Evening star., 1931-12-13
WOLFENDEN FREED
OF MURDER CHARGE
Manassas Jury Returns Ac.
quittaI Verdict Shortly
Before Midnight.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Speelhl DlSpatch TO The Star
MANASSAS, Va, December IA
verdict OF not guilty was returned just
before midnight tonight in the murder
trial OF Walter Wolfenden. Prince Will
liam County farmer, who had been
charged with the Staying of Goodwin
Miller, his wife, Virginia Miller, and
their infant son. The charred remains
OF the three had been found in their
nome near Kopp on September IS.
Ihe jury required less than IS min
utes elaboration, receiving the case at
ll:l5 o'clock tonight and reporting the
Verdict OF acQuittal at 11:59
The Commonwealth rested its case
at noon today, following two days OF
taking testimony before large crowds in
the court house here Trial Judge Wal
ter 7. Mccarthy oyerruled a motion for
q directed verdict Of Tnot guilty" made
by defense attorneys Frederick L. Lynn
Of Alexandria and IT. Z. Didlake of
Manassas.
Sister Says Suspect Was Home.
Bertha Wolfenden, sister OF the &C.
cused, who made her home with him.
required the assistance of an interpre-
ter to help her hear and answer ques-
tions because Of deafness and a pro-
nounced impeachment of speech.
Through her sister, Mrs Elizabeth
Luck, the woman denied that her
brother had been away from home
longer than Is minutes on the night
preceding the fire At that time. she
said, he went to the yard to drive some
horses back into the pasture from q
turnip patch and returned to bed i'm
mediately
Previously Joe Wolfenden, q nephew
OF the defendant, had said that his
uncle at breakfast had explained to the
woman when asked where he was last
night that he had gone out to drive
the horses away. Bertha Wolfenden
denied that she had asked her brother
any such question.
Defendant Tells of Insurance.
The defendant took the stand In his
own behalf and explained he went to
Fredericksburg following the fire to OBJ
tain $3.50 insurance money on the life
Of Goodwin Miller. He declared he de-
posted the sum in the name OF his
fiancee, Miss Mary Carter, because
there were several Judgements out
standing against him and he feared
the money might be tied up in Iitiga-
ton. He had expected to use the
money, he said, to discharge overdue
mortgages on his home, which he was
about to lose through foreclosure.
The defendant said he spent several
days. following the fire, in Manassas
and in Middlesex County. He declared
his first knowledge of the fire was OBJ
tanned from newspapers.
Several character witnesses were in
troduced in behalf of the defense, and
others verified the defendants version
Of his movements prior to the fire.
Victim Drunk, Witnesses Say.
Other witnesses testified that Miller
had been drunk on the night preceding
his death and had engaged in several
quarrels. The three bodies were found
on the bed springs, which had dropped
to the floor when the bed frame burned.
Wolfenden, who is somewhat deaf,
explained that he heard the horses
tramping about in the turnip patch
before getting up to drive them back
to the pasture, He appeared to have
little difficulty, however, in understand
ing the questions directed at him
Following the judges charge to the
jury, the State and defense we're al
lowed one hour each TO argue the case