McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1922-06-30
GOVERNOR LEN
SMALL IS FREED
JURY TRYING ILLINOIS GOVERN,
OR FINDS HIM NOT GUILTY.
TWO BALLOTS NECESSARY
Cheers Greet Verdict and Demonstra,
ton Is Staged.-verdict Ends Nine
Weeks Trial--Was Indicted
One Year Ago.

Waukegan, Ill.-The jury trying Gov.
Len Small Saturday found him not
guilty The jury was out one hour and
35 minutes.
Cheers that shook the rafters Of the
ancient Lake county courthouse greet
cd the verdict. Friends by scores
poured through the gates to the bar
inolusure seeking to gap the gov.
ernor's hands.
The flashlights of half dozen pho
tographers doomed, and for minutes
pandemonium reigned.
Escorted by friends the governor
and his family shook hands with the
Jurors and thanked them.
Jurors said they took two ballots.
The first one stood II to / for acquit-
tai. The second was unanimous.
"We would have been sooner, but we
wanted to stay out long enough to
make 1t look right" one juror told one
of the governors attorneys.
The verdict ends nine weeks trial.
The jury went out at 2:O3 and returned
ut 1888.
Foreman Alexander Smith, farm
er, handed a sealed envelope to the
Judge.
The court opened it, read the yer
dict. and silently passed the slip of pa
per to L. J. Wilmott, deputy circuit
court clerk. "We, the jury" Mr.. VIII
mott read, find the defendant, Len
Small, not guilty"
Gov. Small issued statement at
o'clock declaring he was always conf
dent the verdict would acquit him O
the charge of conspiring to defraut
| the state of interest on public funds
His statement follows:
1.-The verdict of mot guilty is a re
suit | was always sure would follow
in the trial of the case against me
and this is the reason that | knew
there was no guilt 1t should be born,
! in mind that was indicted on Jul,
20, 1921, and continuously from tina
time until the present hour my serv
ices to the state of Illinois as it's chic
executive have been hampered, and a
times well nigh destroyed during thi
litigation.
Il was particularly DESTROYS that thu
people of the state of Illinois SHOULD
know fully and in detail each and ey
cry transaction which was in the hand
of the persons who inspired this pros
ecution and that these facts be Gillette,
before jury Of IL men who would dc
eide upon my guilt.
1.-THE people of Illinois have their an
swer. Naturally, while | PERSONAL,
am delighted at the quick action by tn
Jury in deciding this case, | do no
think that the years will be Ion
enough to efface from my memory tn
unhappiness and sorrow that they hav
brought into my home and to my fan
lily by the most unjust, unfair charge
that believe were ever made agains
a man in the history of Illinois.
Il will return to my official duties
and |. these people who have bee
seeking 10 destroy my usefulness vii
take the verdict of this jury as a re
pudiation OF their methods, will, wit
| the help OF God, give to the people 0
Illinois tn, best administrator | an
| capable o.
u want to express my gratitude t
the good people of Lake county, an
| particularly to Waukegan, for thei
kindness and hospitality, for their goo
| cheer, their sympathy and understand
lug OF the sorrow resulting from thi
prosecution. In this community / hay
made friends that almost make the try
! Ing days Of the last nine weeks wort
more while. do not know what ca
ever do to repay them for their man
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