Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-31
Jury FINDS MRS.
VAN AUSDELL
NOT GUILTY
Woman Who Shot Mrs. Viva
Ijams Acquitted on Grounds
She Was Insane at ),
Time.

Mrs. Blanche Van Ausdell was
found not guilty of shooting with
intent to kill Mrs. Viva Ijams the
night Of February Is, on the grounds
that she was insane at the time she
committed the act by the verdict
OF a jury which was delivered at
3 o'clock yesterday morning in Dis
trict Judge Redick's court. The Jury
had been out 20H hours.
Judge Redick, after celebrating
Tor few moments, announced that
he would not hold Mrs. Van Aus
dell at present on the grounds of in
sanity.
There Is no evidence that she is
insane now and she may co." he
said. "But I think justice has not
been meted out to her"
Verdict Was Anticipated.
The verdict which was looked for
by those who sat through the trial
was the one given by the jury. An
exceptionally strong case was made
by the state. But the old difficulty
of convicting woman, especially of
crime such as this one where she
believed the victim had stolen her
husbands love, was in evidence
again. 1t is said woman has never
been convicted in Douglas county
on charge of shooting an alleged
home breaker"
Mrs. Van Ausdell showed no emo
ton whatever when the verdict was
read. Her two daughters smiled and
after the jury had filed out into the
hall, the youngest, Gay, ran after
and shook hands with them.
Trial Began Monday.
County Attorney Shotwell was out
of the city and no attorney repre-
senting the state was present when
the verdict was delivered.
The trial of Mrs. Van Ausdell be-
gan last Monday morning. Taking
of evidence was completed Wednes-
day evening. Argument and Judge
Redick's instructions took up Thurs
day morning. The jury went out at
noon Thursday and deliberated for
20H hours.
The crime for which Mrs. Van
Ausdell was tried was committed
the evening of Sunday, February 16,
1919. She met Mrs. Ijams as the
latter was coming from her home,
81 South Twenty-second street.
81 understand you have been prac-
tically living with my husband for
two weeks" Mrs. Van Ausdell said
according to Mrs. Ijams' testimony.
Gave Herself Up.
Are you sure of that?" asked
Mrs. Iiams, and refused to converse
any farther with Mrs. Van Ausdell.
Then Mrs. Van Ausdell shot her
in the back, there was running
fight and later in the evening Mrs.
Van Ausdell went to the police sta
ton and gave herself up.
All Thursday afternoon Mrs. Van
Ausdell, her daughters, Monrieve
and Gay and many of their women
and girl friends remained in the
court room, looking for the jury to
return a verdict. They didn't even
20 out to eat. They remained till
II o'clock.
No sign came from the jury room.
At 6 o'clock Bailiff Fields took the
y men out for their dinner. They
were back in the jury room at ]
o'clock and remained there all night.
The long wait led most people who
had followed the trial to believe the
Jury was hung" and surprise came
when word came from the jury
room early yesterday morning that
the men had reached an agreement
"My father is not living with US,
but is contributing to the support
of the family under court order
secured some time ago." said Miss
Monrieve Van Ausdell. Il am GER
tainly glad of the verdict and we
will try to start all over again..