kleinmemorialauditorium

Jacob Kline [i.e., Klein], N.C. Downs (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• Art Siegel said:

  Defense attorneys in Stamford, CT manslaughter trial of Helen Angle, for the killing of her friend Waldo Ballou, which began March 3, 1915.
  query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03E5DB1238E633A...
  See notes under:
  

• Pixel Wrangler said:

  Jacob B. Klein (1862-1932) of Bridgeport, Nicholas C. Downs (1862-1920) and former Probate Judge H. Stanley Finch (1852-1942) (not pictured), were three of the best known criminal lawyers in Connecticut. They were retained by Mrs. Angle's father, Mr. Leonard Blondel, to defend his daughter in her March, 1915, trial for manslaughter in the death of her friend Waldo R. Ballou in Stamford, Connecticut in June, 1914. Nicholas C. Downs, former Judge of the Stamford City Court, was the chief defense counsel. Helen was divorced from her husband of twelve years, Frank W. Angle. Her father was Leonard Blondel, a wealthy former Stamford Councilman who was retired from the coal and road contracting business Waldo Ballou was was a friend of her fathers, and a leading Republican politician and Stamford business man. Helen met Waldo in 1911 after his wife died. Waldo proposed to Helen several times, but she said he was too old. He was 69, she was 40. Chief Counsel Downs put the defendant, Mrs. Angle on the stand to testify in her own defense. Under direct examination she told her version of what happened on the night of June 23, 1914. More than 500 people were turned away from the packed courtroom. After a twelve day trial the jury deliberated for one hour and forty-five minutes before returning a verdict of not guilty, after three ballots. Judge William H. Williams presided. Chief Counsel Downs was happy with the verdict and said:

  "I regard the verdict as correct ... I dare say the same verdict would have been reached without Mrs. Angle going on the stand, but as one member of the jury said, ' It was a good thing to let her vindicate herself.' "

  Eight months after the trial, Helen remarried her former husband, Frank Angle, a foreman at Union Metallic Cartridge Company in Stamford. It was said that during her trial Mr Angle's sympathies were aroused, and he was a frequent visitor in the court. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]  

• Jon (LOC P&P) said:

  Thanks Pixel Wrangler. We will fix the spelling of "Klein" and add Mr. Downs first name to our record.