The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-12-02
]URYMEN ACQU|T
MRS. D'SAULlES
ONLY DELIBERATED HOUR AND
i5 MINUTES WHEN VERDICT
mot GUILTY" GIVEN.
GREETS EACH JUROR
Her Attorney Makes Eloquent Plea TO
Jury and Contends Mother Instinct
Guided Her Actions On Fatal Night
When Her Husband Was Killed.

AIineola. n. Y, Dec. 1T required
but one hour and forty-three minutes
for jury in supreme court here to-
night to reach a verdict OF not guilty
in the trial of Mrs. Blanca de Saulles,
for the murder of her divorced husband,
John l.. de Saulles, former Yale football
star and clubman, at his home near
Westbury. Long Island. the night Of
August 3.
In the verdict no reference whatever
was made to insanity 1t was plea of
temporary loss of accountability which
formed the basis Of the defendants
case
Mrs. de Saulles. who had maintained
an air OF extreme sel0possession
throughout the two weeks Of the trial,
received the verdict smiling. She shook
hands with each of the jurors as they
left the box and to each gave nod
of appreciation.
When Mrs. de Saulles left the court
room. a newspaper photographer touch
ed of hashlight The shock of the
explosion. coupled with the young wom
ans heightened nervous tension. caused
her TO stagger, but she was prevented
from falling by Dr. Wight, her ply
sician. She was taken into a nearby
room. where she soon recovered.
Her Attorney Was Eloquent.
Attorney Uterhart, for Mrs. de
Saulles. in summing up before the jury
reviewed much of the testimony and in |
bringing up the narrative to the actual |
shooting. maintained that the bullet |
wounds showed conclusively that de |
Saulles was facing the defendant when |
she began firing at him.
Attorney Uterhart said il was sim
gular that the prosecution had intro
duced no testimony to disprove the |
claims of the defense that Mrs. de
Saulles was suffering from hypothy-
rerosis. disease affecting the brain,
wher she did the shooting.
This little womans maternal in |
stinct-the most powerful force in the
world-was what John l.. de Saulles
was up against that night" he said
When she was there in The Box
tde Saulles' homeD that mother love in.
stinct was telling her, He's trying to
steal your boy Had her brain been
working normally. her sense of right
and wrong would have said, Don't do
that-it's wrong. He's stealing your
boy. but you can get him back some
way. that's what she would have been
told had she been in possession of her
mental powers But gentlemen, the
wires were cut-disease had deadened
the senses-she did not know what
she was doing"
Makes Plea for Mercy.
Mr.. Uterhart concluded by saying he
felt "All is well with the little mother
who sits before you-I know she is safe
in your hands" He said he trusted
that in passing judgment the jurors
would show the same spirit as the Man
|
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy"
Prosecution Begins Address.
District Attorney Weeks began his I
address by saying that 1t had appeared
TO him many times during the trial that
the defense was trying to make il "a
trial OF John L. de Saules' reputation
rather than that of Blanquita de Saulles
for the murder of her husband" |,
He reminded the jurors of their oath
to render true verdict in accordance
with the facts and irrespective of ap- ,
peals to their sympathy because of the j
sex, beauty or youth of the defendant.
Human Life Was Taken.
"A human life has been taken and ,
there Is nothing in the laws OF the state
OF New York which justifies the shoot. g
ing down of a man because he had bad |,
habits" he added. This defendant has :
A mind that is as alert and as keen as :
any person VINO ever appeared before =
4 jury In the United States"
Mrs. de Saulles, who throughout the :
previous proceedings had taken little
interest, raised her head and looked
steadily at Weeks s
or Distinguished Family.
Mrs. John l.. de Saulles, prior to herI
marriage. was Miss Blanca Errazuriz. l
vas born near Santiago, Chile, April .
y. 1884. She spent three years in an Il
tngiisf, convent and after returning .
% her home. met de Saulles, who had a
won laurels as a Yale football star. at +
race meeting in 1911. They were +
married In Paris late the same year.
n iss Errazuriz was a member of one U
v the most distinguished families in b
south America two of her relatives n
laving been Presidents of Chile