Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1903 — TONA DUNLAP ACQUITTED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TONA DUNLAP ACQUITTED.

Jury in AJedo Poisoning Case Declares Young Woman Not Guilty. Miss Tona Dunlap, on trial at Aledo, 111., for the murder of Allie Dool, was acquitted by the jury shortly before

noon Saturday., The verdict came unexpectedly; the courtroom was not full when the jurymen took their -places, and when "not guilty” wns read it was hardly comprehended by those sitting in the courtroom. Tona Dunlap, whose very life had been regiven

to her by those twelve men, rushed to them and thanked them for what they had done. Tona Dunlap, the bosom friend of Miss Dool, and one who, but for the circumstantial evidence that accumulated against her, would be among the last to be suspected of taking the life of the joung woman, is one of the most popular young girls in Aledo, as was Miss Doo) before her death. The case is one of the most interesting in the criminal annals of Illinois. On the night of Aug. 7 Miss Dunlap purchased some chocolate/ and shared them with Allie Dool, her closest friend. Miss Dool was immediately taken ill and died shortly afterward in great agony. In her dying statements she practically accused Miss Dunlap of poisoning her. When suspicion pointed to Miss Dunlap she found many supporters, and several weeks passed in the accumulation of evidence by the State's Attorney before the authorities ventured to take her into custody. The preliminary trial before a justice of the peace resulted in her discharge from custody, but later the State’s Attorney presented the evidence to the grand jury, and Miss Dunlap was indicted. The State proved that the defendant purchased poison from a drug store a few days before the death of Allie Dool. On this point the State laid great stress, and on the face of it the evidence looked bad. But Miss Dunlap's attorneys brought forward her sister, who swore positively that Tona came to her room at night, sat on the floor, removed her shoes and stockings, took thte package of poison and applied the entire contents on a corn on one of her toes. The death of Allie Dool is more of a mystery than ever. This ease has been ever one of mystery. After five long weeks, weeks in which every effort has been made to probe into its secrets, it is only deeper.

MISS TONA DUNLAP