Show APPLAUD THE VERDICT Man Acquitted I of Murder Charge of Long Standing JURY OUT FIFTEEN MINUTES Crime Committed TwentySev en Years Ago Escaped From Jail Soon After His Arrest and Only Captured a Short While Ago Nashville Til Feb 28 William Murray whoso strange escapades have led the police to characterize him as the modern Jean Valjcan has been acquitted ac-quitted of the charge of murdering his brotherinlaw Joel Woodrome Murray Mur-ray escaped from Jail at WIlHamsburg in this county twentyseven years ago end fled to Tennessee where he lived an exemplary life under the assumed name of Howard He was finally arrested and brought back loj Jefferson county for trial on tho charge of murder I The verdict was received with cheers by the crowd which has been steadfast In attendance on the trial Murray demeanor during the trial won him many friends As the case progressed I and the evidence that he had killed his brotherinlaw In selfdefense became more and more preponderant hope arose that the accused man who long ago had atoned for hlK deed In a life of unusual un-usual faultlessness should be permitted to go free OUT FIFTEEN MINUTES The juiy was but fifteen minutes In I returning Its verdict The trial occupied two l days The identification l of the defendant I de-fendant was complete He did not deny that his real name Is Murray The son of the Sheriff who first arrested him twentyseven years ago witnessed Murray Mur-ray s escape from the Jefferson county Jail and called to him to return As Murray fled the boy threw a stone at him In childish anger then ran and told his father that his most important prisoner pris-oner had escaped Murray was captured and brought back but again managed to free himself and made his way to Tennessee where for more than a quarter of a century he lived above suspicion lie sent for his wife and children and they lived with him until the faithful wife died and the children married or left to make homes of their own PROSPERED AS FARMER Murray prospered us a farmer and was known and loved over the countryside country-side near Dunlap Tenn for his unselfishness unsel-fishness generosity mind charity His capture by the son of the former Sheriff Sher-iff now deputy sherilC of Jyfferson county was brought about through an accident the young man having heard that an uncle of Murray was living near Dunlap and was frequently visited by an elderly man of quiet manners man-ners whose general description suited that of the escaped man PLACED UNDER ARREST The young deputy together with Sheriff Manlon of JcfCcihon county made a trip to Tennessee and drove out to Murrays or Howards farm When I informed that he was under arrest Murray quietly said All right I will go back with you I knew tiis t had to come some day and I am not sorry that It has come now I FRIENDS OF YOUTH Among the men and women who attended at-tended the trial were many whose youth has long since flown but who rc I mcmbered Murray and his brotherin I law Woodrome as young men They could scarcely l believe that the gray haired man with the careworn face was the same William Murray who had become be-come involved In a quarrel with Wood rome over family matters so many years ago and had shot his brotherin law down In the streets of Wllllams burg Murray held a little reception after he had been discharged by the court thanking his friends for their faith In him amid their active sympathy and telling them how happy he was that he could spend the closing days of his life free from the haunting fear of prison maybe the gallows Ho Intends to ic turn to his farm near Dunlap Tenn |