The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-01-28
VERDICT RETURNED
EARLY THIS MORNING.
JIry Out Since 6 O'clock Monday
Evening Legal Battle Lasted
Months After Death Of
Woodward, March II
speeIaI o Dbl pally sApress.

Special 10 the Daily Express.
Lawton, Okla. Jan. 2S.-After delib-
Grating 3S hours. the fremont jury re-
ported before Judge johnson here this
morning at $50 and rendered YER
diet OF not guilty. freein defend
ant. John fremont, OF the charge Of
numbering sherman Woodward in
Chickasha last March.
The case was given TO the jury on
Monday evening ~ 6:i5 o'clock, since
which time they have deliberated with
the exception of few hours sleep
Monday aud Tuesday nights. The first
ballot. taken a few minutes after their
organization in the jury room, resulted
in vote OF nine 10 three for acquittai,
and Il is understood that the first bal
lot taken Tuesday morning was ten
q two for acquittal.
Following the disagreement OF the
jury IL ths Initial trial here a change
OF venue was obtained by +. +. Riddle
and Harry Hammerly. attorneys for
the defense. and on August % the case
was tried in I-awton. resulting IN a
hung jury
The trial was reset for November
r.. at which time. after jury had
been ompaneleed Mrs. Ada Wood
word. star witness in the case, was
taken violently III, necessitating an
operation. from which she did not re.
cover for several weeks. The jury
was dismissed and the case set for
January 10.
II is generally supposed here that
Mrs. Emma Rivers. held at her pre-
liminary trial aud now under bond.
will never the tried for the crime with
which she was charged Judge B. r..
Holding stated this morning that he
dld not know what action Oscar Simp-
son. county attorney would take In
the matter. AS yet no definite state
ment as 10 his procedure In the Riy-
ers case has been obtained
On March 23. 1912. Sherman Wood
ward. a young groceryman, at that
time employed by the Abercrombie
Grocery company. died from what was
then supposed to be ptomaine poison
ing. Suspicious We're aroused and a
week was spent In quiet investigation
by the sheriff's force and the office OF
tho county attorney A few days later
uuiet Chlckasha was astounded BY
news Of the arrest OF Mrs. Ada Wood
ward wife of the deceased, and John
fremont. an Italian shoemaker em-
ployed at the shop Of J. DeAndrea.
During the first few days following
her arrest. Mrs. Woodward stoutly de-
MED all knowledge of the poisoning
which was alleged. On the Saturday
afternoon following her arrest, Mrs.
Woodward made what was purported
to be a complete confession. implicat-
ing fremont and Mrs. Emma Rivers.
She told OF plot between the thfee
to poison Sherman Woodward for
$1,000 life insurance. Mrs Rivers was
AT El Reno, where she was arrested
that night. She denied everything.
fremont waived preliminary and
Mrs. Rivers was hound over in her
preliminary. but later released on
bond. Mrs. Woodward was sentenced
to the penitentiary for life.
The first trial Of fremont lasted a
week. last July. and when given e
the jury. it was three days before
that body made report and it was
learned that ten had had voted foi
conviction and two for acquittal. With
a hung jury, the case was reset FOL
July 81. The second trial at Lawtor
at later date resulted likewise in :
disagreement. The third trial was
begun before Judge Johnson at LawtoI
on Monday. January 10, lasting over
week.