THE WAUPACA POST

January 13, 1887

 

NOT GUILTY

 

Sam Stout Acquitted.

 

            The trial of Sam Stout on the charge of arson occupied the circuit court four days of the past week.  Ole Christianson was brought from Waupun and testified that Stout hired him to set fire to the building.  Christianson said that Stout told him the night of the fire that it was “all fixed”, and that he then went in the building and touched a match to a lath back of the stove and that caused the fire. There was a great deal of evidence produced on both sides but Christianson’s statement, on which the prosecution mainly depended, was not believed by the jury.  The defense introduced testimony to show that there was so much stock that there could have been no object in burning it for the insurance.

            The jury took six for conviction and six for acquittal on the first ballot, but afterwards agreed on a verdict of “not guilty”.