Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-22
WOMAN IS
GIVEN HER
FREEDOM
CROWD ANxI0USLY WAITS FOR
VERDICT
DEFENDANT coLLAPsEs IN HER
MOTHERS ARMS
Jury Deliberates TWO Hours Before
Reaching Final observation-disclosures
Congratulate castlIisn on
Gaining Liberty

Gaining Liberty
After two hours deliberation,
during which time large NUM-
Der of ballots was taken, the
jury in the case of Mrs. Estclle
Corwell at o:10 o'clock last night
returned verdict of not guilty.
A half hour later Mrs. Corwell
left the court room with friends
and relatives for the home of
Miss Emma Quinones. The
court room was crowded at the
time, but owing to the admoni-
tions of Judge Wilbur no DEM
onstration took place until an
adjournment was taken.
Amid scene the most impressive that
has ever been witnessed in the superior
court of Los Angeles county, a jury at
$40 o'clock last night filed into the
court room of Judge Curtis ID. Wilbur
and returned a verdict finding Mrs
Estelle Corwel1 not guilty of the muir
der of George T. Bennett ON July %
last.
The court room was crowded at the
time, more than $50 persons occupying
chairs or standing in the rear of the
chamber which during the past six
weeks has been the theater of one of
the greatest life dramas ever enacted
In Los Angeles. In this gathering sat
women and men with strained faces
awaiting the decision of the twelve
men who held the fate of the sorrowful
half Spanish. half American woman In
black In their hands.
Judge Wilbur received word at D.
o'clock that the jury had reached its
decision. He Immediately took his seat
on the bench and told the gathering
| that any demonstration would be se-
verely punished.
The door leading to~the jury room
was thrown open and as the twelve
men filed in every eye was turned
toward their faces In an effort to learn.
II possible. what the answer was TO
be to the evidence as it had been pre-
sented to them, but the inscrutable
countenances gave no response.
Hand Verdict to Clerk
The written verdict was handed to
| Sam Kutz, clerk who in turn placed
1t on the desk before Judge Wilbur.
Again the court warned those present
that there must be no demonstration.
no matter what decision was rendered
|
court announced that the verdict was
Il for acquittal. A long drawn sigh es-
capped the lips of nearly every person
present. Mrs. Corwell sitting between
her mother. Mrs. c. G. Welch, and her
cousin, Miss Emma Quinones. fell for
ward in a swoon. Attorney Appel. who
has conducted the case for Mrs. Cor
we'll, bowed his head upon the table
before him and sobbed like child
As Judge Wilbur left the bench the
spectators rose from their seats and
crowded forward. Many of the mem
and some of the women climbed over
the rail separating the main part of
the court room from the rallied enclos-
ure in which sat the attorneys. jury and
Mrs. Corwell and her friends. Sobs Of
relief could be heard in every part of
the room, and women threw their arms
about each others necks and wept out
their pent up emotions. Strong men,
with tear-flled eyes. grasped the hands
of the twelve men, while women In
the excess of their feelings. embraced
number of the jurors.
Congratulate Attorney
Attorney Appel staggered to his feet,
and as he did so his hands were
grasped by congratulating friends
i Even the hands of Frank Blair. who
has conducted the trial on behalf of the
prosecution, were seized and wrung
WITH a IGfNOT LIldl tOlu OF tHe 8l&Q1SSS
in the hearts of many of the spectators.
Friends Of Mrs. CorwelI came to her
/ assistance, and in q few moments she
| was revived Half an hour after the
verdict was rendered the crowd was or
dered from the court room. Reluct-
antly they walked out. and when the
chamber was almost empty Attorney
Appel and Miss Emma Quinones each
grasped an arm of Mrs. Corwell and,
followed by the mother and other rela-
| tives and friends, formed little pro-
cession down the court house steps.
Mrs. Corwell's condition was such
that she had to be supported to the
sidewalk, where a carriage was in
waiting, and she was taken to the home
of Miss Quinones. the woman who has
sat by her side throughout the long
trial and who has worked increasingly
| in her behalf since the night on which
Bennett met his death.
Deliberate Three Hours
The jury was given the case at 6:10
| o'clock and Immediately upon entering
the jury room took its first ballot.
Eleven men voted for acquittal one
standing out for conviction. Following
| this ballot the twelve men left the
court house for dinner, returning ain
| hour later. Elliot after ballot was
taken but it was not until . o'clock
| that the one man was won over. Ball
iff Doyle Immediately notified Judge
| Wilbur I that a decision had been
reached. and ten minutes after the last
ballot was taken the jury filed into the
court room.
| The jury was made up of the follow
! ing: w II. Bulls. p. III. Bulls, ID. W..
Cate. Nicholas Glaze, Francis y. Jud-
son, John Martin, A. Mouckton. James
II. Matthews, Charles g. Rogers Louis
| Wrisley. John Weber and Charles 81
! Young.
| AS the jurors filed into theit seafH
| Mrs. Corwell glanced anxiosislx ints
their faces. Her face was pale and
Continued on Rase Tvs)