St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-02
"SLlA' DUGAA ON TRIAL.
Owe or TIE HARRIS MURDER SUS-
PEcTS IN TIE DOCK.
SIX JURYMEN ARE SELECTED.

The Famous Murder Trial Finally
Under Way The Prisoner
Takes Things Very Easy-His
Attorneys Are Messrs. Davis
and Penny-A Large Attend
ance in the Big Court Room.
James Dugan. alias "Slim," is now Oh
trial for his life. Yesterday he was ar
raigned before Judge Jamison and the
work OF selecting jury began. lie
is charged with numbering the OLD
gentleman, James r. Harris, last June.
There are three others who will be
tried for the same crime, but 'Slim,
the sneak thief, the house burglar, gets
the first shake out OF the box. The ar
raignment took place in the little GRIM
inal court room, in the room whose
atmosphere is odoriferous q heavy,
but it was soon demonstrated another
place would have to be selected. The
crowd. which gathered at the court
house at an early hour, damned and
packed the room so completely that the
Judge found it difficult to move his
limbs about with any degree of comfort.
During the preliminary proceedings it
was decided TO take change OF air. so
court was adjourned to the large court
room. Even here the crowd found it
difficult to distribute themselves salts
factorily.
Dugan, of course, was present. He
was brought in by deputy. heavily
handcrffed. His attorneys. F. F. Davis
and Il l.. Penny, were on hand, as
were all the witnesses, and Mrs. and
Miss Harris, wife and daughter of the
murdered man. Dick Reed and Joe
White were also present, their cases
being set for the same time. The court
ordered them set back until the conclu-
sion of the present trial, and the two
men were marched back to their cells.
County Attorney Nye and his assistant.
Mr.. Hall, attended to the business of
tho state. Attorneys Bond, Morris and
Stillman were appointed triers, and the
tedious work of getting Il jury began.
When the court adjourned for the day
at 5 o'clock six jurors were in The box,
and it is likely the remainder will be
selected today. Twenty-Five men were
called and examined, and sixteen res
ceived their dismissal because of bias,
some being Objectionable to the defense
and the others to the State.
During the proceedings Dugan sat
behind Mr.. Davis. and on either side
was deputy sheriff. At times he
smiled, and then again his neither lip
fell down as though in derision of the
whole affair. His face would have
proved a study for a physiognomist.
cruel and hard, with deep lines running
down from the inner corners Of the
eyes, across his sallow cheeks. He has
small eyes, as bright as those of fer
ret, that shift about nervously. A heavy
light-brown muStache hides a square
cut mouth; the nose, rather long, in
clines upward to slight extent and
broadenS at the tip. The nostrils are
wide. His hair is dark, and is beconl-
ing thin near the forehead. Yesterday
he was clad in neat suit of dark chey-
lot and wore the coat buttoned tightly.
The detectives all agree that Dugan
is clever fellow, and there is consider
able doubt of the states ability to con.
meet him with the tragedy. He knows
more than "a thing or two," and is up
to all the tricks Of smart crook. 1t
| will be remembered that when lie was
first arraigned he Sneered at Sheriff Eye
ana laughed at his plans. He declined
the services of an attorney, and with an
air of bravado remarked he would try
his own case. He held out in this de-
termination until a few days ago, when
he agreed to allow Messrs. Davis and
Penny 10 handle the case.
The SIX jurors secured yesterday are
intelligent men. c. c. Johnson. of 2206
Twentieth avenue south, is contractor.
Joseph b. Smetana is a Bohemian
farmer, whose home is at Minnetonka
Mills. w. S. Jaw, another farmer, lives
at Medina. Martin Comet is French
man, who bears close resemblance to
Joe jefferson in his makeup of Rip
Van Wrinkle. He lives at Greenwood.
George FortWinhler lives at Edna Mills.
He is man of massive physique, and
resembles a tragic actor. Henry Han
son, of Bloomington, is farmer, who is
very bashful. He has a trick of slipping
one foot over the other and jerking it
back again. He pulls at tawny mus
tache, and bushes whenever addressed.
Mr.. DAVIS is of the opinion he will make
a splendid juryman.
Among the men examined as pros
pective jurors was an old German
named KaSpar Frlus. His dialect would
have delighted low comedian. When
Mr.. Nye asked him if he had any
scrupieS against the death penalty,
hoHSluSs III llC CfCuI d pcISUu WIS
found guilty of murder, the old man
said:
Och, veil, dell you. If 1 make 1t
sure-by myself dot man kilt another,
gay it is not too goot to hat him hang.
l vas in drubble once myZelf and must
hat lot OF goot evidence to find him
| gildy."
Mr.. Davis nodded approvingly and
| remarked that Mr.. Frius would make a
good juror. Dugan smiled broadly and
elected huge "gob'' of tobacco Juice
upon the floor. The old man amused
MIN. Mr.. Nye, however, did not think
| the old man would do, so dismissed
him. Court will reconvene this morn
| ing at 10 O'Clock