FIGHT FOR BIG ESTATE

Grey River Argus, 29 June 1925, Page 5

FIGHT FOR BIG ESTATE

SHEPHERD ACQUITTED McClintock Mystery A L’Ol’l I.AIt. VERu.I I. (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received June 2b at 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 27. William Shepherd has been acquitted at- Chicago on the charge of mur dering young W illiain McClintoi k, the foster soiv of the late \\ illiain Me (’liutock the millionaire. The second charge against Shop herd oi murdering Mrs McClintock, mother of the youth William McClintock, was withdrawn, and Shepherd has now been set free. The facts of the case were that mercury in sufficient quantities to kih two persons was found in the body of McClintock’s mother, Mrs Emma McClintock, who died in 1909. llm Coroner declared last. April (hat Le was positive she was murdered, because the ex idence w a<s of such a nature that theories of suicide or accidental pt i'-oiimg v.ei.- ima''f table. Judge Olsen, who imt .tied : c inquiry, claimed that blie l q;:ii l : .inb red the woman as a lirst slip in ms plot to gajn ci nerol of Ji. ■ limn dollars’ McClintock estate, then lolled Doctor Olsen, the Judge’s brother, when the latter threatened to ».«i.lk his plans, and finally he poisoned McClintock, when .the boy's impenu-ng marring© threatened to deprive accused of the money. Mercury va? also found in Doctor Olsen"s body a't<r three years in the grave. The physician who attended the woman declared that he never p> • scribed mercury. All the evidence during the li <d, which lasted for six weeks, vas < ' R circumstantial, and the prosecmi m admitted that the testimony cf its chief witness, Faiman a a-, ■ During the jury’s ..‘liberations, lasting five and a halt • >urs, onh one juror favoured the minimum mur der punishment. The others advocated an accquittal. Nine of the cousins of McUi".m>'l' will contest the bestowal of the million dollars estate on Shepherd, they alelging that he used undue influ cnee in the preparation ..f the v.ill, which was drawn up by Shepherd At the trial, Miss Isabelle I'ope. Win. McClintock's fiancee, test'd ed that Shepherd had delayed the marriage ceremony for fear of losing th' 1 settlement. She admitted that McClintock’s cousins had agreed to lit the benefit, if the will were broken. When the verdict was announced, the Court became a bedlam .o| «< ngratulations to Shepherd, and Hashlights boomed over a gesticulating, shouting crowd.