The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-12-17
MYSTERY OF WOMAN UNsoLvED
What Became Of Jennie Brice Still
Open Question and Authorities
Are Bafiled.
PRISONER FREED BY COURT.
Chief OF Police Says He Will Take
HOwells Into Custody As Sus-
piciOus Character.

Not guilty!
That was the word that brought
freedom to Phillip Ladley at the
court house last night.
For months the man has lived under
the weight of a charge of murder in
the first degree
Freed, Ladley Collapsed.
The relief following the reading of
the verdict was too much for his
overweight nerves and for the first
time since the trial opened he gave
way just as his friends were crowding
forward to congratulate him.
Phillip Ladley was not the only one
who experienced relief as the clerk
finished reading the dread document
that meant so much to one man.
Jury Out A Long Time. !.
The jury was out long time.
Contradictory rumors of the atti-
tude in the jury room circulated about
the crowded court house. Now it was
acquittal, now it was conviction and
now it was hung jury.
Then came the sheriff with word
that the jury was ready to report.
Hush Falls Over All. /
Instantly great hush fell upon
the spectators.
Ladley sat, smiling as ever, but
gone white and gripping the table
with bloodless fingers. His attorney
was also plainly nervous. No salts
factory explanation of the disappear
ance of Jennie Brice had been made
by the defence and all was doubt.
Silently the jury filed in lead by
Joseph Tyson, foreman.
HAS the jury agreed on verdict ?"
asked Judge Laudon.
eve have" said Mr.. Tyson hand
ing the verdict to the judge who in
turn passed it to W. G. Weldon,
clerk of court.
Find Him Not Guilty. I
Cheers broke out in the room which
the judge tried in vain to check and it
was only when he threatened to clear
the room that order was restored.
Meanwhile Ladley. had half risen
and then fallen back in his chair,
seized by many hands. Even Mrs.
Pittman, who has been relentlesslv
opposed to him from the beginning,
relented and told him she was glad.
Result In Doubt.
So contradictory had been the evil
dence that no one could predict the
result of the jury deliberations. 1t
was only after they had reported that
anything definite was learned of the
votes taken in the jury room. At
first they stood five to seven for ac-
quittal and that was the nearest Lad
ley came to being hung. On the third
ballot there were ten for acquittal
and on the fourth it was eleven to
one.
Where Is His Wife?
Ballot after ballot was taken but
one man hung for conviction on the
ground that Ladley failed to show
what became o. his wife. Convinced
that he was inyerting the old common
law his man finally voted with the
others.
Will Write More Plays.
Mr.. Ladley said after reaching his
hotel last night that he would return
to his play writing and limited that
ne will have disclosures for the pub
lie which will prove startling but con-
tended that his freedom was essen
tial to their development.
Dripps Will Arrest HOwells.
Meanwhile chief of police N. F.
Dripps says he will arrest Howells,
the newspaper man who testified to
being with Jennie Brice at six o'clock
on the morning of her disappearance.
Howells is the only man in the world,
so far as known, who is willing to