Newark post., 1915-10-13
Jury Renders Verdict
Not Guilty
Clark Not Responsible For Death
Of Strauss

VI OlTQuSS
written for The Post)
Our town has been greatly in
terested in the trial of Frank
Clark, charged with causing the
death of John Strauss of Norris
town, Pa. The trial has been held
and Mr.. Clark acquitted. But
since there might possibly be
doubt in the minds of some as to
his innocence, since it might be
said that he owes his acquittal to
shrewdness on the part of his
counsel in evading the law, as one
who followed the trial from the
beginning | have taken it upon my
self to show that the case was de-
cided on other and higher grounds.
On Sunday afternoon May 18th
Mr.. Clark and his friend, Mr.. Daub
started out for a walk, taking the
road leading to Jeffersonville. In
the course of the walk they met
man who stopped them to inquire
the way to Audubon. Daub IN
formed him that he was going in
the opposite direction from his des-
tination. The two young men then
passed on. In the meantime the
stranger, who proved to be John
Strauss, encountered another man
to whom he put the same question,
and receiving a different answer
wheeled about. By and by the two
friends turned around to retrace
their footsteps to Norristown.
That was about three o'clock. In
a short time they came up to
Strauss who when within speaking
distance accosted them with vile
language, berating them for mis-
directing them. They paid no heed
to him. until he became more abus-
i've and profane, daring them TO
fight. At this time they were not
more than nine feet from the bel
igerent. Clark moved towards
Strauss for the purpose of remon-
strating with lin and assuring
him that they had directed him to
the best of their knowledge, where
upon Strauss advanced and let go
his right arm with swinging blow
aimed at Clark's chest. Clark
threw up his left arm and warded
off the blow. This action brought
the two men almost breast to
breast. Realizing for the first
time that his assailant was under
the influence of liquor, although
his steps were steady, Clark with
a quick movement of his right
hand pushed him in the mouth
Strauss fell, striking first his hips
then his shoulders and lastly the
back of his head. He laid on the
ground in the attitude of a drunk
en- man. Clark and Daub pickec
him up and placed him on the side
of the road in order that he nigh
rot be run over by passing vehicles
Feeling certain that he was stupl
fed by alcohol, and fearing tina
he would soon awaken to renew tn
8 disturbance they left the place ant
returned to Norristown. Tha
nipht the case was reported to tn
police authorities, and about
# o'clock a patrol conveyed nm I
v the hospital. The next mornln'
@ he died. The post mortem exam
nation revealed but one marx
scratch or bruise on any part o
his body, a fracture on the rlgh
side of his head one inch abov
8 and one inch behind the ear: Ill
skull at that point was found TO D
81 abnormally thin, only one elght
Of an inch, whereas in a norma
person the thickness is one quar-
ter of an inch. The cause OF nj
death was the bursting of tn
main artery due to the fracture
producing heavy pressure on tn
brain.
The charge against Mr.. Clar
was in two counts, voluntary mar
SLAUGHTER with a penalty of twelv
years imprisonment, and involul
tarv manslaughter with penalt
of two years of imprisonment. ii
counsel might have undertaken
and in all probability his effort
would have been successful,
Ccontinued on page 81