The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-01-19
MURRAY ACQUITTED
ON UNWRITTEN LAW
IN MURDER TRIAL
Newport Man Goes Free Of Murder
Charge - Lawyer Makes Bril-.
liant Plea Under I'm.
written Law.

Newport, KY, Jan. 10. - The case
Of Justus Murray, charged with the
murder Of Howard Phillips, was given
to the jury in Judge VOLTS court last
night at 7:05 o'clock.
The jury returned verdict of not
guilty at 10 o'clock, after three hours
deliberation.
Court was convened at 7 o'clock
last night following adjournment at
$3.50 o'clock for supper and with the
words, Gentlemen, the case is now in
your hands," Judge Wolff sent the
jury to their room for deliberation.
AS the Sheriff cleared way
through the dcnsely packed aisle and
the last juror disappeared from the
courtroom, the hands of the clock
pointed to five minutes past seven.
With the passing of the jury babel
Of conversation relative to the deci-
sion broke out in the crowd which
had filled the courtroom to its utmost
capacity since the convening of court
yesterday morning.
In sustained flights of oratory and
eloquence Attorney Burkamp for the
defense and Attorney Mclaughlin for
the commonwealth occupied the en-
tire day in presenting their closing
arguments to the jury.
Crushed into every available corner
Of the courtroom and able to move
only an inch at time hundreds of
persons craned their necks in almost
breathless silence to hear. the appeals.
Now at the heights of an impas-
stoned outbursts, now speaking in the
husky whisper of confidential reason
ing, the two lawyers played first upon
the emotions of the jurors and then
appealed to their soundness Of judg-
ment for final decision.
Each of the attorneys traced the
case down to its tragic climax in the
death Of Phillips, dwelling in passing
upon the points that best strength
ened their contentious.
Forsaking somewhat the plea of in
sanity upon which the case was tried,
probably realizing that the testimony
of three alienists called by the prose-
cution had damaged his case in that
direction, Attorney Burkamp appealed
to the Jurors to look upon Murray's
act as that Of man whose home had
been despoiled. 1t was call to the
"unwritten law" that he uttered and
plainly the appeal was not lost upon
the jury.
"The man who invades the sane
tuary of the home,' he said, imposes
his impurity upon the innocent. He
deserves to die! This is not the law
Of the court; it is the law of public
opinion. If you convict this man it
will be the first time in 300 years that
a man has been so convicted in this
commonwealth.
wherever this man sought to make
his home the serpent appeared He
pursued this man with relentless fury.
l am satisfied, gentlemen, that there
exists in your mind fixed conviction
that something occurred between Mrs.
Murray and Phillips on that first night
at the hotel when they left the place
together. | am also satisfied that you
were convinced of wrongdoing when
you heard the letters read that were
exchanged between Phillips and Mrs.
Murray and that were accidentally
discovered by Mr.. Murray.
Society points out no adequate pun
ishment for the transgressor against
the seventh commandment. He pays
his fine and fares forth to other con-
quests. The robber who takes your
chattels is felon, and goes to jail
But the other man can steal your
daughter, your sister, your wife and
leave behind only desolation and ruin.
He goes out with his unholy compan-
ions and gloats over the ruin he has |
wrought. But he knows in his heart |
that when he invades home he is |
taking his life In his hands. God i'm
plants in the hearts Of men, brothers,
fathers and husbands, the desire to |
take the life of such a transgressor."
Charging the jury with the grave re-
sponsibility that was laid upon them
in preserving the sanctity Of the home,
Attorney Burkamp brought his plea to
an end with this final adjuration:
do not subject this high-minded
young man to confinement in the pen
itentiary. Let his parents take him
back home. We want no middle