The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-23
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL MATTERS.
The GRANT-PoLLARD TR1AL-GETTING
JURY-ONE JUROR SEcURED.-A large
crowd of persons, representing all ages and
colors, gathered at the City Hall yesterday
| anxious to gain admission into the court
room in which James Grant was to be tried.
Wise precautions, however, had been taken
against admitting persons unfortunately,
and the Hall was not made as uncomforta-
bic as it usually is on such occasions.
The court was opened at IL o'clock, and
few minutes after, Mr.. Grant entered, ac-
companied by his father and Deputy Ser
geant August and took his seat By Judge
Ould. Neatly dressed in black, clean
shaven, and smiling, he looked as little
like criminal as anybody in the throng
which opened to- let him pass. Edward A.
Pollard, brother of the deceased, was seated
with Messrs. Bundy and Gilmer within the
bar. This gentleman and the accused
seemed to divide the attention of the spec
tators until the court was ready to proceed
with the trial. ',@
At quarter past II the names of the wit
nesses for the Commonwealth were called.
Only two failed to answer, and against
these rules were ordered, returnable at II
o'clock this morning. -.....
The clerk then proceeded to call the
uenire. Messrs. David I. Burr, A. Y. Stokes,
S. Workman, j. G. Spots, j. H. Montague,
William M. Sutton, S. W. Harwood, 0. H.
Chalkley, I. Davenport, John II. Williams,
r. H. Maury, William G.. Ferguson, George
W. Anderson, James Z. Lipscomb, P. H.
Starke, R. F. Williams, Charles 7. Davis,
William P. W. Taylor, Charles E. Whit
lock, and T. William Pemberton, each re-
sponded 81 have " to tho question, " Have
you formed or expressed any opinion as to
the guilt or innocence of the prisoner at the
bar ?" To the question, "Was this opinion
formed or expressed before you were sum-
moned as juror? ?" each answered Yes"
Hugh Hagan replied "no" to the frat
question of the Court, and had no conscien-
case where the penalty is death.
Mr.. Gilmer asked this venireman whe-
ther he had read the evidence in the case
as published in any Of the city papers.
Judge Ould objected to this question as
totally irrelevant and impertinent. The
gentleman had stated that he had neither
formed nor expressed an opinion, and that
was enough. The counsel representing the
outside part of the Commonwealth must
know that this kind of inquiry was unusual
under the circumstances.
Mr.. Gilmer argued at length in support
Of his right to ask the question, and cited
Wormeley's case to sustain him. 1t was
important, he said, to begin at the begin
ming in taking care that none but man
entirely without bias had o place on this
jury. His mind should be like sheet of
paper, blank and white, ready to receive
any impression from the evidence to be
elected. .......... ...,u..-
The Court understood the question to be
whether the juror had read the published
account of the crime charged upon the pri-
soner. 1t was not claimed on either side
that the juror is the judge of his own COM
potency, nor was it denied that that ques-
tion rests with the court. Therefore, for
the information of the court, Mr.. Hagan
should be allowed to answer.
The counsel for the accused filed an ex-
ception to this decision.
The question of Mr.. Gilmer was then
put in writing as follows: Have you at
any time read in any of the papers any of
the evidence given at the jury of the in
quest or before the Mayor On the examina-
ton of the accused; or did you hear any Of
the evidence ?"i ".-: @E
MIR. Hagan answered, 81 have read all
published in the Dispatch about it at the
time the affair occurred"
Question: Did that account make any
impression upon your mind that would re-
quire affirmative evidence on the part Of
the Commonwealth or the accused to eiface
it --..---.------.
Judge Ould objected that this question
had already been answered. Thecourt sus-
tanned the objection, and Mr.. Hagan took
his seat in the jury-box. .~es r
A. s. Lee and A. L. Elicit were then
sworn and responded that they had formed
or expressed an opinion as to the case.
These we're the last veniremen who had
| been summoned. rasE r..7.s1
Mr.. Bundy moved that an order be issued
Erecting the Sergeant to summon o tales
! IF orc hundred men.
! The Court directed the tales to be issued,
--ctu~rsble this morning at II o'clock; at
-'ich hour the case will be again taken up.
F., The prisoner was then remanded to jail.
r-ocEISG ACcIDENT.-Oregon Hill was
-'a-tled early yesterday morning by some
hing like the report of cannon, which
was at first supposed to be a salute COM
memorativs of Washington's birthday,
but it was afterwards ascertained8 to be
more serious matter. The report was
caused by the explosion of an old bomb
shell ct the Tredegar Iron Works. Come
| of the fragments struck Mr.. William Hardy
one of the workmen, terribly mangling the
right leg and wounding the other. he was
| carried home, and everything done to allie
| viate his suferings, butt is feared that his
| injuries will terminate fatally.
MALICIOUS MIsGHIsF.-Just ss the con.
| nranotinn ntnrrinitu -hfefhaSisk church or