The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-05-20
Jury Frees George Hinton Of Charge
Of MansIauohter in Connection
With Death OF Captain
3. p. Taber.
CASE ENDS LAST NIGHT
Public Sentiment 10 Hostile to Ven
dict Which is Believed Was Re-
turned Because of Sever.
ity Of Penalty.

George Hinton, negro taxi cal
driver, charged by the coroner's jury
with esponsibilitysRfor the death OF
Captain B. p. Taber. and indicted by
the grand jury on charge OF man
slaughter, was acquitted by jury In
the district court yesterday after fouI
hours CT deliberation. Hinton was
the operator of the taIfcab that
struck Captain Taber as he was walk
ing out from Seibert's to board a
street car to go home on the night
of April 3rd. The taxi struck him
as he was in the act of stepping on
THE car, threw him thirty feet and
caused injuries which proved fatal
5twentyfour hours later.
Public sentiment today criticised
the verdict which was rendered
That there should have been some
punishment of the driver was the
general opinion Of people who dis
cussed the case and its outcome. II
was felt that punishment for Hinton
would have had its influence on the
rest of the drivers in keokuk, and
that it would have had a moral effect
to curb the wave of reckless and fast
driving which the officials are just
now trying to combat.
| The severity of the punishment il
convicted. is believed to have been
the reason the jury voted to acquit
the cciored. boy. One man who was
close TO the situation in court said
that to give a man eight years in the
penitentiary for something he did not
intend to do, was evidently the
salient point that caused the jury 10
find as it did. Hinton's reputation,
generally, is believed to have been
another point in his favor. lie IS
considered to be a good hard work
ing boy, and this may have brought
sentiment in his favor. He has served
a month and half in the county Jail
already.
Hinton's Own Defense.
Hintoa's defense is practically
summed up in his story on the stand
He said that he had brought his car
to a stop as he approached the street
car. He thought that everyone had
boarded the car When he saw that
be was going to hit someone who was
running across the street, he tried to
swe-ve away. but couldn't swing hrs
taxi on account Of the slippery con-
6irion of the streets. He stopped his
auto and drove the injured man 10
the hospital and returned to the
police station.
Character Witnesses completed the
colored boys defense. They said
that ne bore a good reputation, that
he was hard working and that he
gas supporting his mother. There
was no. a word said again his char
acter.
In his argument 70 the jury County
Attorney McMsuus said that here
was a man who was accused Of doing
what the jurors had many times said
10 themselves should bring a SEN
tence In the peniteatiaTy. Here was
2 man. ne said. who was charged with
driving recklessly and who had run
INTO and killed an old man He pic
-rred drivers who drove past street
cars. and ssn -yog men have said to
yourselves. that fellow ought to be
in the peniteacsrT for such an act
This he said, was the chance TO
make An example Of such drivers.
Penalty Too Severe?
The penalty for manslaushter is
eight wears a. the minimum. II was
generally felt that this accounts for
the verdict The Jurors could not
bring themselves 10 send the boy to
E pen1euttary for something he did
not intend 10 DO
Arguments 10 the jury we're closed
AZ 1925 o'clock yesterday afternoon
and after the court had delivered its
instruction, the jury retired TO con-
slider its verdict at 4 O'Clock. return
ing i. at $50 O'Clock 1t Is under
good that the jury cast ten votes for
the ac1uittal and two for conviction