The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-04-08
ACQUITTED EARL RILEY
The Jury Returned a Verdict OF
mot Guilty" Last Thursday.
Other Cases Disposed Of.

The jury in the case of State VS..
Earl Riley, charged with the murder
of Willis C. Woodard at Decatur City,
returned verdict of mot guilty" at
1885 o'clock last Thursday after
noon, and Mr.. Riley was discharged
and his bond exonerated by Judge
Maxwell at once. The case went to
the jury Wednesday evening at 4:40
O'Clock. It is reported that the first
ballot stood six for acquittal, four
for verdict of manslaughter and 2
for a verdict of murder in the second
degree, but after few ballots were
taken the jury stood 10 for acquittal
to 2 for conviction. After being out
all night and up to noon Thursday,
it was freely predicted that the trial
would again result in hung jury.
The jurors who stood out for cOnvic-
tion did not thoroughly understand
the courts instruction and came into
court and asked to have them ex-
planned, and after this was done to
their satisfaction verdict Of mot
guilty" was agreed upon. There We're
very few persons in the county who
ever expected that Mr. Riley would
be found guilty, the general opinion
being that no matter how many
times this case was tried, it would
result either in acquittal or a hung
Jury. The facts in. the case are we'll
known and it is not necessary to re-
peat them. The claim of the defend
ant that he killed Woodard in self de-
fense was borne out by strong testl-
mony, and the verdict is satisfac-
tory one to a big majority OF the peo-
pie. 1t has been an expensive case
for the county, this being the third
time, it was tried in the district court,
tie first trial being stopped when it
was almost completed on account OF
the illness of jurors, the second trial
resulting in hung jury. The total
expense to the county over this case
will be pretty close to $4,000. Mr..
Riley who is postmaster at Decatur
City, has been busy since the case
ended in receiving the congratula-
tions of his friends.
The trial of the case of Marion
Woodard, administrator of the estate
of w. w. Johnson VS.. The Herald
Publishing Co. is now on trial to a
jury, being commenced Tuesday
morning. johnson, an employe at
the electric light plant at Lamont,
owned by the Herald Publishing Coy
was killed when he took hold Of a
live wire, and the administrator Of
his estate brought suit for 900
damages. The case is being hotly
contested, and will probably 60 TO the
Jury some time today. ..ss:ss
The following cases have been dis;
posed of since our report last week
LAW AND EQUITY.
4. Henry Axes VS.. w. P.sAkes. Set
tied, defendant to pay $40 OF cost,
balance to be paid by plaintiff.
l. F. Fitzwater vs.. John WOodard.
Dismissed by plaintiff without pre-,
judice.
NJ. P. Tilton VS.. L. Osterkamp.
Tried to court. Judgment in favor
of defendant on his counter claims
for $56.33 and costs.
First National Bank of GAINESVILLE,
VS.. H. M. Price ct al. Tried to a
jury who returned a verdict finding
that the signature of the note in
suit is genuine, and claim is sustain
ed. This was a case where live
stock owned by w. T. Price was stop
ped in this county on writ of at
4tachment and held for the past year,
Price moving from Missouri to Min
Inesota.
Decatur State Savings Bank VS.. A.
&C. Scott ct al. Decree of foreclosure.
James Henderson vs.. Unknown
claimants and heirs of Asa Prescott
,et al. Decree quieting title.
Mary J. Bennett VS.. Anna A. Dane
er. Referees report and distribu-s
tion approved, referee discharged.
l. E. Denley VS.. Allan Ramsey ct,
oil Cotf1o1 and dismissed
W. G. Durbin VS.. 0. P. Jamison.
Settled and dismissed.
Emerson Birmingham Implement
Co. vs. Davis & Walker. Judgment
against j. T. Davis for $50 and costs.
Ida L. Farver ct al VS.. Elizabeth E.
Smith ct al Report of sale and deed
to Ettie j. Smith approved.
Maude E. Swinford vs. James w.
Swinford. Decree of divorce.
Emerson Birmingham Implement
Co. VS.. c.. W. Sutherlin. Defendants
motion for cost bond of 500 sus-
tained.
Estate of John w. Mclaughlin.
Final report approved, executor dis
charged.
~ Estate of Stephen Radnich. Al
r11lAlSll \ dLOA ouIhOA AAOu w SAS AAASAA4e
ument at grave Of deceased at cost
of not to exceed 5000.
Estate Of Mary A. Anstey. Patrick
Griffin appointed administrator with
will attached, bond of $1,000.
Estate of Jacob Switzer. A. R.
Switzer appointed administrator with
bond of 0,000.
Guardianship of Warren L. HUI
linger. Order for removal Of prop
erty.
Guardianship of Samuel Brady.
Order for. removal of property
Guardianship of Alice Brann. "A.
p Olsen appointed guardian ad
litem. Report Of sale and deed to
Lillian D. Sharp approved.
Mrs. Peter Stewart Dead.
Mrs. Peter Stewart, one of the pio-
neers Of Decatur county, died at her.
home few miles northeast of Leon
( 10 ~ of ftorunov, at cSc1nnk F11n.