Saturday, September 23, 2017

Gaston Means Found Not Guilty of Murder of Maude King, 1917

Gaston B. Means Acquitted of Killing Mrs. Maude King,” from the Monroe Journal, Dec. 18, 1917

Jury Returned Verdict of Not Guilty at 10:22 Sunday Morning, and Defendant Is Now a Free Man

Concord, Dec. 16—“Not guilty” was the verdict of the jury in the case of Gaston B. Means, charged with the murder of Mrs. Maude A. King, widow of a Chicago millionaire, who was shot to death at Blackwelder Spring, near Concord, on the evening of August 29, last.

The jury made known its verdict at 10:22 this morning, after having deliberated since 7 o’clock Saturday night. The decision was made known to Judge E.B. Cline in the Cabarrus County court house in the presence of the defendant, his wife, and mother, representatives of counsel and others who had learned the jury was about to make its report.

No Demonstration Permitted

There was no demonstration, probably prevented by a warning Judge Cline had given before hearing the jury’s report, accompanying it with instructions to Sheriff Caldwell to arrest anyone who made any demonstration. However, a little later, when the prisoner had been formally discharged and the court adjourned, Means was surrounded by relatives, attorneys and friends, who hastened to shake his hand and congratulate him upon his acquittal.

Sisters Weep for Joy

After his release, accompanied by his wife, Means left the court room and went to the home of his father. A little later he reappeared on the streets of the town, where scores of friends extended congratulations. As he and Mrs. Means were leaving the courthouse, they met one of his sisters, who had just arrived, and the two women rushed into one another’s arms, weeping for joy.

Probably no trial ever conducted in North Carolina has held the wide interest of the Means case, nor has any brought more attendants from other states, a number of witnesses from Chicago and New York testifying. Assistant District Attorney John T. Dooling of New York City assisted in the prosecution, coming to Concord at the request of Solicitor Clement, because both Means and Mrs. King were regarded as citizens of that state.

Mr. Dooling brought with him a mass of papers and documents of various kinds seized at Means’ apartment in New York. These Mr. Dooling took with him when he left for New York last night, some of them being subject to the order of the New York courts.

It has been rumored that in the event of acquittal of the charge of murder, Means might be prosecuted in New York on other charges. When asked about this, Solicitor Hayden Clement said this afternoon that he did not anticipate any such action, but that he could not speak with authority.

Story of the Death of Widow of Millionaire

Mrs. King, who was on a visit to Means’ relatives met death at Blackwelder Spring, early on the evening of August 29 last. With Means and a party of his friends she had stopped while on an automobile drive, presumable that she might practice shooting with a small pistol Means had bought for her. Means and the woman were alone at the time, Captain W.S. Bingham and Afton Means, a brother of Gaston Means, having walked down the road to shoot rabbits.

Verdict of Accidental Death

A coroner’s inquest accepted the statement of Gaston Means that she shot herself accidentally. After the woman’s body was taken to Chicago for burial, charges of foul play were made. There the coroner’s physician declared that the wound in the back of the woman’s head could not have been self-inflicted.

The investigation shifted to New York, where Mrs. King had resided for several years and where Means had handled her business affairs. Search of the apartments there of Mrs. King and her sister and Mr. and Mrs. Gaston Means disclosed, according to New York officials, that Means had misappropriated the woman’s money and also that he was connected with German agents. Documents seized in the apartments were cited by New York police as proof of these assertions.

Large Fortune Disappeared

Mrs. King had inherited approximately $1,000,000 from her second husband, the late James C. King of Chicago and New York, and Chicago officials declared nearly all of this sum had vanished during the time Means was connected with the woman’s affairs. It also was asserted Means was preparing to offer for probate an alleged second will of James C. King, which would give an additional $2,000,000 to Mrs. King.

North Carolina officials reopened the investigation and at a hearing in September Means was bound over to the grand jury and later indicted.

State’s Theory of Affair

At the trial, which began November 26, the State contended that Means had “looted” the woman’s fortune and killed her to escape “an early accounting.” Witnesses asserted that Means had kept the woman a virtual prisoner in the Chicago Beach Hotel. The defense denied this and offered evidence to show that Mrs. King approved Means’ speculations with her money.

Means said on the stand that he had investigated alleged neutrality violations for German interests before the United States broke relations with Germany but was always loyal to his country and turned over to officials information he thought of value to this country.

Claimed Death Accidental

The defense contended the woman’s death was accidental; that she stumbled, fractured her ankle and in falling fired the pistol.


Mrs. King’s mother, Mrs. Anna L. Robinson of Asheville, and her sister, Mrs. Mary C. Melvin, took opposite sides in the case, the mother appearing as a witness for the prosecution and the daughter siding with Means.

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