New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-18
Nurse Acquitted After
Short Deliberation of Kill
ing of Doctors Wife
keyes Is Assaulted
In Closing Speeches
Both Sides Merciless on
Husband of Slain
Woman

DEDHAM, Mass, Dec. IS Miss Har-
riet A. Varney, n nurse, Of West Up
ton, was found not guilty Of the muir
der of Mrs. Pauline Keyes, tho ten
months bride OF George II. Keyes, a
Boston real estate man, By jury in
the Norfolk County Court here early
to-day. The jury deliberated more
than four hours.
The state in the closing argument
maintained that Miss Varney killed
Mrs. Reyes because of Jealous. In the
closing speeches FOR both sides there
were critirisms of Keyes, who, accord
ing to his own admissions as the states
chief witness against Miss Vaney, had
lived with the nurse as man and wife
for long period.
Suggests Another's Guilt
"When the curtain rises on the sec
end act OF This drama, another face
will be there" shouted David +. O'Con-
nell. for the defence, in summing up.
Later. turning 70 the part which the
husband. George II. Keycs. had taken
n the prosecution, he demanded TO
know why the state had taken the
trouble t. attempt a defence Of Reyes.
"Oh. God" he added, ian alibi for that
mani"
Reyes and Miss Varnev had been in
timately associated and apparently
were friendly up TO the time that her
trial began. Then Keyes became the
chief witness for the state and the de-
fence made it's greatest effort to show
that the defendant had been wholly I'M
der his influence.
The attorney asserted that the evil
dence that Miss Narney had purchased
q revolver had failed completely, the
defence having established that the
weapon was bought in Boston by for
mer employee Of Reyes.
The attorney referring to the anony-
nous note received By Reyes after his
wife had been killed and which init
mated that woman had done the MUIR
der. said:
"Keyes was back at his old haunts
on Massachusetts, Avenue. He received
the letter there. IL was there, he
claims, Miss Varney came and took
possession OF his bed and he slept on
the couch.
"Nr. Kingston. employed by the gov
eminent. is an honest man. lie said
the same hand wrote that note which
wrote the letters and postal cards
Keyps sent 20 Miss Narney. That girl
has been in Jail since June %. She
vas in jail when the letter was writ
ten. and you may be sure every letter
that goes out Of jail is carefully scru-
tinted.
The nearest the state has placed
Miss Narney TO the scene of the murder
was at the Huntington Avenue station.
After the murder or suicide she met
Reyes and went TO lunch with him.
She ate and he did not. Who was ner-
vous?"
Concluding his plea, Mr. o'Connell
said:
"How could Harriet Varney kill Paul
inc Keyes if she never owned n re-
volver. The state assigns the motive
as jealousy. Why should she be jeal-
Gus? Motive she had none. Oppor-
tunity none, and she is entitled TO pro-
lection"
District Attorney Katzmann began
his argument for the prosecution i'm
mediately after the opening OF the af-
ternoon session. lie was no more gem
tie with his own witness, Keyes, than
was the defendants counsel.
"My brother attorney has csstigated
one Of two principals in this case"
said Mr.. katzmann. 81 agree with him
in ell he has said about this man.
| am thankful the ComnonweGlth's
case does not depend on his testimony.
There is nothing 10 choose between
Reyes and the defendant. But the
issue is not that Keyes took twenty
year-old girl and ruined her. The is
sue s: Did Harriet A. Narney kill Pau
line Keyes?' and only that"
In his charge Judge 0'Connell dwelt
at length on reasonable doubt" "If
the defendant has not been found
guilty beyond certainty OF reason
able doubt he said, "you ought not
to declare her guilty. II slU has been.
then your duty is to find her guilty"