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ggh LANCASTER FREED BY JURY'S VERDICT PATROLMAN WHO KILLED HIS WIFE IS ACQUITTED. \ " Another Case Pending But Trial For Killing Wife's Companion Will Not Come l"p 4 During This Term. '* Columbia, Sept. 19.?A verdict of "not guilty" was returned shortly after midnight by the jury in the case of Eugene M. Lancaster, motorcycle policeman of the Columbia police forCe, on trial for the murder of his wife, Mrs. Allie B. Lancaster. The killing occurred on Ma"V 28 of this year, at which time Lancaster also shot to death Newton S. Lorick, his wife's companion in an automobile. Lancaster is still to face trial for the killing of Lorick, but this case * will not come up at the present term of court. Though locked up for the night about 10:30 o'clock the jury let it be known about 11:30 that a verdict had been reached, and officials of the court returned to receive it. It was read shortly after 12 o'clock. Lancaster himself was the principal witness of the closing day of the t trial. He testified that his mind was a perfect blank after* he fired the first shot at the couple when they apnroached in an automobile fFom the Congaree River bridge. The motorcycle policeman, facing > a courtroom which was jammed to auffocation, made his statement as to the circumstances leading up to and v surrounding the double tragedy. At the trial with him were members of his family, including two of his young sons and his little daughter, the latter being taken out, when anything I / bearing on the alleged infidelity of * her mother was brought out. ^ ' x Lancasted said when he got out of the automobile, his wife threw up both hands and said to Lorick, "My God, Newt, there is Eugene." Describes Shooting. "With that," continued the patrolman, "Lorick turned his head and looked towards me, and as he turned 9 his head he threw his hand froih the steering gear to his hip pocket, and when he did I fired, and from that my mind was a blank." Prom the time of the first shot, Lancaster testified, his mind was a perfect blank "until he came to himself" at the police station several days later, and he had no recollection as to how he got back to his car or anything* else connected with the tragedy. Lancaster said when he got out of had been brought to his home from a local hospital, where he was treated for a broken leg, sustained while on duty, he became suspicious of the relations of his wife and Lorick, who}, * " J ~ -3 nn ATI A A f 1C hpst. lie ciaimea, yu&cu as uuo ujl Ulu friends. He detailed several instances which, he claimed, made him doubtful of his wife's fidelity. Went in Search of Wife. *" He testified that on the afternoon of the tragedy Mrs. Lancaster told him she was going to a motion picture show. He testified that he then went in search of his wife, going to f the Gervais street bridge in a transfer car driven by a negro chaufTeur, James Harmon, who yesterday detailed the circumstances ot the double killing. He swore that he saw his wife and Lorick coming across the bridge in an automobile. He told of having to use crutches, stating that his leg was still in a plaster of Paris cast. He was looking through the back window of the car, which had the curtains up. Lancaster did not testify as to how he knew that the couple was coming over the Gervais street bridge, which is four or more miles from his home. "I looked across the bridge," Lancaster testified. "I saw my wife and Newton Lorick coming in an automobile. She was in the front seat with him. Just about the time I looked I saw her put her left arm around his neck and kiss him." The testimony of the State, as de^ / tailed by the chauffeur, Harmon, and other witnesses, was that Lancaster was helped into his car by Harmon, who drove it up to the Lorick automobile which had been stopped by a post on top of a steep embankment and that Lanacster fired the remain ing shots in his revolver and those of another pistol into the bodies of his wife and Lorick. Some witnesses testified that they were dead after the first shots, and others swore that Mrs. Lancaster opened her eyes and looked at her husband before the last shots were discharged. In rebuttal * to Lancaster's testimony of alleged loss of memory, t?% State today put up Magistrate Ollie Mefford and Deputy Alex Heise, who testified that Lancaster asked that Newton S. Lorick's * kinsman be kept away from him, as they might retaliate. This statement, t k 1 contended the State, showed that Lan- substantiate the testimony given by j caster was in his right mind. .Lancaster. i The defense put up John W. Rich- A portion of the testimony consistardson, chief of police; John M. Mc- ed of the deposition of Lancaster's i Cain sheriff of Richland county, and 16-year-old son who was too ill to other peace officers, who went to the ' attend court. This affidavit told how scene of the killing, to show that the boy had seen Lorick and his mothLancaster was suffering from emo- j er in various compromising situa- J tional insanity. j t'ons. He test'fied that he had been ' Other Defense Testimony. ; given $"?0 one time and $100 another j Several witnesses were introduced time to keep his mouth shut, and j by the defense who told of alleged Lorick's actions later became such compromising situations Mrs. Lan- that he told his mother if she did not1 i caster and Lorick were found in, to keep Lorick away from the Lancaster-; i ? DRINK O OPEN an ice-cc ?tnr1av! 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