The New York herald., 1922-07-15
BOY FREED
IN MURDER OF GIRL
Counsel Says Public Clamor
and Religious Hate Led to
Prosecution.
JURY OUT THREE HOURS
Defendant Shows No Emotion
Even When Foreman An
nounces Not Guilty.

| Francis Kluxen Sd was acquitted
yesterday in the Supreme Court at
Morristown, N. j., of the murder of
Janet Lawrence. the eleven-year-old
girl whose body pierced with knife
wounds was found under a log In
Kluxen's Woods, near Madison. N. j.,
on October last.
1t took a jury imported from Essex
to Morris county three hours to de-
termine the innocence of the fifteen
year-old defendant. An attempted
demonstration over the verdict was
checked sharply by Justice Charles w.
Parker. who had previously warned
against manifestations of any kind.
The defendant betrayed no emotion,
even when Charles Spengler of Irving
ton, foreman Of the jury, doomed out
stentorian Not guilty." His de-
meanor throughout the trial has given
the impression of such confidence In
his innocence that vindication caused
neither relief nor surprise.
Mrs. Grace Kluxen, his mother, COL
lapsed when tho verdict was announced.
She had expected a quick verdict OF
acquittal. and after two hours Of walt
ing she became particularly nervous
clasping and unclasping her hands
wiping her face constantly with hcl
handkerchief and praying.
Charges Religious Hate.
The remarks OF Elmer King. chief
counsel for the accused boy, showed
the resentment felt by the family over
what they term their persecution by the
residents of the small community OF
Madison. One of the grounds advanced
for the unpopularity of the Kluxen
family was religious antagonism. Mrs
kluxen Is a devout Catholic. and the
boys uncle is engaged in the manu-
featuring sacramentai wines. One OF
the contentious OF the defense was that
the process of putting the grapes
through the. presses was responsible
for the red stains on the boys khaki
trousers and shirt Commenting upon
the verdict Attorney King said:
1.-THE best Jury Essex county could
furnish found the defendant not guilty
| hope the verdict will still the public
clamor and the virus manifested against
this boy by the people of the borough
of Madison. During the trial this lad
has not had one kind word from any
one In Madison
The feeling In Madison apparently
spread to the surrounding country, for
In spite OF the intense public interest
and excitement in Morristown during
the trial there was no attempt at a
jubilation over the verdict as the
kluxen boy pushed his way through
the crowd and stepped into the automo-
bile that was to take the family back
to their home
The only comment he made was. "I'm
glad it's all over. Now I can go home"
A few OF the townspeople waved their
hands. but most Of them stood silent
In clusters around the side door OF the
old brick Colonial court house.
The youth Of the defendant and the
fact that feeling in the county was SO
strong that Justice Parker refused to
intrust the case to native county
Jury made the case unusual. The
prosecuting attorney. J. Henry Har-
rison, also was brought in from the
neighboring county of Essex.
Hue and Cry blamed.
Francis Kluxen was the second per-
son to be tried for the murder. The
first was Frank Jancarek, who was
tried and acquitted. The confession
which he Is alleged to have made to a
(slim) McGlory admitting the murder
was sought to be introduced by the de-
tense in the Kluxen trial. but was ruled
out
The conviction Of Kluxen was re.
quested by Prosecutor Harrison in hi,
summing up because OF the contempo
raneous presence OF the boy and the gir
In the Kluxen Woods on the Afternoon
of october 8. the footprints near the
body, the fact that the defendant,
clothes were soaked In n pail OF colo
water on the evening OF the murder
the alleged similarity OF the darnlns
OF the handkerchiefs found on the girls
body with the mendng on handker.
/. chiefs found In the kluxen home and
the Boy Scout knife which the bo,
admitted having carried on the after
noon of the murder
! The force of the handkerchief tcsti
mony" was lessened when JustIc,
Parker remarked in his charge to tn,
fury that no evidence had been sub
mittcd showing a similarity OF textur,
between the handkerchefs, the testi
mony dealing only with the darnins
thereon. Likewise the court pointed
out that the shoes OF Francis Kluxef
had not been fitted into the footprint,
and there was nothing to show the,
were made by his escape from the spo
OF the murder.
For the defense Mr.. King said:
I'm the Jancarek trial the Stat,
brought the Kluxen boy here as a wit
ness After Jancarek was acquitte,
the hue and cry in Morris county for
yicarious sacrifice continued and tn,