Oxford eagle., 1922-06-29
GOVERNOR LEN
SMALL IS FREED
JURY TRYING ILLINOIS GOVERN
OR FINDS HIM NOT GUILTY.
TWO BALLOTS NECESSARY
Cheers Greet Verdict and Demonstra-
tion Is Staged.-Verdict Ends Nine
Weeks Trial-Was Indicted
One Year Ago.

One Year Ago.
Waukegan, Ill-The jury trying Gov.
Len Small Saturday found him not
guilty. The jury was out one hour and
S5 minutes.
Cheers that shook the rafters of the
ancient Lake county courthouse greet
ed the verdict. Friends by scores
poured through the gates to the bar
inclosure seeking to grasp the gov
ernor's hands.
The flashlights of a 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 il TO 1 for acquit
tai The second was unanimous.
1--WE would have been sooner, but we
wanted to stay out long enough to
make it look right" one juror told one
of the governors attorneys.
The verdict ends nine weeks trial
The jury went out at 2: 03 and returned
at 3:3S.
Foreman Alexander Smith, farm
er, handed a sealed envelope to- the
judge.
The court opened it, read the ver-
dict, and silently passed the slip Of pa
per to L. ]. Wilmott, deputy circuit
court clerk. 1--WE, the jury" Mr.. Will
Small not guilty"
Gov. Small issued statement at 4
O'clock declaring he was always conf
dent the verdict would acquit him Of
the charge of conspiring to defraud
the state of interest on public funds.
His statement follows:
The verdict of not guilty is re-
suit / was always sure would follow
in the trial of the case against me,
and this is the reason that l knew
there was no guilt. 1t should be borne
in mind that l was indicted on July
20, 1921, and continuously from that
time until the present hour my serv-
ices to the state OF Illinois as its chief
executive have been hampered, and at
times well nigh destroyed during this
litigation.
81 was particularly desirous that the
people of the state of Illinois should
know fully and in detail each and ev-
cry transaction which was in the hands
of the persons who inspired this pros
ecution and that these facts be elected
before jury Of IL men who would de-
eide upon my guilt.
THE people of Illinois have their an
swer. Naturally, while l personally
am delighted at the quick action by the
jury in deciding this case, l do not
think that the years will be long
enough to efface fIom my memory the
unhappiness and sorrow that they have
brought into my home and to my fam
lily by the most unjust, unfair charges
that | believe were ever made against
man in, the history of Illinois.
Il will return to my official duties,
and i, these people who have been
seeking 20 destroy my usefulness will
take the verdict of this jury as re-
pudiation of their methods, | WILL with
the help OF God, give to the people of
Illinois tllc best administrator l am
capable o.
y want TO express my gratitude to
the good people of Lake county, and
particularly to Waukegan, for their
kindness and hospitality, for their good
cheer, their sympathy and understand
ing of the sorrow resulting from this
prosecution. In this community | have
made friends that almost make the try
ing days of the last nine weeks worth
more while. do not know what | can
ever do to repay them for their many
kindnesses.
Il want tc thank the men who have
managed and controlled the case in
my behalf, and their assistants, and
the men who worked with them during
the long, trying ordeal of this case
They have labored long into the hours
of the night, with loyalty and devo-
tion that | can never forget; and aside
from all else / want them always to
realize my appreciation of their serv-
ices. LEN SMALL.
Atlanta Gets 1923 kiwanis Meeting.