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dmI*»rtOld Murder Charge Dismissed, WorriesOver His Two WivesB AKERS VILLE, N. C., April 16. (AP)—George Presnell, 60, wasacquitted today of a first degree murder charge brought for tjieslaying 29 years ago of Lewis Buchanan, his neighbor.For nearly 30 years he had lived under the shadow of the law, only to have it in the end find his actionjustifiable.As G. R. Snyder, the foreman,announced the jury’s decision, Pres-neii was unmoved, but when he arose to thank the panel he could not speak, and the courtesies fellto his 53-year-old wife, who expressed her gratefulness through a torrent of tears.She had sat close to her husband throughout the brief trial, and testified in his behalf. It was Buchanan's advances to her that brought about the fatal fight, said PresneH,1 and she corroborated him.The aged couple have been reunited only a few weeks. In 1902, in August, when Presnell slashed j Buchanan at a saw mill in the iron mountains near the Tennessee line,he fled to Iowa. He wrote to hisfather here, but fearing letterswould be traced or his son mightreturn to his wife, the elder man told George not to write, and said his wife was dead.Presnell married again in Oska-loosa, la., and established himself in his community as a dependable citizen. Later he moved to Prather-ville, Mo., which soon made a place for him in its life, and he was joined there by a sister.In February this sister became incensed at Presnell, informed officers of his identity, and he was returned here to stand trial. He was re-indicted, although a first indictment had been presented against him almost exactly 28 years ago. Tonight Presnell * confessed hisperplexity over the situation facing him.“Both of the women I married,” he said, ‘are fine women. But I don’t know how I’m going to] straighten this thing out. I’ve got to do something but I won’t decide, exactly what for several days.”He plans to spend some time with relatives at Erwin, Tenn., to ‘‘think things over.”Presnell married Susie Beddix in1900. Two years later came the stabbing affray that sent him wandering over the west as a fugitive. 1 He finally reached Centerville, la.,1 where, on being told his wife was dead, he married Clatiet King.They had no children but adopted a boy and a girl. The latter is j married and the boy has recently finished college.The first Mrs. Presnell stood by him during his trial after his long absence, while the second Mrs. Presnell, he said, mortgaged her home to provide funds for his defense. She now lives in Exline, la.Solicitor John R. Jones said Presnell was not subject to indictmenton a bigamy count here since hehas not lived with two wives in thisstate.
Newspaper Details
The Sunday Gazette And Republican
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US
Sun, Apr 17, 1932
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Donna M.
USA 11 May 2023
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