South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-03
MRS. CHAMPION
IS FOUND GUILTY
BY OHIO JURORS
Judge Imposes 2O-Year Sen
tence for Shooting of Con-
necticut Carnival Man.
LOSES HER COMPOsURE
Declares Treatment Unfair
Court Says Enough
LenienCy Shown.

CLEVELAND, Nov. - (By A.
P)-Mrs. Mabel Champion. charged
with the first degpee murder of
Thomas a. O'ConneH. carnival pro-
moter. OF New Haven, Conn. in a
restaurant here last July. was found
guilty OF manslaughter by a jury
composed OF seven women and five
men in common pleas court here to-
night. Judge Bernon Immediately
imposed the maximum sentence OF
20 years in the Ohio penitentiary.
Attorneys for the defense entered
q motion for a new trial which
Judge Bernon denied.
The composure with which Mrs.
Champion had watched the progress
OF the trial forsOok her, when the
verdict was read and she broke
down and cried. The jury had the
case % hours.
NJ. J. Patterson, foreman OF the
Jury. stated that eight ballots had
been taken
Judge Bernon also Overruled a
motion to defer sentence. Attorneys
for the defense declared they would
appeal the case.
IT believe the jury was very kind
and merciful," the Judge said in
passing sentence. "I consider no
further need OF leniency on the part
OF the court"
Mrs. Champion was sobbing when
che was led from the court room
10 the cell which she has occupied
eince her arrest on the night Of the
murder.
Jurors Are In Tears
All OF the seven women jurors
were in tears and many Of the spec
fators also were visibly affected.
Mrs. Champion went on trial oct
g. The case went to the jury late
yesterday.
ODonnell was shot to death in a
downtown restaurant here last July
while he and Ausley Champion,
husband or Mrs. Champion. were
engaged Ia a fist fight following an
argument over a drink of whisky
on the witness stand Mrs. Cham
mon admitted firing the fatal shots
but svore they were fred by acct
dent when O'Connell lunged toward
her and seized her arm. She said
she fred once into the floor in an
attempt 10 frighten O'COnnell as ne
battled with her husband.
The story OF the states witnesses
differed materially from that Of Mrs
Champion. They testified how she
had risen from her seat, held the
revolver at her nip and cried tC
her husband:
stand aside Daddy and I'll riddle
hin, with bullets"
"CoId FLOODED Murderess"
Edward q. stanton. county pros
ecutor. described her TO the jury Al
a cold blooded murderess-a clev
er. shrewd woman from Texas
where they shoot from the hip and
are quick on the trigger"
Ms. Champions attorney pic
4ured her as a little peace maker
vrno tried in vain 20 avert trouble
that her every action on the nigh
~ ne murder was 1ady like" tina
she shot 20 protect herself from the
attack Of drunken infuriatec
|, villain" who had beaten her hus
band.
Mrs. Champion. telling her NE
story on the witness stand. said sh'
married Champion in Brownsvide
Texas. IN 1917. and had lived there
since with the exception Of th'
time she and her husband had beer
g. business IN Indianapolis Kansas
civ. No. California. New Mexico
and Kansas"
In her cell Mrs. Champion made
bar 0rst statement
Had Unfair Treatment
ct don't believe I was fairly
4reafed. am a stranger here an'
that makes II worse. I don't SEE
bow any court could have allowed
prosecutor 20 defame n woman
character the way Mr.. Cassidy dl'
v,,ne. II IS terribly hard 20 bear.
she then again broke down an'
sobbed.
prosecutor Cassidy made the sum
--ing ND argument for the stat'
yesterday.