Putnam patriot., 1929-05-02
ACTION OF STATES ATTORNEY INJEcTs ANOTHER SEN. sATIoN IN COUNTS MOST SENSATIONAL CRIME.-
 STATE SEES NO POSSIBILITY Or CONVICTION.
Court Refuses AequitRradford Believes in Gut-King
 Says innocence Could Be Proved

held in Willimantic last Friday morn. ming States Attorney Howard c. Bradford of Putnam, with the con sent of Judge L. r. Waldo Marvin of Hartford, entered nolle proseque in the case of State of Connecticut vs. Trenor A. Rice, indicted by a Wind ham county jury for murder in the first degree for the killing of his one time friend and associate, William E. Jackson During the day Rice was set free and left the county jail at Brooklyn with Attorney John Har- vey. son of one of Riee's counsel. Samuel B. Harvey. Rice immediate ly returned to his home in Wiiliman- tie and during the afternoon was greeted and congratulated npen his release by some of his friends and fellow t0wnsmen. He says he will re main in Willimantic.
 Secrecy Msiotained
 Throughout the case secrecy has been maintained cn the part of the state. This course was pursued to the very end. When the states at t0rncy stated in court that he intend ed to nolle the ease against Rice the action came most unexpectedly to the public and even counsel for the defendant were taken by surprise, thus more sensation was added Co this case, the most sensational case that Windham county has ever known.
 Although entering a nolle in the case against the defendant States Attorney Bradford made it known that he did not consider Rice free from guilt. This brought from At torney William A. King. senior mem Der of Riee's counsel, statement that he and his associate considered Rice entirely innocent and had ex- peeted to prove their clients inno- cence at the trial. In his lengthy statement 10 the court. ending in the noiie prosecute. States Attorney Bradford points out that the state has lost two of it's important wit nesses, Mrs. Jackson by suicide and Mrs Andrews by death, He also speaks or the notes left by Mrs. Jack son exonerating Rice and brands them as false statements in 8 number of particulars. Mir King declared that he would prepare a statement for the press declaring Riee's in- nocenee
 The statement made by States At terney Bradfrd in asking the courts permission to nolle the case against Rice was as follows:
 The States Attorney
 May it please the court. l wish al this time to bring to your attention the case of the State against Trenor A. Rice who stands indicted for mur- der in the first degree. You will re- call 1t was tentatively agreed last Fri day that upon Tuesday of next week, we should summon in a large num- Der cf jurors and proceed with the selection of panel to try the ease, If the course which 1 wish to submit to your honor is approved by you, there will be no need of summ0ning extra jurors next week.
 ''This case grows out of the wilIul and deliberate shooting of William E Jackson who was foully murdered in the kitchen of his home in Wiiliman. tic at about 6 o'clock on the evening of January 20 last when he was alone in the house. his wife having gone tC the business section of the city to bring their daughter home from work
 "The body when first found was ly. ing on the floor of the kitchen m front of the sink with the feet toward the door leading out Of the house and the head near china closet. MT Jackson was heavily clothed prepara tory Co going out to milk his cows with cap on his head and he had on rubber boots. There was absolutely no sign of struggle and he came C his death from a revolver fired wher he was not aware of danger. This was borne out by the fact that his outside coat was buttoned up around his neck and he was holding in his hand pair of gloves which dropped by his side when he fell. His glasses and hat were partially thrown from his head and face in falling but the glasses were not broken. The kitchen was in perfect order and his assailant must have taken him unawares while he was getting ready Co go outside.
 Expert With Revolver
 Death was instantaneous Che bull let entering above the right cheek passing behind the eyes and slightly upward through the brain and shat terinu the skull on Che left side uf ths head. The fatal bullet was the only one that was fired and the perpetrat or of the crime must have been ar expert with the revolver There wer, no powder marks on his face and tho course oi the bullet was such that Dr. Costello of Hartford who per formed Che autopsy would testify that it was impossible for the wound te have been self inflicted.
 Rice had been an inmate of tho Jackson home. but had removed his t.f.....fs,.a,.. 4l4. GrwI1xr rsrTsFfnfrc fa Cha