The Washington times., 1929-03-28
.ACQlJI7TAL
IS QUICKLY
GIVEN. by j.
JURY

Murley L. (Mike) Craig, who
was acquitted last night Of the
murder Of William P. Liggon,
whose widow he married less
than a month after Liggon's
death, is free today for the
first time since last Decem.
Der. .-.
Ever since his arrest on the
charge Of deliberately drowning LiE.
gon when their boat upset, he had
been incarcerated in the city Jail
in default Of bond.
Craig and his wife, zillah, who
stuck by him during the trial, are
at home today receiving the com
gratulations Of friends and ,cele.
brating the acquittal
After celebrating Is minutes, the
jury brought, in q verdict of not
guilty at 6:45 last night.
One Sister Faints .
AS the foreman announced the
jury's finding two sisters Of Craig
screamed breaking the hush that
wrapped the courtroom, and one
of them tainted. Although every
seat was filled, there was no dem.
onstration. Judge John l.. Ingram,
who presided throughout the two.
day trial warning against any dis
play of feeling
Craig thanked the jury and
friends crowded about to congratu-
brought Vindication and freedom.
| Thu defence annH1Iofnl hN1 Affnr.
ney Leith S. Bremner, focused on
the contention that the prosecution
failed to establish the corpus deicti.
Used Few Witnesses
With the exception of DR.. James
NJ. Whitfield who performed an
autopsy on Liggon's body, and
Detective Sergeant Jack Wiltshire.
prosecution witnesses the defense
did not put on any of its witnesses.
1t had been expected that both
Craig and Mrs. Craig would take
the stand.
The case of the prosecution, pre-
sented by Commemorative Attor.
ney Dave e. Satterfield and Charles
w Moss. assisted by c. T. Tinsley,
of Mr.. Satterfield's office, empha-
sized the alleged motive in the case
the alleged intimate relations
which they said existed between
Craig and Mrs. Liggon. whom he
later married, prior to the death OF
Liggon. -
BY agreement, argument Of the
case was limited to an hour and
90 minutes-evenly divided between
the opposing sides. The instruc.
tions of the court to the Jury were
regarded as favorable to the &C.
cused.
Craig was charged with. having
killed Liggon by hitting him over
the head with stick after their
small rowboat capsized in q freshet
in James River. and then having
married Liggon's widow to obtain
insurance money Of $4,000.
Defense Motion Lost
Mr.. Bremner entered q motion
that the testimony of Detective
Sergeants Frank !. Gentry and r.
B. Sterling, relating to their invest1.
| cation Of the case, be stricken
from the record, and requested that
Judge Ingram instruct that the
corpus delicti has not been estah-
lished, contending that no evidence
had been adduced to show the man
ner and cause OF Liggon'S death.
| The motion was overruled.
Detective> Sergeant Gentry mar.
rated the story Of the tragedy told
him by Craig. Liggon. according
to testimony, was standing in the
stern of a small rowboat, with
Craig rowing. The accused told
Detective Sergeant Gentry that
large drifting log with a boathook,
hfS balance Thn 1nS @tTsIlTk
the careening craft. which capSized,
throwing both men into the water.
Craig declared that in an attempt
to rescue his companion, Liggon
seized him by the neck and arm.
Both sank. Coming to the surface.
Craig grabbed q drifting stick and
struck Liggon over the head with
it, forcing him to release his hold.
Witnesses Tell of IntimacieS
The defense made no determined
effort to disprove the prosecutions
contention of intimacies between
Craig and Mrs. Liggon before the
tragedy. Mrs. Lucy Cary. L. A.
Ciucci, proprietor of cleaning and
pressing establishment; G. NJ. Scott,
who lived opposite the Liggon home
on Parkwood Avenue: Mrs. Dorothy
! IlSTOr AuulSs ana OlIEcIS LOIu VI dA0
legged clandestine meetings and OF
subsequent intimacies between the
/ two.
Mrs. Adams, a. cousin Of Mrs. Lig.
gon, described a kodak snapshot OF
| the two in an unconventional pose.
When asked If she could produce It.
she said it was destroyed 80 hat
the newspapers could not get hold OF
and publish it,"
w. H. Bosher gave testimony to
the effect tht he had heard Craig de.
clare an offer Of $500 to any one
who would knock him presumably
Liggon) off," Then according to
Bosher. Craig planned to buy an
automobile and go to Los Angeles.
Alleged intimacies existing be-
tween Craig and the then Mrs. Lig.
| gon for three or four months prior
to the tragedy were related by Miss
Cora Macgruder. In one instance,
she said, Mrs. Liggon sat on Craig's
| lap and kissed him.
The sudden marriage in Washing
ton on September II. 26 days after
LigROn's death, was the substance
of the testimony Of Mrs. Mitchell, a
! next door reighbor, who accompanied
the two as far as Fredericksburg.
Coroner Whitefield described the
! injuries to the head of Liggon, In
| flicted. he said. presumably. b.