Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1917 — French Is Acquitted Of Murder Of Ray Elston [ARTICLE]

French Is Acquitted Of Murder Of Ray Elston

Edward French, charged with the murder of Ray Elston of Brookston on the morning of July 23, was acquitted at Monticello, Tuesday afternoon after the case had been in the hands of the jury three hours. The verdict was announced in court shortly after four o’clock, and there was no demonstration. After the verdict had been announced, French jumped to his feet and thanked each of the jurymen as they filed out of the jury box. He then accompanied his wife and daughter to his home in Brookston. French shot Elston in the former’s soft drink establishment, when the latter refused to leave after being ordered out, and Elston died in the hospital a few hours later. All home print today. Read the inside pages.