Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-04-07
JURORS ACQU|T
NURSE;CHEERS
GREET VERDICT
Apparently Gave Miss
Stone Benefit on In
sanity Defense Plea.
Came Back Into Court
After Four Hours to
Hear Sanity Claims.

New York. April 6.-Miss Olivia N
r. Stone. who shot and killed Ellis
6. Kinkead. former corporation counsel
of Cincinnati, August ;. 1921. Thurs
day night was acquitted of murder by
jury in the Brooklyn supreme court
Hundreds of men and women who
had gathered outside the courtroom
cheered repeatedly when the verdict
was announced, while those in the
crowded courtroom applauded.
The defendant. in contrast to her
highly nervous condition throughout
the trial. received the verdict calmly.
Glad Suspense Is Over
Miss Stone Justice Aspinall said;
twelve reputable citizens have said
YOU are not guilty. under the law.
]. therefore. discharge you and you are
now free woman
Miss Stone was led to an anteroom
by her attorney and two matrons Of
the Raymond street jail She looked
ten years younger than she did when
she appeared on the witness stand a
the courtroom showered her with
flowers.
I'm the happiest woman in the
world" she said. I'm free woman
now. can 60 where please. At last
the suspense is over
After the jurors had deliberated four
hours. they sent a request to Justice
Aspinwall that expert testimony as to
Miss Stones mental condition given by
DR.. Sylvester r. l.ancy, for the state.
and DIR. Annette NJ Ralston. for the
defense. be read to them Justice AS
pinwall had the jury conducted to the
court room and the testimony read.
Was Jury Of Men Only
to
her mother before the ending of the
day was expressed by Miss Stone when
she left the Raymond street jail in
Brooklyn to hear Supreme Court JUS
tice Aspinwall charge the jury that will
decide her fate.
There are no members Of her sex in
the box.
The prosecution in summing UP
Wednesday asserted that the case was
a test of the supremacy of American
law and would determine whether jli
stice could be meted out to men and
women alike.
Kinkead, former corporation counsel
Of Cincinnati. was shot and killed near
his home in Brooklyn. August ,, 1921.
Miss Stone was indicted on a charge
Of murder in the first degree, to which
she pleaded not guilty.
Her defense was that. betrayed by
Kinkead she had traced him. hoping to
get him to right the wrong. She testi |
fled that she had a temporary explo |
sion of the brain and reco!lected moth |
ing Of the shooting.
Her counsel contended that she had |
been legally welded TO Kinkead in AT /
lantic City in 1918 by common law |
marriage.
Judges Charge to Jury
As Supreme Court Justice Aspin-
wall read his charge. Miss Stone wept !
and trembled
The justice enumerated the six pos
Rihlc verdicts the jurors might return
not guilty by reason of insanity: guilty I
Of first degree murder; guilty. of second
degree murder: guilty of first degree
manslaughter guilty Of second degree
manslaughter. or not guilty
He devoted particular attention 10
the defense of temporary insanity set
up by Miss Stones counsel. explaining
10 the jury that. since some evidence
had been introduced tending to show
Miss Stones reason was defective at
the time of the staying. it was up to
the prosecution 10 show that she had
no disease OF the mind
He exhorted the jurors to "elmi-
nate sympathy and prejudice from
their minds. explaining at the same
time that they must find beyond
reasonable doubt that this woman was
guilty Of crime before they could con
y;ct her