New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Verdict of Not Guilty
Greeted With Applause
in Courtroom
Acquittal Decided
On in Is Minutes
Nobody Can Say We're
Not Loyal Now!" Juror
Shouts to Crowd
Especial Dispatch to The Tribune)

'elulcC OF not guilty was returned by
the jury to-day in the murder case
against the eleven men accused of.
lynching Robert Paul Prayer, enemy
alien, at Collinsville on April S.
The jury retired at 1915 O'Clock and
reported with the decision within
twenty-five minutes
The tension that has steadily grown
Tor the last two days broke with the
first few words of the foreman and
the finish of the verdict was greeted
with cheering and handclapping. The
courtroom was filled with friends and
relatives of the defendants-women.
mostly-and the eleven free men at
once were the centre of hystc rical
groups, who pushed the bailiffs aside
and fought their way through the
barriers.
Open expressions of satisfaction
that they were privileged to acquit the
accused came from the jury after the
verdict was read. One man, Poag,
ILL.,, farmer shouted out from the box:
well, | guess nobody can say we
aren't loyal now,'f he said, waving to
the defendants, we've done justice of
the right sort for Madison County"
Naval Reserve Band Plays
A naval reserve band from the Great
Lakes district, which was in town on
recruiting mission, paraded the streets
during the evening between lines of
cheering people, playing "There1l Be
Hot Time" and Where Do We Go
from Here ?"
During a recess earlier in the day,
before the jury was instructed, the
same band played patriotic airs in the
rctunda of the court house.
infantryman, an alleged ringleader of
the mob, broke down when the verdict
was read.
ton the defendants filed out of the
courtroom, still wearing the red white
and blue ribbons that have been con-
spicuous part of their attire since the
opening day of the trial. The elevtn,
always keeping together, pushed
pathway through the welcoming crowd
outside the courthouse, walked block
to the trolley station and caught the
first car for Collinsville.
Nose Johnson, district board member
of the Coal Miners Union for the State
of Illinois, was among the first to shake
the hands of the acquitted men. Miners
of the district are said to have sup
piled money for counsel fees, and John
son has been active interested in the
case.
Warns Against Celebration
"Well, boys" said Johnson, cts all
ovor opI ito fin,o fcr ovorv One Of
you to go home. Go straight back to
Collinsville, and no celebration to-
night. l guess you've got your les
son."
By this final instruction Judge Bern
router swept aside all of the defence's
argument that Prayer, an enemy alien,
was also an outlaw and entitled to no
protection from the state Questions
as to the dead mans disloyalty he eau
toned the veniremen to disregard al
together.
The jury retired after an earnest
closing speech by Assistant Attorney
General Middleknuf, who said the
twelve talesmen had it in their power
to do as fine and courageous an act
for their country as men who have
gone to France to give up their lives
on the battlefronts. "If you think
these men actually had a part in this
crime and you have the nerve to say
so,' he declared, "you are true and
honest citizens
Attorney Thomas Williamson, who
closed for the defence, asserted that
Ambassador Gerard had advocated
lynching German enemies in his book,
"My Four Years in Germany" "That
suggestion was made by the ambassa-
DOR" stated Williamson, Gin answer to
the Kaiser's proposition that 100000
Germans were ready to rise up in this
country at the word. Mr.. Gerard re-
piled, in effect: You forget that we
have 100000 lamp posts in the United
States And that book" Williamson
concluded, "has been indorsed by the
President of the United States"
Calls Lynchers Loyal Citizens
j. M. Bandy, of counsel for the de-
fence, in summing UP the evidence,
limited that if another Prayer were
found he might not be among those
missing at the finish. "Some good.
loyal citizens hung that man," he said;
"they were the sort who know what
sedition means in this country. If we'd
been there and seen the crowd that had
Prayer IT'S likely that we might have
followed"
In referring to Williamsons mention
of the 100000 lamp posts, Mr.. Middle
kauff said "From what | read in Mr..
Gerard's book, l gathered he meant
that in case of a great German upris-
ing here we'd have to take desperate
measures of self-defence. In such
cases I'd help bit myself But can we