarium.
Despite her nervous and physical con-
dition during the trial and the months
following the tragedy, no hint of a
possible attack of insanity was offer.
ed by the defense at the trial. The
case was given to the jury after a
comparatively short closing address
& for the state by Assistant States At
torney Rittenhouse. He made little
effort to answer the oratorical efforts
of the attorneys for the defense, con-
tenting himself with a presentation
of the evidence and a short argument
Webster s. Guerin was shot and
killed in his studio in the Omohs
building, La Sale and Van Burer
streets, February II, 1907. Mrs. Nc
Donald was alone with him when the
tragedy occurred and was immediate
" arrested and charged with the muir
der
The shock of the tragedy proved
disastrous to Mr.. Mcdonald and b,
died August 9, 1907 after an Hines.
Of several weeks. His fortune wa.
left to the accused woman and hi
two sons, one child of former mar
rage. A special provision was made
in his will for Mrs. McDonald's de
Tense and the instrument was attack
ed in court by his former wife, Mrs
Mary Mcdonald, from whom he ha
obtained a decree of divorce. The sn,
is still pending.
It developed at the trial just col
8 cluded that Guerin and Mrs. Melon
q aid had been more or less intima+
for almost ten years, their relations
having begun when Guerin was les
than II years old. The state assert
ed that Guerin had attempted to di.
solve these relations and that the VIC
man shot him in a jealous rage.
The defense attacked Guerin:s cha
acter, asserting that he had systema
ically blackmailed Mrs. Mcdonald "a
years and offered evidence tending I
show that he had attacked her In hi
studio on the day OF the tragedy. On
OF the dramatic incidents Of the tris
was the acting out Of this allege
struggle by the two physicians VIII
showed how Mrs. Mcdonald Nigh
have twisted the revolver in Guerin'
hand until It pointed at his own brsas
and how the trigger might have bee
pulled during the struggle.