Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-12-29
FOREIGN.

DUBLIN, DEC. 2S.-The state trials
were formally opened to-day in the
court Of the queens bench. before
Lord Chief Justice May, aud Justices
and Bsrry. The court
room is densely crowded with spacta-
tore. Chief Justice May read the ad.
dress, stating that after the misconceps
ton which had arisen as Co what he
had said on a former occasion, he
should not take part in the present
trials.
A great crowd Of people around the
approaches to the courts loudly cheer
ed the traversers upon their arrival.
The judges took their seats shortly af-
ter 10 O'clock. The body Of the
coutt is occupied by the counsel of the
bar. The principal gallery is filled
with the Irish members of Parlia-
ment, and few ladies and the sprin'
king of the geDeaal public.
Chief Justice May read. with cons
siderable composure, the document
declaring that he should net take part
in the present trial 1t contained q
vindication of his former speech. The
announcement that he would not pre-
side 1T the trial caused no manifesto
ton. After Chief Justice May had
flushed reading, Juttice Fitzgerald
took the chief seat and the trials were
proceeded with before him and Justice
Barry. Only eight en- out of twenty
four jurors called answered to
their names. The attorney general
applied for the postponement of the
trials until tomorrow because Of the
short attendance of jurors. Mr.. Mac
Donough, Of the counsel for the
traversers, urged that it was usual to
select jury of twelve from those
who answered to their names.
Justice Fitzgerald agreed that the
latter was the regular course.
Thre Jurors were then excused on acs
count of age and infirmity. Mr.. Mac.
donough challenged another. A legal
argument Of more than an hour en-
sued on Mr.. MacDonough's challenge.
The court decided that the traversers
had a right to challenge in the usual
way certain number of jurors, but
the counsel for the traversers did not
take advantage of this decision to OBJ
siruct the course Of the trial. The ju>
ry was finally empanelled alter
much difficulty. 1t consists OF eight
Catholics, three Protestants and one
Ruaker. When The jury had been
constituted the t)rney genera
opened the case for the crown In firm
but moderate tone. He said the object
of the conspiracy in which the traver-
sers were engaged was to cause serial
eXcommunicalion of a number
of persons and t. make their
lives not worth the having. He
poinled out the absurdity of the idea
of parcelling out Ireland among the
population of five millions, which
would only a Id to the misery of the
unfortunate country. he severely
condemned the policy of the land
league, which he said advocated free
dom yet it brought all its power to bear
ia coercion of private individuals.
The government. ne said, was bound
to institute proceedings to put down
the wicked agitation. A great crowd
cheered the traversers at the adjourn-
ment Of court.
LONDON, Dee. 25.-A dispatch from
Burban says The disaster to the 29ta
regiment on the road between Lyden.
burg and Pretoria, has been ezag-
gerated. Thirty only were killed and
wounded. The rest were disarmed
and allowed to proceed to Pretoria.
A steamer with l40 soldiers has ar
rived at Durham.