Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-18
Not to be Compared With One Back
in the FiftieS, When Everybody
Was Interested in His Fate.
JAMES MYERS BEFORE THE COURT,
Charged With the Assassination of His
Aunt and Foster Mother, at Nc
keeSpOrt, Last May.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE STRONG,
But the Prisoners Counsel Will Attempt to Get Him Out
BY the Abb Route

To one who can remember back into the
early ffties say back to the time David
Jewell was convicted and hanged for a MUIR
der that to-day would scarce arise to the
grade of first degree, having been committed
in heat of blood. modern murder trial pre-
sents a strong contrast. Then the COM
munity was stirred to its profoundest depth,
and the matter was discussed on Change, in
the corner groceries, at the market stalls, at
the freside, and ministers of the gospel
seldom failed to find it topic for impressive
discourses.
But since hanging is played out In Allie
gheny county" and murderer's row presses
on the space intended for other criminals in
the Jail, public sense seems to have been in
great measure dulled. We haven't time
to talk long over the latest sensation in this
line.
There is murder trial now In progress in
Oyer and Terminer Court that 80 years ago
would have drawn an immense audience,
and it is more than usually impressive on
account of the mystery surrounding it.
But there being no seats furnished for the
lobby in the small courtroom in which the
prisoner is arraigued, the crowd is not SO
great as it otherwise would be.
MYERS ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE.
James Edward Myers, splendid speci-
men of budding manhood physically, and
apparently mentally above the average, is
arraigned charged with the crime in its
most heinous aspect, the victim being not
only his aunt, but also his foster mother,
and be the being on whom she had lavished
a mothers love. Myers was iaultlessly
dressed in black, linen Immediately clean,
collar and cuffs carefully arranged, and his
general appearance, though interested, was
one of rather negligent ease. The victim
was Miss Margaret Douglass, a spinster of
65 years, sister OF the prisoners mother and
joint heir with him of the property both oc-
cupied in the suburbs of McKeesport, it
having been left to the sisters by their
father
On the 18th of last Nav, about 1:30
o'clock P. NJ, Myers, the prisoner, reported
that he had found his aunt lying dead in
the yard OF the residence, stating also that
the doctor had said she had heart trouble
and expressing the opinion that beyond
doubt she had died of heart disease. After
she had been carried into the house a ply
sician discovered that she had been shot in the
back the ball lodging in the stomach.
ALWAYS ASSERTS HIS INNOCENCE.
AS the neighboUs did not recollect of having
seen any one about the house near the time Of
the murder, save Myers. and as he and his aunt
had quarreled frequently on account of his al
legged wild habits and extravaganza, suspicion
attached to him, and he was arrested. His ap-
parent calloUS indifference regarding the loss
of one who had been a mother to HIM strength
ened the suspicion. Since The time of the muir
der he has been very reticent, but very en-
phatic in MS denial of guilt.
When arraigned and called to plead, Myers
stood up unmoved. and the neatness of his ap-
pearance. his delicate mustache of Jet black,
hair carefully trimmed, ear of aristocratic
mold, together with his dreadful position and
uumoved appearance, combined to make him
object OF close scrutiny.
When the question, What say you, are you
guilty or not guilty?" was put, the prisoner
piled in the usual formula without any prompt
ing, and as his plea was not guilty, the impan-
cling OF jury was begun.
A Jury was not secured until after i o'clock.
1t looks like good one. and among its men,
bers are teamsters, grocers, banker and sew
eral other occupations represented.
District Attorney Johnston and Captain F. Y.
Breck represented the Commonwealth, and
John :. Ro5b the prisoner. Captain Breck
summarized all the facts known in the case,
and said the Commonwealth would ask for a
verdict of murder IN the first degree.
While at present there appears to be nothing
is thought to be so strong and connected as to
show that no other could have committed the
crime. The defense places reliance on the hope
of proving an alibi.