The morning call., 1891-04-21
IN JEOPARDY.
Sidney Bells Trial for the Jacob.
son Murder Begun.
A Warning to the Stock Report Cool De
meanor Of the Prisoner-Four Jurors
Sworn to Try the Case.
The trial of Sidney Bell for the murder

The trial of Sidney Bell for the murder
of Samuel NJ. jacobson was begun yester-
day afternoon before Judge Murphy,
Messrs. Barnes and Hosmer appearing for
the people, and c. j. Smith, Barclay Hem
ley and E. PeixOtto for the prisoner
The case had been so frequently set and
postponed that the hangers-on of court
rooms who make specially of devouring
the details of capital cases were conspleu-
Gus for their absence.
The accused did not seem greatly con-
cerned over the matter; in fact a spectator
might have assumed from his appearance
that the solitary occupant of the dock
was there to give evidence in the trial of
somebody else. A few minutes before the
opening of the court the Deputy Sheriff re-
moved the prisoners handouts, and he i'm :
proved the opportunity by shaking hands
with a young man who had been apparently
lowering around him for that express purpose
for the preceding ten minutes. Then Bell,
who retained his nat on his head up to the
very moment when Judge Murphy entered,
proceeded to light cigarette and puff away
calmly and with sang froid that was really
remarkable, the more SO because there was
not the slightest air of bravad0 or assumed
unconcern about the man. He occasionally
intermitted the cigarette putting to caress,
with small and welcomed hand, Flor
entine mOustache of which he appeared to
be justly proud.
When the Deputy Sheriff gave the usual
summons for silence as Judge Murphy
entered, Bell removed his hat, extinguished
his cigarette, walked with perfect comp0Sure
across the courtroom, and took his seat be-
hind his attorneys. The removal of the hat
rendered it evident that Bell, though of
F,l cd do HI 81
the world from a certain point of view, as
he was nearly or quite bald ever the top of
his head lie occasionally raised his large
eyes to take survey of the Judge and the
Clerk, but after this relapsed into apparent
abstraction, and left the case entirely to his
attorneys.
The District Attorney very briefly stated
the case, and in reply to counsel for the de-
Tense said that the prosecution expected to
get in its case by Friday next, whereupon
the defendants witnesses were excused
from attendance until that time.
The work of impaneling Il jury then COM
menced, and an earnest OF the usual trouble
in finding jurors in capital cases was
afforded at once. One juror admitted that
he knew the late Samuel jacobson and had
had business dealings with him. He was
promptly challenged and excused. A
second juror said he had formed an opinion
after reading the newspaper accounts of the
case. That opinion it would take strong
evidence to remove, but he thought he could
try the case according to the law. A chal-
leuge by the defense was disallowed. A
third juror was passed by the defense, after
little Skirmishing and the work OF ques-
tioning went on with fair prospect OF get
ting panel earlier than had been ex-
pected
Just here the proceedings were inter-
rupted by the Judge, vino, with consider
able Indignation, held up copy of the
Stock Report in which appeared comments
upon the case at bar. His Honor, after
calling attention to the fact that the. Stock
Reports article gave expression TO an opin-
Ion 10 the cause, expressed hope that the
press would hereafter studousy avoid pub
fishing any comments Oh the case while it
continued on trial. The article complained
of foreshadowed the result, he said, and as
such breaches of privilege are of frequent
occurrence, he believed the time had come
to put a stop to them by melting out severe
punishment to the offenders.
In concluding his remarks, the Court
handed the paper referred to to the District
Attorney, with instructions to take such
steps as may be necessary to check the evil
and to secure to defendants in criminal
causes their lawful rights to a fair and I'M
partial trial.
When the court adjourned at 4 80 clock
four jurors had been secured to try the case.