Evening star., 1928-10-28
ACquittaI Comes After Jury
Is Out Less Than Hour
and a Half.
THRONG IN COURTROOM
APPLAUDS CASE VERDICT
Wife and Child With Accused at
End-Assault Charge Still
to Be Tried.
By a stan Correspondent of The Star.


FREDERICK, Md, october 81
Samuel T. Robertson of Bethesda, Md,
was found not guilty of the murder of
Edward L. Mills, by jury of Frederick
County farmers shortly before midnight.
The jury was given the case at 10.2F
o'clock and reached its verdict an hour
and 80 minutes later.
In accordance with Maryland law,
Robertson stood facing the jury with
his right hand held in the air, the
thumb of his left hand was hooked in
his trousers pocket and he wore a con-
f1dent smile on his face, as he waited
for the foreman to announce the jury's
decision. Despite the fact that Judge
Hammond Urner had announced that
no demonstration whatsoever would be
tolerated, the more than a hundred
persons packed in the courtroom shout
ed for nearly five minutes after the ver-
dict was announced.
Wife Hears Verdict.
Robertson left the courtroom with
one arm around his wife's shoulders
and the other bearing his smallest
child, who had fallen asleep during the
tiresome wait while the jury was out
of the room.
Although cleared of the murder
charge, Robertson still must stand trial
on charge of assault with intent to
murder in connection with his alleged
a+f nIy ~ rs
1t was after this fight with Trout that
Robertson surrendered to police and
was charged with the murder of Mills.
After consultation between the
prosecution and defense counsel, it was
agreed to let Robertson go home with
his family tonight and he will appear
In court Monday and post bond in this
case.
The acquittal of Robertson leaves the
Mills murder as one of the most puz-
zling mysteries in the history of Mont
gomery County. The consensus among
the spectators here after listening to
the evidence in this case was that the
identity of the man who walked up
to Mills under the guise Of friendship
on his farm near Hunting Hill and
shot him to death at daybreak, July Z,
1927, will never be known.
Mrs. Mills Unmoved.
Every seat in the courtroom was
taken and more than 100 persons
stood during the five hours consumed
by attorneys in their argument to the
jury. Almost hidden in the dense
crowds were Paul Mills, son of the
dead man, and Mrs. Bertha Mae Mills,
his widow Mrs. Mills appeared des-
pondent while waiting for the Jury to
return and showed no signs of emotion
as its verdict was announced.
AS Robertson was preparing to return
to his home for the first time in six
months, he paused to shake the hand of
each juryman and expressed his appre-
ciation of their decision. THE knowl-
edge of my innocence has sustained me
throughout this ordeal" he said, but I
cannot forget the terrific strain my wife
has been under, and the insulting in
situations made against her character" !"
Robertson, with his wife and three
children, left for his home as soon as
he could make his way through crowd
OF friends who thronged about him to
shake his hand and slap him on the
back.
Police Are Criticized.
The theme of the arguments of de-
tense counsel was expressed in one
sentence by Albert M Bouic, who said:
1T is far better that this crime 60
unsolved than to take this innocent
man and make him victim to save
the scalps of the police force of Mont
gomery County" Chief Alvie Moxley of
Continued on Page 2, Column A.