Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1909-08-12
JURY DECLARES
FORD NOT GUILTY
AS WAS CHARGED
AFTER LONG DELIBERATION
THE DEFENDANT is FREED
OF SERIOUS CHARGE.

I'VE, the jury impaneled to try
the case in which the people of the
state of Nevada we're plaintiff and
w. G. Ford was defendant, find
that said defendant is not guilty as
charged
Thus spoke the foreman of the
jury yesterday afternoon when ask
ed by Judge Averill if the men had
arrived at verdict.
The utterance of those words pro-
claimed to the world that w. g.
Ford, charged with embezzlement.
was free man. So far as the
world is concerned, the law has de-
clared that the defendant did not
commit the crime of stealing money
belonging to another which ha1
been placed in his keeping upon the
promise to do certain things.
The case went to the jury Tues
day night at o'clock. During the
night the jury returned once to
state to the court that it was I'M
able to agree upon verdict. While
the members of the body were
sworn to secrecy among themselves
as regards their deliberations, it is
known that at THAT time it stood
nine for acquittal and three for con-
viction. The latter were finally won
over with the result that the YER
dict for acquittal, arrived at at 2
o'clock yesterday afternoon, was
unanimous, which it must have been
to set the man Ford free. 1t is but
the naked truth to say that the con-
clusion of the jury is generally ad-
versely criticized. The case against
Ford was stubbornly fought, the
district attorneys Office employing
special counsel Hon. Key Pittman,
to assist in the prosecution. 1t
might be we'll to here insert that
the money for the services of Mr..
Pittman will be paid out of the sal
airy of the district attorney and will
not be charged up to the county.
Equally as strong was the battle
waged by the defense. AS an at
torney, he himself took a prominen.
part in the trial; in fact, it is due
to his efforts that he is today al
liberty.
District Attorney Baker left the
city yesterday and could not BIZ
seen by the Bonanza. Deputy Dis
trict Attorney Morris stated, how
ever, that the office had used every
resource at it's command to prove
Ford guilty. I'VE were conscien
tious in the matter. The evidence
that was adduced before the Crane
jury led us to believe that Fore
had committed crime for which
he should be made to suffer. H,
fought extradition to this state from
California most stubbornly, a fac
which in itself we took to be evi
dence of his guilt.
I'VE lost the case, but we hav,
shown to the world that when evi
dence sufficient to warrant the ar
rest of man on criminal or otheI
charge is presented to this Office tina
we will act at once. Ford has beer
cleared and that is about all Their,
is to it," That was the statemen
made to representative of this pa
per by Mr.. Morris.
Naturally, Ford is elated. H
has said that If he were convicte,
there would be at least one limo
cent man in the penitentiary at Car
son. He also said that if he wer
sent over, when he got out he woul
kill every redskin that came With,
his sight That when he secure
the notes from Harrington, the hal
breed, he meant to kill him if h
did not come through He went t
Salisbury Wash to get the securi
ties which he was accused of stea'
ing and appropriating to his ow
use. He went with the intention q
coming back with them If in orde
to do so it was necessary to TAX
human life. Those are his ow
statements, statements which h
does not hesitate to make.
W. G. Ford has been freed. Til
law says he is innocent and inn,
cent he must be to all intent an
purposes. He says his conscien:
pricked him when he entered int
certain agreements with john
Peavine. Does it hurt him yet?