Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 146, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1916 — FRANKFORT MURDERER ACQUITTED BY JURY [ARTICLE]

FRANKFORT MURDERER ACQUITTED BY JURY

Jury Returns Verdict of Not Guilty After Two (Hours’ Deliberation — Not Satisfactory to All. •* ’ v * • /Frankfort, Ind., June 18. —After being out two hours and taking three ballots, the jury to whom the case of the State of Indiana vs. Giles W. Trask, charged with the murder of Minerva A. Evans, better known as Madam Rand, was submitted, returned a verdict of not guilty. The return was - made to Judge Joseph Combs in the Clinton county circuit ' court room Saturday evening at 7:15 o’clock and although the vast throng that had crowded the oourt room since the trial began were /Warned not to make any demonstration, the verdict was received with cheers and hand clapping. Hardly before the court had time to discharge the jury, scores of friends surrounded the defendant and he was showered with congratulations. Trask at no time entertained the idea that he would ,be found guilty, and when the bell on the court house rang out the news that a verdict had been reached, he was asked what he thought it would be. He replied that it could be nothing but acquittal. After the verdict of the jury had been read iTrask thanked each of the jurors and the court. He first, however, embraced his wife, who has occupied a seat near him since the trial began. The verdict, while popular with many, did not meet with universal approval. There were many who felt that Trask should have been found guilty of manslaughter.