McClamrock - Grace - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The case of the state vs. Dr. W. R. Stout, of Covington, was formerly dismissed Wednesday in the Parke Circuit Court by Judge Stimson, of Terre Haute, on the motion of the prosecuting attorney. Stout was indicted here several years ago for complicity with Phil Hauk in causing the death of Grace McClamrock, and after Hauk’s conviction was granted, a change of venue by Judge Harney. The case went to Rockville and was tried before Judge White, the jury disagreeing, two jurors holding out for conviction against the rest. Before the second trial Judge Stimson, of Terre Haute, was called in to preside and the trial was over except the arguments when the judge was taken ill. He was down for several weeks and the jury was discharged. It developed, however, that the jurors would not have convicted.   A third trial was never set and the prosecution simply wore itself out. The Rockville papers espoused the cause of Stout and it was clear he could never be convicted. It was agreed to drop the thing some time ago. Stout was present Wednesday in court and no doubt feels relived now that the last formality is over. Although released, he will always rest under an awful suspicion, and the majority of people will always believe that he was freed because he was not proved unquestionably guilty rather than because his innocence was shown. If Dr. Stout is really innocent, he is a terribly wronged man. However that may be, the prosecution of this case will doubtless have a wholesome effect and will ten to check, in some measure at least, the alarming prevalence of a most heinous crime.