The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-12-04
JUDGE DIRECTS 5TATLER JURY To !
BRING IN mot GUILTY. VERDICT.
JURORS SURPRISED AND ONE
MAKES IMPRESSIVE SPEECH
OF PROTEST.
Reported That Eleven Of Jurors First
Refused to Sign Verdict
Of Acquittal.

The Osceola 4. Statler trial in Grim.
inal court came to such an abrupt end
yesterday afternoon, that the Jurors
were surprised TO say nothing OF the
asto nishment Of the states attorneys
Following the state resting. afer a
score OF Witnesses had testified, Judge
Alan n. Robinson directed the jury 10
return q verdict Of acQuittal for the
defendant. The jurors. with the eX
I ception Of one. refused TO sign such
verdict al first, but when II was IN
dictated that they were suhjcctinE
! themselves to contempt OF court they
did as directed by the court.
so you signed the verdict Of &C
Qulttal as directed by the judge: was
the question put to one Of the con
tending eleven jurors last night by all
Inrclligencer man.
Yes: what else could We do?" was
the answer.
When the juror was asked about
the abrupt enuIng Of the case. he said
something further, but concluded by
asking that the comment be not pub
llshed.
Court lnetruets Jury.
When the court instructed the jury
TO bring in q verdict finding Statler
not guilty. +. W. Cline OF WaTwood
one OF the Jurors. arose. and with
much emphasis and in most impress
sive manner declared that the majorl'
ty OF the Jurors would decline TO sign
such verdict. and he for one. did
not believe that such q verdict was
right in the case. Mr.. Cline Is said
TO have stated that there WAS only one
thing 10 do if the court 80 ordered i
and that was 10 return the verdict
as directed, hut that II was being done
under protest as far as he. and he be-
lieved others on the jury. were con
tcrned.
Sta,lcr was then acquitted Of Tho
charge OF driving on tho wrong side
OF the National pike last Srpt"mh"r
when. II Is alleged hr rnn into far.
mcr's automobile with his car. which
WAS occupied by two other persons.
The case was appealed from Justice
R. G.. Hobbs court. where StntlCr was
cnund guilty On two charges. driving
m tn" wrong eide Of the pix" and rock.
less driving. In IN" latter caste SPUR
Hobbs fined Tho accused ard CAV" him
sixty days in tho county jail. He np'
pealrd the two cases. iI"CHuS" uf an
alleged error IN omission in tho WAT
rant Attorney J. n. HRndlan. rrprcacn.
ting Statler. asked ;hHt III" case ht
thrown out 81 criminal court IudEr
Robinson will give h!s decision IN tho
matter on December ). II h" rules the
warrant was legally drawn. dcsrit" tho
omission Statler VIII again b" put OF
trial.
Lawyers Clash
There were many clashes during the
trial yesterday. between the attorneys
Prosecutor. n. A. Mckee and his nEsls.
tant. Carl: Rachmann. represented the
rtate. while Attorney Iandlau nnI W
J. Robinson. who IL n brother and law
partner Of Judge Robinson. represented
the defendant.
The Sts,ler trial was begun Friday
morning. lasting until late tina; after
noon and WAS resumed yesterday morn
ms The last witness I" Il" put an
the stand WAS County road Engineer "
20. MctTluskey. Jr. The state had several
more witnesses It intended to have t"s'
Try but did not deem II necessary I" es-
tabl!sh It's cn$e. The state then rest
cd and tho Judge delivered his charge
TO the jury.