The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-07-22
ELLA G|NGLES IS
GIVEN FREEDOM
Young Irish Lace Maker Both Wins
and Loses.
HER STORY IS NOT CREDITED
Miss Agnes Harrette. Her Employer,
Exonerated - Juror Tells Girl
to "Ee Good and go Back
to Ireland"

SHlCdSO, Juiy AO'-Eiia NihelSS was
cleared last night from the charge OF
stealing lace, but the story she told
on the witness stand of being a white
slave" victim was denounced as un.
true by the jury that freed her.
The verdict in the case was a Mt
ting climax to the peculiar series OF
sensations that have followed the lit.
tie Irish lace maker. This was the
form as read by the clerk:
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant
not guilty, and we, the jury, further
find that the charges made against
Miss Agnes Barrette were unfounded
and are untrue"
The basis of the defense made by
the Gingles girl, who was on trial for
stealing lace from Miss Barrette, was
that she had mistreated her in the
last winter, and that the object OF
these attacks and the animus back OF
the charge was the attempt to sell her
to an unnamed man in French Lick
Springs, Ind ..'..
The jury reached a verdict after
nearly seven hours elaboration. The
court room was nearly vacant at the
time the jury came in. A few, of the
women who have stood by the irish
girl since the day her story became
public, were there. They rose and
clapped their hands and screamed
when the words mot guilty were ut
tered, and IT was some time before
they realized the import Of the last
half of the verdict.
"Be a Good Grill"
Miss Gingles, who remained the
coolest of the lot, walked up to the
jurors and shook. hands with them.
Juror Thomas Mackey, the oldest
man on the panel. turned to the girl
and said:
Now, be a good girl. Ella. Go
back to your home in Ireland and De
good girl.
The girl nodded her head and turn
ed away. E
what are you going to do now
was asked as she was leaving the
court room. ...-,, t".. .cr
Il am going to tell 1t to the grand
jury" she answered quickly. When
she was asked what she was going to
tell and reminded OF the fact that the
jury had said that ii did not believe
her story she appeared a little discom-
fitted. Before she could talk any
more her attorney and the women
hurried away.
1t was learned from the jurors that
I'VE ballots had been taken. The first
was eight for acquittal and four for
Those voting for convic-
ton did so manly from their belief
that the girls stories of the weird
outrages committed against here were
untrue. They were won over to ac-
quittal by the addition to the verdict
of the clause generating Miss Bar
rette.
1t was announced by Assistant
States Attorney r'urthman that the
question of whether indictments for
perjury would be asked against Miss
Gingles or not would be taken up to-
The case was given to the Jury at
12:45 o'clock in the afternoon. The
court room had been jammed all
while Assistant States AT
torney Short was making his closing
address. Miss Barrette was present
when the jury returned. When she
was asked concerning her views of
the situation she said:
Il think the verdict will be guilty
and that | will be indicated.
think the jury has been satisfied that
Ella Gingles lied"
Powers is Present.
Among the spectators in the court
room earlier in the afternoon was "a
leb Powers, former secretary of state
Of Kentucky, who spent several years
In prison on the charge of killing Sen-t
ator Goebel.
In giving his instructions to thel
jury Judge Brentano said the giri's
story Of being tortured in the hotel
was to be considered by the jurors on
ly to test the credibility OF the de
PENDANTS testimony.
In many respects the Gingles case
was unique in Illinois courts of JUS
tice. Based on simple charge or
alleged theft OF guam
tity of hand made lace - its course
went far beyond the counts OF thel
Indictment The sui ject OF white
slavery was drawn into the trial and
with II a story of outrages OF a most
revolving character was told on theJ
witness stand by the young defend-
ant Her accusations OF immoral con-
duet were aimed at Miss Barrette,
her former employer and the com
planning witness in the trial in the
court; Miss Cecilia Kenyon
a friend OF Miss Barrette. who before
the trial began, died under peculiar
and an unnamed man
who took part in the orgies related
by the defendant.
A thresher greatly resembling a
mogul locomotive is operating north