The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-25
LOCHHEAD FREED
Of MURDER CHARGE
Jury Returned Verdict Of Not Gull.
ty Late Yesterday Afternoon In
Case Against John
Lochhead.
OUT FORTY SIX HOURS
Defendant Shows No Emotion When
the Verdict Is Received and coun.
ty Attorney Is First to
Congratulate Him.

Ailer tria! lasting almost two
weeks, In which one OF the hardest
battles in the history OF Lee county
legal circles was fought, and a record
established for length of deiiberation
by Lee county jury, John a. Loeb.
mead was acquitted yesterday after
noon for the murder of Marian A.
Steidley. on November Z. 1912.
The jury took the case SATURDAY.
afternoon about six thirty o'clock and
returned their verdict Monday after
noon about four thirty o'clock. The
result was surprise to all concerned.
as everyone expected a disagreement
after the jury had been out over Sun.
my without arriving at verdict.
County Attorney E. ". McManus,
who prosecuted the case, A. Holdings
worth and H. R. Collins, the two lat
ter, counsel for the defendant, were at
tho court house when Bailiff Charles
Wright, came into the judges cham
Der and announced that the Jury had
report to make. Lochhead, who
had been out on bail since the morn
Ing of the tragedy, was telephoned
and arrived at the court house within
a few minutes.
When the twelve men fled into the
jury box, all showed the effects OF
their forty-six hours confinement in
the jury room. The defendant ex-
amined the face of each man as they
passed him, but exhibited no nervous
ness or the thoughts that were
passing within his brain.
After the jury had been called and
each man responded to his name.
Judge Hamilton asked them IL they had
agreed upon : verdict and q. A. Han
cock. who had been selected as their
foreman answered in The aarnasI7e.
Clerk C. II Hart wss instructed hy
the court to read the verdict which
he did. after which each su-osr
acknowledged that IL vas his reraics-
As the words we're sreser. whsrA
gave to the defendant his lfher7v.
fieeting smile broke over his face. hszt
quickly vanished and the iocE oS
stoical Indifference that has CHARACTER
lied his features during the trial ~
stmed its place
County Attorney Mc51anas ~zs the
first to congratulate the defendant.
extending his hand to Lochhsad ana
expressing his pleasure az the good
fortune Of the defendant Attorneys
Hollingsworth and Collins then gresp-
ed his hand and shook 1t heartily. M
effort was made by Lochhead to thank
the jury fer their treatment of the
case.
Very few spectators were in tie
room at the time the verdict vas
brought in and IT vas late In the
evening before the news was zener-
ally known that the jury had reported
As Judge Hamilton left the court
house, he met the defendant in front
OF the Y NJ. C. A. building and shoe.
MS hand. Lochhead had very little to
say and the Judge paused ONLY for :
minute
The case has cost the county abont
sl,5oD, according TO rough estirnats
OF Judge Hamilton YESTERDAY. and +
was said this morning that it had cos
oc'Sldl tunes that
q great deal of bitter feeling has beer
engendered during the case and
brilliant legal battle has been Tough,
by the state and the defense.
The trial began on March II, and a
most a hundred witnesses have bee
examined by the attorneys. An extr
venire was summoned by the court
order to secure jurors, but very lift
trouble was experienced by the a
torneys in selecting a jury.
1t was declared this morning TIL
the jury, until yesterday noon h;
stood FIVE for conviction and seven .
acquittal, ever since they retired fro
the court room. Many wordy battl
are reported to have been fought
the jury room and it was not until V,
terday noon that a change came.