Schley-Sumter-Lee County GaArchives News.....MAUD CHILDERS IS A FREE MAN June 12, 1912
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Harris Harris http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 September 20, 2007, 4:10 pm

The Schley County News June 12, 1912
MAUD CHILDERS IS A FREE MAN
Case Began Monday--Jury Returned Verdict Wednesday

Americus, June 12
For the third time Maud Childers was placed on trial Monday charged with the 
murder of his wife last August.  The selection of a jury was all that was 
accomplished Monday.  Out of a panel of 200 jurors, 105 were examined before 
the following jury was selected:  E.R. Lane, A.L. Brown, D.A. Methvic, T.W. 
Reed, I.S. Brown, I.N. Williams, C.C. Herring, W.T. Mackay, E.E. Parker, G.A. 
Deriso, W.H. Holloway, and W. R. Hansford.  All of Tuesday was devoted to 
examining witnesses and the reading by the defendant of his statement.  A 
total of twenty-three witnesses were called by the prosecution.  The defense 
sprung a surprise by not presenting any witnesses and thus gaining the opening 
and concluding arguments.  The first argument Wednesday morning was made by 
Judge J.A. Hixon, for the defense.  It was followed by the speeches of the 
State's attorneys, J.R. Williams and H.A. Wilkinson.  The concluding argument 
was made by Col. Frank A. Hooper for Childers.  The jury was out only twenty 
minutes, before returning a verdict, at 5 o'clock, of "not guilty."  
Immediately after the verdict was read Childers shook hands with the jurors 
and thanked them for their verdict.  The verdict frees Maud Childers, while 
the tragic death of his wife, a crime which shocked the state, remains today 
an unfathomable and unsolved mystery.  The evidence given at the three trials 
of Childers was wholly and entirely circumstantial.  Not even a motive for the 
crime on his part was ever presented by the state, and while two juries trying 
the case failed to make a verdict, general opinion prevailing here was to the 
effect that he would be acquitted this time.  Mrs. Childers, a beautiful young 
bride of four months, was poisoned last August at her home in Smithville by 
unknown hands putting strychnine in a bottle of medicine which she was 
taking.  The arrest of her husband under suspicion followed and for nearly 
twelve months he has been a prisoner in jail, three times tried for the crime 
and today fully exonerated.


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