Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-27
.LLEWELLYN is
Ex0NERATED
CORONER'S JURY "ATTACHES NO
BLAME TO ANYONE" IN
VERDICT:
DOES NOT TESTIFY.
Policeman Claims Privilege OF herus
ing to Appear Before Inquest
Since Criminal Action Has
Been Started.

"We, the jurors, upon our oath 90
say that said Ross j. Howard came 10
! his death about - o'clock, noon on the
twenty-third day of July, 1911, the
cause of death being septic portion
| tits, resulting from bullet wound In
flicted by a revolver in the hand OF
Officer Gershon Llewellyn in the dis
! charge of his duty, while said Ross J.
Howard was attempting to escape
from custody after having been ar
rested under warrant. We attach no
blame to anyone
B. w. Van der Veer,
Henry Anderson,
Henry S. Merrick.
I Jurors.
A. w. Slaught, M. D., Coroner
After a deliberation of almost an
hour, prolonged not because Of any
disagreement on the verdict that the
evidence presented to them warranted
in their judgment, but through the de-
sire to place their unanimous conclus-
ion upon paper in way that it should
not be. subjected to criticism, the
three members of the coroners jury
exonerated Officer Cershon Llewellyn
of any blame for the killing of Ross j..
Howard. The concluding sentence,
eve attach no blame to anyone also
frees Special Burlington Agent James
M. Harrison of any criticism in the
minds Of the three jurors for his con-
nection with the fatal affair. Although
the jurors were determined to return
verdict that expressed their convic-
lions of the case regardless of public
sentiment, nevertheless they were de-
sirous of wording it in manner that
would leave no wrong impression from
its reading, since all realized how diff
ferently individuals will place inter-
probation upon a sentence or phrase.
When the evidence was concluded and
the case submitted to them by Coroner
A. W. Slaught for their verdict, the
first voicing of their individual con-
illusions showed them to be of the
same mind,
Does Not Testify.
i When the inquest was taken up
again last evening shortly after !
oclock, Officer Gershon Llewellyn
claimed his privilege of refusing to
testify. Counsel for the Howard family
insisted in the morning when the evil
lence of the eye witnesses had been |
Idhcu tudI tuc pOAlCSLldn SIAOulu t0S> |
tify
Officer Llewellyn desired to claim |
him privilege and refused, with the re-
suit that Coroner Slaught took the
natter under advisement and post
)oned the verdict. Officer Llewellyn
last evening and refused to
estify, claiming that it was his right !
since criminal action has been COM
nenced against him. Coroner Slaught !
excused him. None of the Howard fam
ly nor their counsel appeared last
hight at the inquest. Young Howard
vas charged with only one offense.
Many Attend Service.
A large number of friends of Ross
Howard and his family gathered at
he Howard home last evening to- at
lend the funeral service preached by /
Rev. w. H. HORNED. The minister took
'or his text John 3:16, dealing with
he great love of God for mankind,
in the sending of his son !,
% die that man might be saved. For
IN hour the service lasted and fully
800 were in attendance in and about
he dwelling. No allusion was made
through the service to the manner of
he young mans death. The remains
we're taken this morning to Liberty
Vile where interment was made.