Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-12-04
MRS. De SAULLES IS
ACQUITTED BY JURY
IN LESS THAN z HOURS
Prisoner Smiles and Shakes
Hands With Jurors, but
Nearly FaintS When Leaving
Court Room

MINEOLA, n. Y, Dec lit requir-
ed but one hour and 43 minutes for a
jury in supreme court here tonight to
reach a verdict of not guilty in the trial
of Mrs. Blanca De Saulles for the MUIR
der of her divorced husband, John l..
De Saulles, former Yale football star
and clubman, at his home near West
bury, Long Island, the night of August
3.
I'm the verdict, no reference what
ever was made to insanity. 1t was a plea
of temporary loss of accountability
which formed the basis of the defend
ants case"
Mrs. De Saulles, who had maintained
an air of extreme self-possession
throughout the two weeks of the trial,
received the verdict smilingly. She
shook hands with each of the jurors as
they left the box and to each gave a
nod of appreciation AS Mrs. De
Saulles left the courtroom, a newspaper
photographer touched off a flashlight.
The shock Of the explosion, coupled
with the young womans heightened
nervous tension, caused her to stagger,
but she was prevented from falling by
DR.. ]. Sherman Wight, her physician.
She was taken into nearby room,
where she soon recovered
"Im so happy" was her only COM
ment, according to Mrs. De Saulles' at
torney, Henry A. Uterhart.
The case went to the jury at $3.50
o'clock this evening. Justice David F.
Manning Immediately announced a re-
cess until $3.50 o'clock during which
the Jurors were taken to a hotel for
dinner. They returned at 7:40 o'clock
and were Immediately closeted to be-
gin their deliberations.
Mrs. De Saulles' acquittal automatic
cally establishes her as the only legal
custodian Of her son, John L. De
Saulles, Jr., according to her attorneys.
1t was because of her love for the boy,
the defendant contended throughout her
trial, that she went to her former hus-
bands home the night of the tragedy.
She was stated that as soon as she has
cleared up all right to the possession
Of the child. she will take him to Chile.
her native land
At Vina Del Mar, ''the Vineyard by
the Sea-" as her mothers estate near
Santiago, Chile, is called, Mrs. De
Saulles intends making her home for
the present
1t was this palatial home which Mrs.
De Saulles left in 1911 to become the
wife of John L. De Saulles. She was
then a girl of 16 years
sons, aside from press representatives
and persons connected with the trial,
who heard the announcement of the YER
dict.
Mrs Blanca Errazuriz, mother of Mrs
De Saulles, was not in the courtroom
She has been on the verge of a COM
plete nervous breakdown for several
days, according to her physician, due
to her anxiety regarding the outcome Of
the trial.
Miss Amalia Errazuriz a sister, was
the only member of the defendants
family present when the jury's find
ings was made known. Her brother,
William Errazuriz was said to be at
his mothers bedside. Upon hearing of
the tragedy, Mrs. Errazuriz, with her
other two children, FASTENED to the
United States
The mother, two daughters and son,
reunited through Mrs. De Saulles' ac-
uuittal, will soon return to Chile, ac-
companied by John L. De Saulles, Jr.,
according to a statement by Attorney
Uterhart tonight.
Quiet settled over the courtroom when
at 9:16 o'clock officers began clearing
the corridors outside. Mrs. De Saulles
was brought into the trial chamber
from the Jail where she was awaiting
through an underground passageway.
This required some minutes. When
Mrs De Saulles finally appeared, every
eve was intently fixed upon her. She
stepped briskly into the room, a smile
overspreading her features and a con-
fdent air characterizing her manner.
Her lawyer smiled reassuringly in re-
turn as she took her seat between At
torney Uterhart and Mrs Phineas Sea-
man, the wife of the sheriff
moment later the jurors entered.
There was evidently something signifi-
cant in their manner to Attorney Utter
hart. He leaned over to an associate
and was heard to say:
"Everything's all right"
Justice Manning then entered the
courtroom and before receiving the YER
dict announced that he would tolerate
no demonstration.
Attorney Uterhart announced that In
case members of the De SaulleS family
refused to yield custody of Mrs. De
Saulles' son he will apply on Monday
for a writ of habeas corpus to compel
them to give him into his mothers Gus
tody.
Charles A. H. De Saulles, brother of
John l.. De Saulles, was the only mem
Der of the family in the courtroom
when the verdict was announced. He
would make no statement regarding his
intentions relative to the boy, nor would
he state the reason for the family hav-
ing legal representatives associated
with District Attorney Weeks In the
prosecution of the case.