The daily gazette., 1881-12-02
MEALS SECOND TRIAL.
n SOLID REPUBLICAN Jury
DRAWN FOR HIS CASE.
'ho" III was Secured-The Evidence
OF Mrs. GOsser-A Horrible
Story of Outrage.


The audience, the regular panel compris-
Ing but forty SIX names. Those who
were called but not accepted, were re-
leased for the following reasons:
Had formed and expressed an opinion
e. I. Dilwortb, James w. Mitchell,
Edward Sawden, George Adele, Sam'i
Collins, Clayton Reilley, James b.
Appleby, George BonldeD, Jr., James
IL. Roberts, Joseph Bowman, Henry A.
Nowland, VIM. III. Houston, Henry NJ.
Barlow, John S. Jones, Benz. G. Collins,
Daniel Clayton, Francis S. Gray, George
Lewis, Dr.. Beni b. Groves, J. Clayton
Massey, Savoy Evans, Tbos. NJ. Robin
son.
Challenged by the defence-JOhu E.
Armstrong, Ephraim Sterling, John T.
McElwee, John q. Fisher, ,J ames Leech,
VIM. Cooch, Geo. w. Gray, London
Reed, Saml Gregg, Theodore Estling,
VIM. G. Guyer, Albert williamson,
Frank A. Prlce, Joseph Aldred.
Had conscientious scruples-Wm,
Brackin, James Wright.
Excused Lewis Zebley, Chas. White
ley.
Not present when called-Edw. Da--
lington, Jr.
When Chas. Green, of Rockland, was
called, the defense waived the usual
question as TO whether be had formed
and expressed an opinion, but Attorney
General Gray proved by Henry NJ. Bar
low, that Green had told him he expec-
ted TO be drawn on this jury, and also
that he thought Neal would not be con-
vlcted at this term. Green was therefore
directed to stand aside. Curtis II.
Tailey, called under the same cIrcum-
stances, was set aside, on similar
proof.
The jury, as finally drawn, is COM
| posed as follows:
David r, Choate, White Clay Greek
Hid.
Vim. B. Adams, Wilmington.
Nehemiah Davis, New Castle.
VIM. Murphy, Wilmington.
Vim. B. Bancroft, ChrisLlana.
Matthew Macklem, Wilmington.
Peter Wood, Wilmington.
John Nichols, Wilmington.
Sam'l e. Logan, Wilmington.
Chas. Ii. Howard, Wilmington.
Geo. d. Watson, Wilmington.
Albert l. Derrickson, Brandywine.
1t is a noticeable fact that every mem
ber OF this jury is C. Republican, and
some OF them are strong partzans and
active party workers. Mr.. Higgins, the
| prisoners counsel, challenged all Dem
ocrats drawn, and In several instances,
where Republicans were called, he
waived the usual question as to the tor.
nation and expression of an opinion as
TO the prisoners guilty or innocence. By
this means he secured jury in complete
political sympathy with the prisoner.
At 4.20 o'clock, the jury baving been
duly sworn, Deputy Attorney General
Cooper opened the case for the State
lie briefly detailed the circumstances
| of Neal's criminal assault upon Mrs
Gosser, as the State expected to prove
them.
The first witness called was Joseph
Roberts, Surveyor, of BlackbiId, who
exhibited and explained plot Of Mrs
Gosser's housed in Blackbird Hundred
where the outrage was committed, and
the surrounding ueighborhood.
Mrs Margaret Gosser, the prosecuting
witness, was then called, and though
nearly two years have elapsed since tht
occurrence, she wept eopiously and a
times bitterly as she recited the detail.
of the shameful outrage. Her testimony
in substance, was as follows:
reside in Blackbird Hundred, three
miles from Smyrna, and have lived ther,
since March, 1880; between and 2 o.
clock in the afternoon on M arch %, 1880
while sitting by the window sewing,
saw Neal coming through the gateway
he knocked at the door; l opened IL an,
. he asked for some matches; turned ant
went to get The matches l was at th
cupboard when he came in and asked
] he could warm his feet; | said yes, an,
he sat near the stove; he commenced t,
hum and stamp his feet, when l go
J afraid and went to the door; said MI
Warner was calling me, hoping thersb.
to scare Neal away he took me by th
back of the neck while was standing
at the door and pulled me il; he seize
me around the waist and tried to throi
) me down; he then pushed the door G
he thre me on the floor and l halooed
| he ssid If didn't hush, IL would be tn
! worse for me; | escaped and got to tn
$ door; then he caught me again, selze
me by the chin and hair, and pulled m
/. in; had opened the door and gone pal
: way out when he pulled me In again; b
threw me down near the foot of the bee
!. In the room were six chairs, bed, ts
: BILE and a stove; took hold of the lie
of the bed and pulled myself part wa
apder the bed; Neal was on the floor;
: remained under tho bed little while
i when he pulled me out; after struggl
l. on the floor, lasting ten minutes, du-In
which struggled until couldn't strut
a gle any more, the assault was made.-
y Here the witness described In detail tn
y crime alleged. Before Neal left th
u house he said "What will your husbaU
say when he comes home?" answere,
81 do not know" Neal remained in II
house five or ten minutes after the a.
SAUL; he sat by the door and made L
n effort to escape; carriage passed alon
ID the road while he was sitting there;
70 soon as it had gone by he gotnp al
ID went out; then ran to Mr.. Warner
,e bouse; | knocked and Mrs. Warn'
- came to the door; Mr.. Warner was co
- sta BILE at the time and asked wheth
- he was home; went in, told Mrs. Wa
Is ner what had happened and waited ne
l- an hour until Mr.. Closer came m
ic Warner gave me some wine; then 1 10
A. Mr.. Warmers and went to Mr Llgf
" caps house; was sick for three or 10
days after the occurrence; when we
to Mrs. Lightcap's | told the womi
what had happened.
Here, at the request of the At'orne
,s General. who waa feeling unwel, Gov
N adjourned until 10 o'clock this moi
le ing.
N Previous to starting the testimony
as this case, the balance of the Arst Ju
~ panel, excepting those serving ON
I'd Neal jury, were discharged from q
of further attendance at this Court. l
~ Oyer and Terminer jury was dlscnarg