Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-10-30
NOT GUILTY, IS
EATON VERDICT
Woman Accused Of Murder
Ing Her Husband, Rear Ad-
mIral Eaton, Acquitted.
JURY OUT ALL NIGHT
Announced Their Agreement
at Daybreak and Court Was
at Once Convened.
speofal nu United pre.s Wire.

Special bv United Press Wire.
Plymouth, Mass, Oct. 30.-After
seven months Imprisonment on the
charge of having murdered her hus-
band, Rear Admiral Joseph E. Ea-
ton, by arsenic poisoning, Mrs. Jen-
ME May Eaton, stepped from the
court house early today a free wo-
man. 1t was before daybreak when
the jury which heard the case against
Mrs. Eaton filed into the court room
after eight hours deliberation and
announced her acquittal. She grip
ped the arms of her attornies stand
ing on either side of her and then
sank into a chair. The news was
flashed by telephone to the Eaton
home at Assinippi where the accused
woman's daughter Dorothy and her
aged mother, Mrs. Virginia Harrison,
had waited throughout the night,
Mrs. Eaton was then hurried to a
waiting automobile and sped away to
join them.
1t was at 7:45 O'Clock when Judge
Aiken completed his charge and gave
the case to the jury. A great crowd
waited in the court room throughout
the night for the verdict. Before
daybreak word came from the fore
man that verdict had been reached.
Judge Aiken hurried from his hotel
near the court house and at $40
o'clock the verdict was announced.
The all night session of the jury
had led to reports of a disagreement
and considerable uneasiness was
shown in the crowd which was
openly in sympathy with the accused
woman.
After four-hour sleep at the Ply
mouth Rock Hotel Mrs. Eaton left
for her home in Assinippi shortly be-
fore l o'clock today.
II am going back to the farm to
live the whole thing down." she said.
I'm so happy that l am going home
that l can't talk about it. l want a
rest.'
wnen Attorney Morse closed his ar
gument In defense of Mrs Eaton, after
! speaking for three and half hours,
District Attorney Barker arose and
shook his hand warmly. Many women
in the courtroom wiped away their
tears and glanced at Mrs. Eaton, who
sat with bowed head.
Morse referred to Admiral Clark as
the bravest Of admirals and said that
he "as well as other brave men came
to tell the truth and do justice to this
unfortunate woman" He pictured
Mrs. Eaton's life as ruined one and
Admiral Eaton as the most despicable
of characters,
Morse began quietly, his hands
thrust into his pockets except when
he raised his arm above his head to
emphasize point. Quietly, but very
dramatically, he turned to his client
and extolled her courage In listening
day after day to accusations made
against her. Morse said:
'1n great cases like this, which has
attained great notoriety throughout
duenced by opinions and synpathies.
but the law is not. The law is
stern and unyielding, but it is just,
and she has the protection of the lawe
The rights of an innocent person are
very sacred. This woman is charged
with murder in the first degree. 1t is
the most horrible crime. 1t means
wilful. deliberate. malicious murder.
Praises Her Courage.
"The government says you must es-
tablish beyond reasonable doubt that
she committed the crime before you
can convict her. I hope to establish
to you there Isn't fact to prove 1t.
"She repudiates herself the conten-
ton of the government that she isn't
mentally responsible. I submit, gen.
tlemen, she is a wonderful woman.
"She wasn't obliged to testify. She
had the right to remain silent and
make the government prove It's case.
But this woman, confident of her inno-
cence, said: I'll meet my accusers. l
will 60 on the witness stand. Let the
jury Judge by my words whether / am
crazy or not; whether l killed my hus-
band or not
81 know you respect her courage. 1t
was the most extraordinary scene that
ever happened in q courtroom. The
story of her life has been that Of self
sacrifice. She has fought on In the
face Of reverses until she could do no
more.
"This woman's life since the day she
was born has been searched. They
have searched her record, looked into
everything she said, and yet she stands
before you a woman of a spotless char