Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1917 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. “ ... SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL in the Nearby Cities and Towns —Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. ACQUIT FRENCH OF MURDER Man Who Shot Ray Elston Was Found “Not Guilty.” Montieello, December 18. —Edward French, charged with the murder of Ray Elston at Brookston on the morning of July 23, was acquitted here this afternoon after the case had been in the hands of the jury three hours. The verdict was announced shortly after 4 o’clock and there was no demonstration. After the verdict had been announced French jumped to liis feet and thanked each of the jurymen as they filed out of the jury box. He then accompanied liis wife and daughter to his home in Brookston, French shot Elston in the former’s soft (lring establishment when the latter refused to leave after being ordered out, and Elston died in a Lafayette” hospital a few hours later.