The Peoples' Case

ïhree years ago üccurred the minder of Martha Whitla, attended with circumstances of revolting cruelty. That she died by the hand of violence, there was left no room to doubt. By whose hands she was killed and mutilatedhas not been judieially deteimined, though the pólice were for a time keenly on the scent, and suspicion was rife in various quarters. What has contributed to keep the case before the public, and to interest the public mind in the solution of the mystery is a publication in the Evening News, of Detroit, some time since, and a prosecution for slander which has grown out of it. ïhis publication reflected so dearly upon Hugh S. Peoples - so plaialy implicated him in her fate, that he was moved to take judicial steps, for his own defense and the punishment of the newspaper in question. The case has occupied the Superior Court of Detroit for several weeks, and eminent counsel like Judge Walker, G. V. N. Lothrop and Col. Atkinson, have given their great talenta to its elucidation. Judge Walker, lui the prosecution, has desired to show that the paper in question published rumors and false statements, with unfair comments, to get up a sensatioü; that the publication was au abuse of the power and privileges of the press, and that there was nothing in the relations oli Peoples with Martha Whitla to justify it. On the other hand, the counsel for the defense plead justification - that the aiticle was a privileged one, within the field of legitímate journalism, which cannot be narrowed down without great prejudiceto society. To establish those points, the defense was permitted to show Peoples relations to Martha, añil to introduce his letters, showing he had ruined hi$ Vic tm's character long before. shi? was thrown into the river. Tracing the history of the case, the counsel adducijd such m array of circumstantial evidence, implicating Peoples, as justilied them in demanding that the jury withhold a verdict of damages against the News. The hope of the public has been that this trial would result in ferreting out the murderer of the poojf girl. How fax it has tended to this result, weneed not say. Judge Chipman proceeded to charge the jury on Friday morning. After an impartial charge the case was given to the jury at 11 o'clock Friday mornipg, and at 5:30 a verdict was returned, of "No cause of action," On the same evening, at about 8 o'clock, Peoples was arrested at his own house on the charge of murdering Martha Whitla.