Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-08
MRS. MOHR IS FREED;
TWO NEGROES GIVEN
LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Jury ACquitS Rhode Island
Woman on Charge of Con-
spring to Murder Her HuS-
band, a Physician
CBy Associated Prsss.)


PROVIDENCE. r. l., Feb S.-AIrs.
Elizabeth r. Mohr was acquitted by a
jury tonight OF charge OF having in
sOSated tho murder OF her husband. DIR.
c Franklin 1Iohr.
c. Victor Brown and Henry II. SPELL
man, negroes. who were accused OF the
actual killing. were found guilty. The
jury reported at s:oT o'clock after hav-
ing been out since 1850 in the morning.
Mrs. Mohr swooned when the foreman
announced the verdicts
is there any other charge against
these defendantsT' inquired Justice
Stearns.
There is. your honor. replied Attorney
General Rice. but AIRS. AIohr Is on bail
on the other charge"
The defendants. Brown and SpeIIman.
are committed without bail" said the
court, and Mrs. NIohr is DISCHARGED
from custody on this complaint"
The other charge against Mrs. Mohr
and the two negroes is that they com
United an assault on Miss Emily Burger
with intent 20 kill.
Miss Burger was shot while riding
with DR.. Mohr on the night he was at
. tackled Brown and Spellman are ac-
eused o. actually firing the shots 1T
Miss Burger, while Mrs. Mohr is charg-
ed with being an accessory before the
fact
The Jurymen looked worn as they fled
into the court room After each man
had taken his place the clerk asked:
do you find the defendant. Cecil
Victor Brown, guilty or not guiity?"
AS the foreman replied Guilty" Mrs.
Mohr collapsed
The clerk continued:
DO you find the defendant. Henry
6pellman. guilty or not guilty?"
GUILTY."
DO you find the defendant Elizabeth
z. Mohr. guilty or not guilty?"
Not guilty"
NEGRO WILL APPEAL.
The fight has only begun" was the
comment OF William II. Lewis, counsel
FOR Brown. who said that he might take
the case TO the supreme court
Attorney General Rice declined to
comment He would not say when the
other charge against Mrs. Mohr would
be tried.
The trial began January 10 and the
jury had been kept together all the time.
They went to their homes tonight for
the first time in four weeks.
Dr. Mohr. q physician practicing In
this city and Newport. was shot on the
evening OF August 81, 1915. as he was
sitting in his stalled automobile in a
lonely spot in Darlington.
George ". Heals, the negro chauf-
feur, confessed and alleged that Mrs.
Hohr had agreed TO pay him. Brown
and Speuman $4,000 II they would muir
der her husband
The police also claimed that the other
two negroes made confessions which
we're subsequently repudiated. Heals
pleaded guilty 20 manslaughter and be-
came a witness for the state
MRS. MOHR'S DEFENSE.
Dr.. and Mrs. Mohr had been living
apart for two years after -quarreis
growing out OF the physicians alleged
attentions 20 Miss Burger and other
women Separation suits were pending
and the state claims that Mrs. MohT
sought her husbands death for revenge
and to obtain his estate. The defense
maintained that Mrs. Mohr had been in
volved in the case by the actual muir
derer, who hoped thus TO mitigate his
own punishment
Mrs 'AIohr made a brief statement
after returning 20 her home tonight. She
said she had been confident from the
beginning that no jury would convict
her. adding that the charge OF her
bringing about the death OF the man
who was the father OF her children and
20 whom she had always hoped to be-
come reconciled. was the elimination Of
a series OF misfortunes that had clOuded
her life.
Mrs Mohr expressed her appreciation
OF the consideration shown her by the
Judge. the fairness of the jury, the kind
ness OF her friends and the general SYM
patty OF the public At large"