ALICE HOLST ACQUITTED OF NAFUS MURDER

Mountrail County Jury Finds Defendant Not Guilty on Grounds of Insanity

JURORS OUT ALL NIGHT

Miss Holst Will Go to Home of Relatives at Lidgerwood For Much Needed Rest

Stanley, N.D. March 16—Miss Alice Holst, 22-year-old Sanish girl, was acquitted at 9:35 this morning of the murder of William Nafus of Van Hook last December 13. The jury found the defendant not guilty on the grounds of insanity.

For the first time during the entire trial of the case the girl smiled faintly as the verdict was read, and as the jurors passed her, Miss Holst and her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. August Holst, each shook hands with the 12 men who had tried the case.

As the girl walked from the court room she started to cry and shortly thereafter she was put to bed.

Judge Geoge K Moellring of Williston, who presided at the trial, suggested to the parents and the girl's counsel, Attorney F. F. Wycoff of Stanley, that in view of what had transpired in the trial of the case, when the girl was twice affected by that her parents asserted were epileptic fits, that she be put under observation and be given medical treatment.

Attorney Wykoff informed the court that such plans had already been made, and said that the girl would go to Lidgerwood, N.D. for a stay with relatives to give her a much needed rest.

The jury was given the case at 6 p.m. yesterday and deliberated through the entire night, agreeing upon a verdict shortly after 8 a.m. today.

It was the contention of the defense that Miss Holst was in a seizure of psychic epilepsy at the time she killed Nafus in a Sanish pool hall on December 13.

Taking the witness stand in her own defense, the girl testified that she could not recall having killed Nafus and also asserted that she could not recall incidents or events for a few days prior to and subsequent to the slaying. She testified that Nafus on December 10 had criminally assaulted her.

Bismarck Tribune, 3/17/1927