South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-02
ACQUIT MRS.
DE- SAULLES IN
SHORT ORDER
Jury Returns Not Guilty Yer
dict in Little Over Hour
and HaIf-TakeS YER
dict SmiIingIy.

Associated Press Service
MINEOLA. n. e. Dec. Lit re-
quired but one nour and forty min
utes for a jury i'm supreme court
here tonight TO reach a verdict Of
not guilty in the trial of Mrs Blan-
"a DE Saulles for the murder of her
divorced husband John l.. De Saulles
former Yale football star and club
man AT his home near Westbury.
Long Island the night of August 8.
IN the verdict no reference what
ever was made 20 insanity. IL was
"a plea of temporary loss of account
ability which formed the basis of
the defendants case.
Takes Verdict SmiIingIy.
Mrs De Saulles. who had main
tanned an air of extreme self pos
session throughout the two weeks of
the trial. received the verdict smil-
ingly. she SHOOK hands with each
of the jurors as they left the box
and 10 each gave a nod Of appre-
citation.
AS Mrs. De Saulles left the court
room newspaper photographer
touched off a flashlight The shock
of the explosion coupled with the
young woman's heightened nervous
tension caused her to staeger. but
sine was prevented from falling by
DR. j. Sherman Wight. her physician.
she was taken into a nearby room,
where she SOON recovered
The fate of Mrs. De Saulles passed
into the hands Of the jury at six
O'Clock
HypOthyreosis Basis o. Defense.
The evidence on which the Jury
BASED its finding included a plea on
behalf OF the defendant that she
was mentally deranged when she did
the shooting This was supported
by "a mass OF testimony submitted
through alienists and other medical
experts. HypOthreosis. a disease Of
the thyroid gland affecting the brain
and nerve centers. formed the basis
for the Chilean heiress' claim of
temporary mental irresponsibility
a series of psychic shocks. resulting
from her domestic difficulties
skull fracture. sustained some years
$50 and which is claimed 10 have
resulted IN pressure ON her brain
which was never relieved 10y a ire
uhining operation. were other factors
which experts swore contributed to
This unusual condition.
other specialists called 10y the
i1~ecutiOn contradicted these asser-
toms. They mainLained the alleged
.ull fracture was not q fracture at
NGl bone shown in am N-ray pho.
t.zrlph OF Airs DeSauIIes' head
erelv marked the healing over"
point % what is commonly called
"tHe baby spot"
|he state experts also said that
I'Iothyroid condition of the defeu-
d.nt such as her lawyers and ply
.Igians say existed would not pro
Iuee the state OF mind ira which
Frs DeSauiles claims 90 have fired
the revolver shots
Custody Of BOY Cause of shooting.
According 90 the defense's claim.
tUe shooting resulted from q con-
ttution regarding the custody of
Il IAN l.. DcSaulles. ir. aged four
sad a half years.
When the boys mother obtained
divorce decree i'm 1916. 10 was
shown the court stipulated that the
father was 20 have custody of his
SON five months of each year and
'Ee mother 90 have charge of the
,Iild the other seven months
subsequently however. the par
C1ts aEreed they would divide GUS
t.dv of the boy. each having him
during alternate months.
The defense maintains that on
AuE. g. the date Of the shooting.
ueSauUeG Borrowed" the boy who
was then in his mothers care. eX-
planning that the boys grandfather.
Mai 4. II DeSaulles Of South Beth
lerem. Pa was COINS Co visit his
home on that date. The defense de-
sIares DeSaulles promised 20 return
The boy 20 his mothers home early
yle same evening
Calls for Her son.
Mrs DeSauIles. ON the witness
stand declared that when her for
ner husband failed 90 keep this
promise she called AN automobile
and drove across Eve fniles or coun-
tryside 20 DeSaulles' home The
FoNr hoping 90 regain possession
90 her son.
when she reached DeSaulles' resi- /
Gencc. the defense alleges and
found DeSaulles. whom a servant
had Informed her over the telephone
short time previously was not NJ
home. she demanded her boy be re-
turned 90 her custody and that upon
she fathers refusal 10 acrcdc- =
rCoNTNUED IN PAGE THREEl I