Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-21

to my babies. cannot say l was sur
prised because | IrIt al a.ons tuat
would be freed of the horrible charge uI
having murdered my poor wife, the
girl | loved so we'll. "
At first Eastlakc didn't want to talk
to any one. but finally consented to re
lieve himself" as he put it.
I'm happy, happy to be free once
again. No one will ever know. what
misery and agony l have endured since
the day | was arrested, charged with
the murder Of my wife. II was veri-
table he'll for me- No one but my
mother. sister. brother and my counsel
believed in my innocence. Many OF
my good friends were loath to believe
mo guilty Of such an atroCious charge,
but they never bothered much about me.
| had to suffer alone, Chcered only by
my own immediate relatives and coun-
sci, but | knew the day Of reckoning
was coming and, as ! believed, 1t came
"When | sat in my cell with my bible
as my only companion, ! never lost
confidence in myself. My only and sole
that l could kill my Margaret. God
knows they certainly tried to hang 1t
on me. hut they failed because It was
impossible to convict me of something
of which l was not guilty.
"My next plan will be to get my
children and start life anew, live for
them and try to make up the loss or
their mother. I will make their little
lives as happy as possible.
II cannot discuss my plans for the
future. As matter of fact they are
somewhat hazy. l had planned to re
turn to my station at the Dohlgren
Proving Grounds. but maybe this will
be changed.
II talked with Commander Green. my
commanding officer. but | am not Mt
liberty to discuss what passed between
MS. All l can say Is that | am moro
than thankful to every one who helped
me in my hours Of trouble and trust l
may some day be able TO pay in full my
obligations to them. I am happay; n
great load has been lifted from my
mind
Mother Too Happy TO Talk
Eastlake's mother, Mrs S. NJ. F..
Eastlake, 7449 Boyer street. PhilNdcl- =
phia, too. was happy, but she did not
care TO express her JOY in words. The
mother, who has been with EaStlako
constantly since he was placed on trial
in Montross. Va, December -, said
in a Quivcring voice rs she fondly patt"d
the freed man on the check:
"Since l nm happy. really do not
know what to say. I felt that right
would win out, and it did.
Mrs. Mabel Chambers, a sister OF
EaStlakc and also PhilNdclphian, was
the happicst of all the family. Her face
was wrcathcd in smiles.
Il told you Ttog would be acquitted
He should never have gone on trial, be-
cause he was innocent. The idea "i
charging our ROg with such bruta
crime. 1t was outrageous, md the jury
did not lose much time in convincing
those who thought different that thct'
views were entirely erroneous
Donald +. Eastlake, a brother, whc
was constantly at the side of the ac'
quilted man all through the long trial
was emphatic in his remarks.
1.-The jury returned the only vCrdiC
it could have found,' he said. There
was not one iOta of evidence to ConnCr
my brother with this crime, but thcr,
certainly was lot of evidence intro
duced that the Commonwealth had Pb'
solutely no right to offer
Tom Mayo, foreman of the jury tha
acquitted Eastlake in thirty SIX min
utCS. said it was a just verdict.
1--WE sent for the chief petty officer
cap and the letter to refresh on
minds" said Mayo. "but that didn