The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-17
MEANS IS FREED
Of MURDER CHARGE
Dcathlillc silence Pervndes Dingy
courtroom As Foreman Prouounces
Verdict Not Guilty"
PATHETIC DEMONSTRATION
solicitor Clement Prefers No Other
Charge Against Prisoner and He
Walks Out of Courtroom With
Family.

Walks Out of Courtroom With
Family.
Courthouse. Concord. n. c., December
! 16-Geston b, Means is tonight by his
! own frestde playing with his one-year-
old baby. As church bells summoned
worshtppers to divine service this
/ morning Means walked out into tn.
Sabbath day. freed of the charge OF
/ numbering Mrs. Maude A. King.
/ 1t was solemn OCCASION when Judge
Il. b. Cline entered the dingy old court.
room this morning soon after 10 o'clock
In response to a summons from til.
{ jury. At 1906 the defendant, CASTOR
d. Means. came walking Into the court
room, His face was pa1ed and by hia
side was his wife. who bore the signs
of night spent in anxious waiting for
verdict which might rob het of her
husbands protection. Soon afterward
there entered the courtroom Colonel w
G, Means. father of the defendant.
Alton Means. hts brother, and Miss
Belle Means, his sister. Judge Cline in
structed Sheriff Caldwell that only the
defendant and counsel should be al
lowed within the bar.
There was great strain evident on
the defendants side of tho courtroom.
for while the defendant himself was
composed, hts wife was weeping and
even members Of his counsel were with
tears streaming down their faces.
Judge Cline gave warning that there
should be no demonstrations and or
dered the courtroom locked. He then
sent for the jury at io:1A. AS the
tramp. tramp. tramp of the Jurors feet
became audible when they flied down
the stairs 70 the Jury box. the defen-
dant sat erect in his chair and his Wife
ceased her weeping.
The twelve men who held the secret
Of Castor &, Means future were serious
and worn. They gave signs Of great
mental Iaboring for their faces were
lined with worry and nights Of lost
sleep.
Judge Cline talked with the Jury first
OF hts charge yesterday afternoon He
explained to them two or three minor
remarks which he had made and
which he declared might have been mis-
Interpreted He asked the jurors II
they had misunderstood his remarks
and they declared they had not.
y seek no appreciation, I deserve
none" Judge Cline said. looking at
counsel, II will deem X a discourtesy
il any one attempts to approach me
upon the bench and give either appro-
baton or Gtsapprobation."
"Gentiemen of the jury, have you
reached verdict" queried the Judge.
we have" came the muttered reply.
who shall speak for you?"
"Fr rank Goodman, the foreman
again came the reply
Clerk og Court Stone Street then
approac hed the jury and ordered the
defendant 20 stand.
CASTOR n Means the old CASTOR r.
Means with <blase srnNe. stood and
r,a!soa 1ls> aiRbt' HAND above hts ea@9ns.r
His wife was half standing In her chair
Prisoner. look upon the jury: jurors
look upon the prisoner" droned the
court clerk. Have you reached YER
dict7'
we have" came the strained and /
feeble answer OF the foreman.
rs the prisoner guilty or not guilty.
There was a deathlike silence
throughout the courtroom and the fore
man OF the jury hesitated, then he
cleared his throat and seemed to stanl-
u1er. IL was fearful second for the
defendant and hts family
Not guilty" finally came the half in
audible reply of the foreman of the
jury.
Castor B. Means smiled again and
sank back into his seat. His wife BY
his side began to weep bitterly and he
leaned over and patted her upon the
shoulder.
J. Lee Crowell. counsel for the de-
Tense, then arose and asked IL Solicitor
Hayden Clement had any other charge
against the prisoner.
u have not" was the reply of the So
Iicitor.
Crowoll then moved for the discharge
Of the defendant and he was legally a
free man
Court was then adjourned and all OF /
the members of the Means family
rushed to the side of the son and
kissed him and grasped his hand.
Throngs In the courtroom attempted to
rush to the front OF the courtroom and /
congratulate Bud" Means, Judge Cline |
ordered them back. however and told /
them they might congratulate Mr..
Means at some other time.
Means went Immediately to his |
home--his new home that he had never
seen. Mrs Means, feeling certain of
the innocence OF her husband, had |
taken house in Concord for the win
ter and furnished Ct. Means went there
Immediately and there he met Mrs. May
c. Melvin, sister of Mrs, King, who had
stood Staunchly by his side throughout
the trial
The case which came to a dramtic
close on this Sunday morning Is one
of the most dramatic trials in the GRIM
inal history OF North Carolina. Today
was the eighteenth day OF the trial 1t
involving a wealth of expert testimony.
financial transaction. and charges of
international intrigue. IT was a jury OF
farmers and mill operatives who re-
jected the circumstantial evidence put |
before them by the state and sent
Bud" Means home to his little babe
and wrote fms on the biggest pages
OF court history of Cabarrus county.
SWAMI Makes No Comments
New York. December 16.-Neither
District Attorney Swami nor any of
his assistants would make any COM
ment tonight npon the acquittal OF Gas
ton u Means OF the murder OF Mrs.
Afaude A. King. Neither would they
discuss the attitude of the district at