The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-03-03

i Rary, Thus Condemning Her to Z
/ Life Beyond the Pale of Polite So
ciety-Mrs. Warner, Frustrated
Says "I'm Innocent
Mrs. Florence C. Warner, wife OF
/ h. B.. Warner, prominent publisher
and business man of Lexington, is
J guilty of illicit relations with R. Bax-
ter McRa1y, wealthy mulatto, former
1fgy of Lexington, now of Cincinnati
10. This was the crux of the verdict
'Kreturned Saturday morning at 1910
Io'clocl by the jury in the United
hstates district court, after ~ hours
F5f deliberation. It closed the first
sehapter of ~one OF the most sensa-
lstional ftfgations ever waged in the
4courts of justice in the Old North
I State. The trial commenced tuesday
Imorning, February Is, and was fought
[ furiously by both sides until 3:45 p.
m. Thursday, February "a, when the
case was given to the jury for decis-
/ ion. Not in the history of North Car
ollna, perhaps, has trial created so
much interest, not only in this, but in
practically all southern states. Mrs.
warner was. suing her husband for a
reasonable subsistence, laying claim
to the Warner building in Lexington,
valued at $4,000. In her complaint
she alleged that he had wilfully and
sn1aliicously abandoned her.
Upon learning of the verdict, Mr..
sVarner, with tears in his eyes, said
i 81 am glad it is over. 1t is a matter
Tof grief to me, but / want to see
Justice done and / intend to prosecute
. che mulatto to the end. I appreciate
the fact that I have got fair trial
here. [ was never in doubt about the
sverdict."
"I'm Innocent" Says Mrs. Warner.
4 Mrs: Warner was notified of the
verdict by one of her attorneys, short
s1y after it was announced. She col
1apsed, declaring, I'm innocent" Mrs.
Warner has been patient at Glen
wood sanatorium for several weeks.
| attendants there declare that it will
1 decide upon her future course.
IS! Shortly before 9 o'clock the jury
after spending almost a sleepless
r6om At 10 o'clock a message was
1 IE3rWarded to Judge James e. Boyd
4 forming him that it had arrived at
"a verdict.
s. The jurist received them in the
asast oofa 0s10 O'Clock. "What
! is your verdict, gentlemen?" asked
the judge.
s'We have found Mrs. Warner guilty
of committing adultery with Baxter
McRary," responded Foreman P. M
t Summers, man apparently over &C
! years of age.
The judge read the issues submit.
ted to the jury~and then incorporated
its answers.
O. L. Sapp, who fought untiringly
!, for Mrs. Warner, declared that he
could not state whether or not ar
appeal would to the circuit court OF
! appeals will be filed. He declared
that his client is prostrated as re
suit of the verdict and is totally un
able to consider the matter.
Mr.. Sapp declared that he was
! greatly shocked at the decision. Con
I believe that Mrs. Warner is innocent
of the crime with which she il
charged"
It was learned on good authorit!
yesterday that Thursday afternoon
shortly after the jury went to it!
room to deliberate, the first vote stoot
seven for Mr.. Warner and five agains
him. Those for him were: p. M. Sum
mers, Alamance; E. E. Byrd, Ran
dolph; J. M. Joyce, Rockingham; w
H. Parker, Chapel Hill; J. j. Robin
son, Leaksville; F. J. Thomas, Greens
boro, and w. M. Moffitt, Randolph
Those against him: J. H. Langley
Guilford; M. G. Reaves, Winston-Sa
lem; T. E. Hodgin, Greensboro; J. II
Coombs, Greensboro, and L. H. Star
mer, Greensboro.
In the course of an hour anothe
4 vote brought Mr.. Starmer over to tn
majority. The II men retired at II
fp. m. Thursday with the vote stand
ing eight to four in favor of the de
! fendant. -,
4 Jurors Pray for Guidance
i Throughout the deliberation tn
men bowed their heads in prayer
asking Divine guidance in probabl!
the most znomentous task they wer
ever confronted with, it was learned.
+ A free discussion took place Frida,
morning, but the lines stood still. A
o'clock in the afternoon it appeareC
to be a hopeless case---a veritabl
deadlock was reached. The foreman
:, sent am essage to the judge asking
= fora hearing. At this time it wa
announced that they could not agree
whereupon Judge Boyd sent then
back, declaring that the case was to-
important, that a mistrial would b
calamity to the parties to the suit
\ and almost public calamity. He con
/ cluded 'This matter is submitted t.
you upon the testimony and the fact
in the case and the court is going t.
give you time to arrive at a verdict.
It was learned that this meeting
with the Judge had great weight il
breaking the deadlock. However, NJ
change was registered Friday night
the two sides holding their own.
: Prayer Service, Then Conviction.
! But, Saturday morning, following.
prayer service, Mr.. Coombs, of tn
minority, Joined the ranks Of the ma
7 II e rraA Il,