Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-12
VERDICT FREES MRS. GAINES
COroner's Jury Declares Murderer
Some Person Unknown.
DEAD MAN HAD KEY IN HAND
Must Have Been About 20 Enter
Home when -Four shots Were
Fired, Two OF Them
Being Fatal.

Mrs. Stella Gaines, her daughter and niece
have been released from custody as a re-
suit OF the coroner's verdict given yester-
day afternoon, following the inquest over
the body OF James L. Gaines, the negro
clubman. who was murdered at the door
Of his home, 1n6 North Twenty-eighth
street, Tuesday night. Mrs. Gaines, her
daughter and niece. had been held, but
evidence introduced before Coroner Heafey
yesterday dlspelled the belief she was re-
sponsible for the death OF her husband.
The fact that Gaines when found had
the key Of his home in his hand put some
what of a damper upon the suspicion OF
the police that Game had been killed
within his own home, and the verdict Of
the coroner's jury so strengthened this be-
lief that the three women were Immediately
released. Nevertheless, Investigation into
Gaines death is to be continued with in
creased vigor. The verdict Of the jury,
after listening to all Of the testimony, was
that Gaines came to lis death by a guushot
wound at the hand Of some unknown
person.
Had it not been for later developments
the widow would probably have been held.
Mrs. Gaines told an apparently straight
= warn HAolg WIN OH III WlAnGEb slaitAi
but the testimony given by her 16-year-old
niece was strange.
DR.. A.. d. Dunn, coroner's physician, was
the first witness examined. 1t was he
who Wednesday night conducted a post
norton examination Of Gaines body. The
witness testified he found four gunshot
wounds on the body, two Of which would
have caused death, the other two not. Oae
wound was through the heart and instan-
taneously fatal. This bullet went clear
through Gaines body. Another wound was
two and a half inches below the third rib
and slightly to the left. 1t went out through
the back, piercing the victims liver.
Much Younger Than
Mrs. Stella Gaines, the widpw,I was the
next witness. She gave her age as Is and
that Of her husband as As. She said she
first met lain in Omaha three years ago
while on a visit here. Questioned as TO
her life with Gaines. Mrs. Gaines said
they had had serious discussions on diff
ferent subjects. and that Gaines appeared
to be Jealous of her, but, she asserted, for
no reason. Gaines, said the witness, didn't
want her to go out to dances. The quar-
rels were soon over. In July Of this year
there was a serious alteration.
Following this brawi Mrs. Gaines said
there was no luminosity between the two.
Leading up to the date Of the killing OF
Gaines the county attorney, who was con-
Quoting the Inquest, asked Mrs. Gaine
when, on Tuesday last, she had last seen
her husband. The witness replied at about
4 p. m. Gaines left the house at that time
and at 8 O'Clock she retired. She was
awakened, she knew not at what time
by hearing shots and screams%Upon going
outside with her niece she saw a dark OBJ
ject lying a short distance from the steps
leading to the porch. Then she returned to
the house, the light which she carried hav.
ing gone out. Upon her return to the
porch several men came running from the
idirsct!on OF Decatur street and she called
TO them: For heavens sake, come here
and see what this fs.'a
And what did you discover?' was this
question put to Mrs. Gaines.
Il discovered my husband" she replied
DR.. Harris then testified as to the bull.
lets found in the body, after which Lois
Young, Mrs. Gaines niece, was called tC
the stand. The girl said she was awakened
by a horrible sound. After that her testi
mony was substantially a corroboratlon OF
that given by Mrs, Gaines. A number OF
other witnesses were examined and the
verdict rendered as above.