Imperial Valley press., 1929-02-21
VERDICT
A(;((U|TS
K|LC()RE|+.
Wild Demonstration AS
Youth Goes Free After
Murder Trial.
MOTHER COLLAPSES
Accused Thanks Jury and
Promises His Life VIII
BE Exemplary.

Martin Ray Kilgorc, who was
accused Of the murder of Frank
Rartley on the Bartlcy ranch
December 30, walked from the
courtroom last night free man.
After five hours and 10 minutes
of delibcration the jury returned to
Judge \. G. Finncy's superior
court and at exactly 9 p. m. the
clerk read the following:
eve, the jury, find the defen-
cant, Martin Ray Kilgorc, not
guilty.
The announcement was the cue
for the beginning of one Of the
widest demonstrations ever seen in
the county Of Imperial.
Men screamed and threw their
hats in the air while the women
laughing and crying at the same
time, ran forward to embrace young
kilgore.
The latter, ignoring for the time
being the wild shrieks, walked TO
the Jury box and shaking hands
with each member said
Ladies and gentlemen, my life
in the future will hc such that you
will never regret your verdict.
Then, turning from the jury
box, the youth shook hands with the
throngs surrounding him and cX-
pressed his appreciation for the
faith they had shown in him.
Mrs. Kilgore did not appear in
the courtroom to hcar the verdict,
hut was waiting outside the court
house in n parked machine and q
few seconds after the verdict had
been read her joyous screams drift
I'd through the open windows to the
1ars Of her son-thc son who had
till,d the man who outraged her
rrtuc.
NJ. d. KilEorc, the father, threw
Is arms around his son S neck and
tricd:
"Tbank God! My son has been
sparcd''
To Begin Anew
Kilgorc was rushed to the county
jail TO get his y,lcasr lie was greet.
ed there ly his uncle, +. u. XII
gore, who as hc shook hands with
his nephew, c&claimcG:
'Son brought YOU in here and
swore at the time that Ia be
the one to take You out. -
Addressing the nowspapcrmcn in
Sheriff Charles OillDtt's office,
kilgore said:
"'Fcl}ows, IN going TO begin
where ] stopped. IN going TO 90
back home and bring my family to-
Rcthcr again and | kaoW We II all
hc happy. It sccmt So wondcrful TO
be free again. Now if YOU II cN-
cusc me
As the lad signed his release slip,
members Of the shcrff's office
said:
Good lyc, Ray, and God bless
you"
He rushed outside to his mother
Mr' kilgorc was lying in the ma
chine, mccuscious, with her head in
the lap Of Thelma Wallace, her
son : Imperial Valley sweetheart.
The scene that was enacted in the
yard Of the Jail last night was one
to be long remembered by those who
Witnessed it.
The father and children bending
over the prostrate body of the
mother kissing her, crying, praying
aloud that she would regain con
srioudncss.
"Mother, dear" Ray mumured,
"everything S all right, mother and
we are ready to go back home. y
Jury Thanked
She was carried into the Jail and
after receiving the treatment Of n
doctor the happy party drove away,
amid wild cheers from the onlook-
crS.
Following the announcement of
the jury decision, Edward b.
lIcrvey thanked the jury on behalf
of the defense for their kind con-
sideration. Elmer Head, district at
tornoy, also thanked the jury.
Mrs. Barley widow OF the slain
man was not in the room when the
verdict was read.
The ease wat one of the most un-
usual ever heard of in Imperial
county, with the prosecution des-
cribing Ray Kilgore as q heartless,
cold blooded murderer who waited
in ambush for his victim to come
within range Of his shot gun, and
the defense stcadfastly maintaining
that their client was driven tempo
rarily insane by hil mothers con
fession of Illicit affairs between
herself and another man and that
the defendant S actions were justi-
fable under the laws of God
That truth is stranger than fiction