Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-22
State Drops Charges Of Poison.
ing Children Brought against
SwantOn Couple.
VERDICT OYERCOMES FATHER
Daughter First to Greet Him.
He Returns HOme--Mrs.
Wells Goes to Her Par
ents in Milton.

It Adams, May 10 The Jury in the
case e State rs. Julius Wells. charged
with the murder of mis- six-year-old son
last December, brought in a verdict Of
not guilty this morning at $50 O'Clock.
The respondent was si;t!ng rear rls at
tCrrey. Warren X. Austin. when the
verdict ra1 gwen and as me words
mo- guilty were pronounced by K. NJ.
1"wle, tho foreman. Mr.. Wells wspt.
Later re shook hands with the jury.
men
states Attorney Gaylord =. --add ard
Attorney General R. E. Brown held a
conference late this afternoon and de-
c!ded that the case against Mrs Wells.
held on the charge of POISONING; nor Two
Children. would be mol pressed and that
re prisoner, who has been confined IN
Franklin county jail since January B.
should be discharged at once.
Soon after the report Of the jury this
morning Wells was released, It being m
nounced that the Indictment against him.
alleging that he killed his daughter,
Marie. at the same time that 1t was
alleged that he killed Louis, was not
pressed and Wells was pronounced free
man.
The first member of his family to greet
him after his release was his l6-year-old
daughter. Augusta who testified IN MS
behalf during the trial. He said he was
going to Swanton and make a home for
his children.
Mrs Wells, accompanied by her two
attorneys, S. S. Gushing and w. r. Nc
Feeters left about four o'clock this aft
ernoon by automobile for Milton. where
she VIII go to the home of her parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. Enos Ladue. States Attor-
ney Ladd told Mrs. Wells that she was
to be released She was alone in her
cell ut the time and expressed great joy
but Deputy Sheriff Todd was away and
Mrs. Wells grew nervous awaiting his
return. Her father and her eldest
daughter, Augusta, were at the jail. Her
sister. Mrs George lombard and two
children of Montpelier, who have been
in the city. left on the $50 train for Mil
ton, as did also Mr.. and Mrs. Ladue and
| Mrs. Wellss brother.
The two children alleged to have
been poisoned by arsenic were Louis.
aged six. and Marie. aged four They
died suddenly and the stomachs, after
being examined at the State laboratory
of hygiene. Burlington, were found to
Iity. Their deaths occurred on Deem
Der and 3, 1912, respectively. and
Mrs Wells was arrested January 8, and
Mr. Wells on March 10. on March 10
true bills were found against both Mr..
and Mrs. Wells. the charge being muir
der in the first degree. The trial of Mr..
Wells opened May 6.
who are in poor circumstances, poison
ed the little ones in order to obtain
The State alleged that the parents.
the small insurance on their lives. 1t
was claimed by the defense that the
children were accidentally poisoned by
eating condensed milk which had been
kept near rat poison and so contamin-
lated
Mrs. Wells appeared as a witness
against her husband, testifying that he
begged her to commit suicide and SO
divert suspicion from him. The law
yers for Wells maintained that the
woman sought to save herself by sac
Irfcing her husband.