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Show UNWRITTEN LAW IN FILLMORE Fillmore, .Tan. 16 Edward Chris-topherson Chris-topherson and George C. Richardson walked from tbe district court room this afternoon free men. After less than an hour s deliberation, the jurors who beard their trial on charges of murJering Samuel Geaslln last April returned a verdict of not guilty. The unwritten" law." a law in Utah's statutes, proved an effective plea Although self-defense was also brought out as an excuse by tbe defense, de-fense, the great weight of evidence was laid upon the statement that Geaslm had forced Mrs Christopher-son, Christopher-son, by threats, to accompany him in a flight from her home. Mrs. Chrlstopherson made an effective effec-tive witness for her husband and her father, the defendant Richardson occupying oc-cupying thst relationshtp towards her. Sitting quietly on the stand, her voice clear and contained, with only an occasional oc-casional tremor to betray her inmost feelings, she related the story of how Geaslln, a sheophcrder after a long period of threats against her life and that, of her loved ones, finally frightened fright-ened her into fleeing with him. She tod of the two days and nl?hts on the trail in a sheepherder's wagon, wag-on, of the awakening in the early dawn when her betrayer stepped to the door of the wagon to face a challenge chal-lenge from the pursuing husband and father, of the attempt to Geaslln to shoot, and of the bullet which penetrated pene-trated his throat, ending his life. Her story did not go unchallenged. Under a grilling fire of questions, poured in during the cross-examination by District Attorney Edmund H. Ryan and Comity Attorney R. W. ing, sho did not falter. Without a break in coherency or a lapse of memory mem-ory she retold her story under this searching investigation. When she left the stand her story was unchanged. unchang-ed. Fifteen witnesses, aside from Mr. and Mrs. Chrlstopherson and Mr. Richardson, Rich-ardson, took the stand for the defense. All told the jurors that Geaslln had borne a bad reputation as a dangerous danger-ous and quarrelsome man, one who would use a gun with slight provocation. provoca-tion. Others told of boasts by the slain man that he had induced. Mrs. Chrlstopherson Chrls-topherson to sustain Immoral relations rela-tions with him and that be was going to take her out of the country. Others testified that Geaslln had said that he could take Mrs. Chrlstopherson from her husband and continue to live In Skull valley and that the defendants would not dare raise a hand against him, but should they attempt to Interfere Inter-fere he would kill them. The defense was conducted by S. A. ing of Salt Lake and W. B Higgins of Fillmore. The trial started a weak ago and went to the jury today. Evidence Evi-dence for the state was ended early In the week, but the defense has been busied w 1th Its witnesses ever since. Public sentiment here favored the defendants. |