Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-02-18
ADAMS ACQUITTED
Jury After Two Hours Dis
cussion Brings in Yer
dict, mot Guilty"
-FOUR MONTHS SENTENCE
For Violation of the Local Option
Law

The Adams murder trial which oc-
cupied te court of Judge Searl, last
week, was concluded late Saturday
afternoon, when the jury after a dis
cussion of two hours brought in a
verdict of mot guilty"
Immediately afterwards Charles
Adams pleaded guilty to the charge
of violating the local option law in
st. Louis and was sentenced to four
months in the county Jail by Judge
Scarf. with an additional fine of $175
and the costs of court which amounted
to $500.
The trial commenced Monday, Feb
ruary s, and continued until Saturday,
February Is. when the jury after
hearing all of the testimony arrived
at the conclusion that the defendant
was innocent.
The state was well represented by
Prosecuting Attorney o. L. Smith and
the defendant by Attorney Romaine
Clark. a young man of marked and
promising ability. Both attorneys
conducted their respective issues in a
very creditabe manner.
Charles Adams the defendant is a
man of rather unfavorabe reputation,
who has resided in St Louis for a
great many years and whose only
apparent occupation has been that
of furnishing liquor at very high rates
70 the thirsty and parched throats of
questionable citizens Of st. Louis.
81 IL 6
November, charged with the murder
of David Sullivan of st. Louis, on
Saturday night, October "a at st.
Louis and since that time has been a
resident of the palatial home of
Newell Bradford at Ithaca.
David Sullivan was found lying un-
conscious in a stairway at st. Louis,
which led to the room of Adams where
he conducted blind pig, on Satur-
day night, October "a, with severe
scalp wound and several bruises on
his body. He was taken TO the Brain
erd hospital, Monday evening, October
26, and an operation was Immediately
performed. He died early Thursday
afternoon, October %, as a result of
the injuries from the fall. When ques-
toned by the doctors as to how he
received the fall he answered. 81
wont go back on my friends, but if |
live through this that d fool will
have one more glass eye"
An inquest followed the death at
the Brainerd hospital and DR.. Brainerd
removed part of the scalp and allowed
the brain to be viewed by those pres
ent The decision arrived at was
that the man met his death by foul
means.
Adams arrest followed and he has
remained at the county Jail from that
time until his trial of the present
week.
DR. Brainerd and DR.. Yerrington
gave expert testimony at the trial
last week and a skull was used to
illustrate the injuries received by
Sullivan. He stated that the skull of
Sullivan was fifty per cent thicker
than that of the average man and that
an incision eight inches long had been
cut in the scalp and the brain was
found to be in a crushed condition and
clotted with blood. A bruise was
found on the elbow and a mark on one
Of the legs which appeared to have
been made by the impact of a mans
hand. One of the peculiar things of
the case was that there were no
broken bones as would naturally be
expected n a case like this.
H. VIII, -,
O'Rilly of st. Louis on the stand
last week give a pretty clear idea of
the drunken brawl that preceded the
injuries received by Sullivan. His
testimony follows:
ale said he was down town and
met Adams in a pool room who told
him he had some whiskey. He went
up to Adams room. He took a drink
rs did Lewis Orwig and Fry who were
also there. Pretty soon after he got
up there, Dave Sullivan, to whom he
had given 25 cents not long before,
on the street, came into the room with
a beer bottle and asked to have it
filed for a quarter. Adams said he
would not fiji it for that price and
Sullivan hung around. Adams told
him again he would not fiji it and TO
20 along and finally Sullivan slipped
out. About this time Adams stood
near the door into the hall. where
Sullivan had gone out and soon after
O'Riley says he heard noise in the
hall and looked up. Adams was gone
Adams did not return TO the room
while he was there bat later came to
his home aud asked him what became
Of Sullivan. saying he had not beer
back. lie asked O'Riley if he'd better
60 back to MS room and O'Riley said