New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-09
Frances and John

(As Fred Donaghey Thinks the First
Page Would Haze Handled the Mat
ter on a Day When Ads We're Heavy
or an Iatcrvieao With Dempsey Was
MARKED "Must").
Miss Frances O'Stett walked out Of
the Criminal Courts Building yester-
day free woman, acquitted of the
charge Of having murdered John Nc
Trolley, also know as "Jack the Dame
Picker" She was loudly cheercd as
she left the building, and was not per-
mitted by the enthusiastic crowd to
go to her waiting automobile until she
had made brief address. She said:
Thanks, people I've but one re-
gret-that the verdict came too late to
permit of my getting to see the large
dispute in Jersey City; but Pm glad
an American won! This country was
discovered by Americans, settled by
Americans and belongs to Americans;
and the Frog got his good and right
al: right, all right"
The alleged ex-murdcress was whirled
away to the headquarters Of the Marks
mems Association, over the saloon
where the alleged murder took place,
and there was made an honorary mem
berthe first unmarried woman to be
so distinguished by the organization.
The final day of the trial was notable
for naught else than it's comparative
brevity. The defense rested its case
OH Miss O'Stett's admission that she
had shot McTrooley while she was an
noyed and her one significant state
ment--"He was my man, and he done
me wrong" The Prosecuting Attorney
asked the jury to return verdict of
frst-degree murder, adding:
""Tis not the purpose Of the State
to take up the time Of twelve good
the evidence, all Of which clearly points
to this woman's guilt. John McTrooley
was a good man. You have heard the
so-called other woman in the case
testify that he really went to the
saloon with her to borrow some money
from her in order to take Frances
O'Stett to a theater. Does not that
clearly prove that the tigress now
smiling at you from the dock was
animated less by love of this good, un-
selfish man than by a cheap desire to
embarrass the fair young girl whom
she elected to regard as rival?"
The judge in his charge to the twelve
jurymen said in part:
GenLlemen, III Is not the duty OF
this court to seek to instruct you as
to the law or the rights Of the State
in case like this: you, doubtless, as
Americans, know as much of the law
as any man called to the Bench. But
the law holds that any man (and,
ipso facto ct ergo, any woman) is in
nocent until proved guilty. The facts
speak for themselves. You must not
attach too much Importance to the
woman's admission that she shot
O'Trooley when he was not looking.
1t is for you to go behind her mere
admission, and ascertain, for your
selves, first, if she really killed him.
and, then, if he were looking, when
she did it. l may not, in fairness, seek
further to guide you; so I ask you to
return a verdict in due consonance
with your conscience, with the law, and
with the indubitable truth that murder
has been committed, and that the Grim
inal is, beyond question, the woman
known as Frances O'Swatt."
The jury listened to the charge with
studious attention, and then gave a
verdict of "Not Guilty" without leaving
the box. That they had been deeply
impressed by the judges words and
by the plea Of the prosecution was in
dicated by their refusal to shake hands
with the defendant before she left the
courtroom