SENSATIONAL TRIAL ENDS IN ACQUITTAL

Chronicle (Levin), 7 October 1947, Page 5

SENSATIONAL TRIAL ENDS IN ACQUITTAL

Received Mondav, 7 p.m. SAN FRANCI8CO, Oct. 5. After the longest eriminal trial evor held in the United States, a jury oi six'men and six women this evening at Santa Aua, California, aequitted an heiress, Beulah Louise Overell, and Oeorge (Hud) Gollum, on a charge of murdering her parents, Walter K. Overell, aged 62, iinancier, and his wife Beuluh, aged 57, a leading socialite. The case aroused great interest. Louise was the sole heir to her father's 500, 000 dollar estate. The prosecution illcged that the voung couple murdererl Ihe Overells for the monev and beeause the . Overells objected to their inarrying. The police claimed that the girl V parents were battered to death before a vacht was blown up with a dynamiti timebomb rigged to an alarm clock, bu! the iron stanchions and hammer with which the murder was allegedlv corn niitted, were not admitted as evidence. The defenee contended that Waltei Oveiell blew up the vacht hinise.'i jither accidentally or with intent to murder and suicide, Eighteen days of tlie trial were oc "upied in selecting a jury. i\rore than 50(1 jxrospeetive jurors were examined in d excused. The Judge finally sent uailiffs into the street to seareh foi jurors. Evidence was given that Louise and (iolluin appeared at the wharf shorth after the explosion saying they had been asliore about 'one hour buying hamburgers for the Overells. Both Louise and Gollum denied Ihe charge They admitted lmyiqg dynamite the day before the explosion but insisted that it was at the request of the girlV father. During the hearing the AttornevGeneral of Grange County, removed the District Attornev, James L. Davis, from the prosecution and appointed in his stead Eugene Williams who took part in the Tokio trials. The defenee claimed this was the result of a political battle behind the scenes.