The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-26
.THE hASSEY-P|L0T SUIT
The Jury Secured Without Any
Trouble.
The Men Who viii Pass Upon the
Issues Are of the Highest Char
acter. MIR. Thorn Opens the
Case With n Defiant Chai-
lenge to tho Other Side,,

y
days trisl of the Massey Pilot suit, au
action to recover $50, QUO damages for
defamation of character.
The slow and tedious part of this
friel is over, aud before the closing Of
10 days session there may reasonably
be expected the clash of arms, the first
nscaEit.
The courtroom was SO densely
packed or Monday that many persous
Interested III the case MS parties to the
suit or % witnesses, were crowded out
OF tse seatp hy the curious spectators
prsseat only 10 see what was to he
aetn ind 10 hear what was TO be said
and thsse were on hand ut an early
hour yesterday aud secured comforta
bic places.
THIS attendance was as large as the
day before, aud though the thermome-
Ter Vac high, remained throughout the
ssssisn. from 1880 Il. III. TO 3 p. ID.
Judge Prentjs is winning golden
opinions. He is not domineering. but
at The same time diGnitied and courte.
Gus, and when necessary severe. 1t is
very certain that no one will trlile with
the dignity of his court. His friends
belleve that his benring and ruling in
this case will place him among the first
many years.
Judge Prentis is punctual mau
and WAS on the bench on time. The
lawyers all looked fresh and bright.
Mr.. Massey, it is believed, will stand
the worry of the long trial equal TO
the youngest OF them.
Rev. Sam Small WAS the tirst to
reach the court room, closely followed
by Mr.. Massey aud his lawyers. Both
sides occupied the seats selected the
day before.
From the Adjournment OF Court
Monday till yesterday morning the
Sheriff Was kept constantly on the 90
locking mp persons selected for Jurors.
Rot Ions after the Court had been
called 10 order yesterday Judge Pren
tls sud that IN order that the verdict
when Ieadered might be satisfactory
he had selected only men of the best
r'nntntlon and highest personal char
ectsr.
THE JURY.
At the hour of adjournment Mon.
day the following persons had been Sc.
sured es qualified TO fill the responsible
position az jurors:
w. w. Vicar, president Chamber of
Sandusky Duzier. merchant; Il. A.
Saunders. merchant; ID. &, Lassiter
lumber dealer; Il. T.. Weight, wholesale
grocer; w. /. Barron. publisher, j. Il,
Peeie, publisher aud manufacturer: ID,
q. Worthingtop, clerk; II. n. Page,
req! estate dealer; Il. a. Dobie, cotton
agent; d. Z. Tongue, architect
The deputies. by energetic work SO.
enr.d the following by 1880: Paul
Harreil, produce merchant; c. Dewitt,
broker: Walter Boon, merchant; w.
ID. Chapnan. capitalist j. L. Frances.
clerk; Z. ii. Constable, merchant: J.
.. IS. Anderson, merchant; making
twenty oae men. Objection BEING rnised
to Mr.. ID. c. Worthington on account
OF some trouble his brother had with
the fllet company, he was excused.
vi all the persons who had made M
or expressed an opinion and WAS re
jeated. MIR. Howard l.. James answers
were tho most direct He answered no
10 All the questions except tie one
ARE you projudiced?" when MIR.
James said, Yes, sir" end was told
TO stand aside,
leo following drew blankg: Lassiter
oanhaers, hsrIell aud Chapman. and
were allowed 10 retire.
Tho following were stricken off Inv
the attorneys: Ives, Page, Dozier
and Anderson,
Tbs jury NJ sworn Was COMPOSED OF
ths iollowiOg: w. W. Vicar. w. W
Ghamosrisine. X. 2. Voight, W. Il.
betcon, j. t. Peelle. j. G.. league, Il
a. Dob'e, c. Dewitt, Walter Booue.
Perry. -
AS soon as it was announced TINT tbo
Jury had been selected the LAWYERS be.
gan 10 open up vast piles OF papers
scrap books containing hundreds OF
pages oil type written matter. news.
paper clippings, etc.
THE Opening STATEMENT.
Mr.; a. +. Thorn. leading counsel for
the defense, arose to present his si1o
oil tile case. Mr.. Thorn smoke viii
great dellberation aud clearnnss GA
not till he had been speaking for r.sr i,,
an hour did he raise his Voice ahov,
me conversational tone, AT times his
language was, severe, his irouy as shern
as DamGscTs blade, and his cbalcngn
20 the oppo'itIon the most defiant.
ne SAID that on the 23d of Inc, Do
Gem Der TIE Pilot published ibe articIo
complained OF In this suit, He tbnn
named the date of charter and reod ,ha
ist oil directors, under whose contrnI
the paper liz conducted. He said these
9eh we're ambitious gentlemen who
uesited 10 control the city. the State
ana the nation. They selected as their
watch word, Thou shall not bear false
WITNESSES against thy neighbour 1t