Arizona republican., 1895-05-16
BUSINESS BEGINS Opening Day in the Trial
 of Criminal Cases. First Defendant, John
 Brice, Acquitted.
The Trial of Benj. Earle, a Trip
 Iicate Burglar, Going on.
A Defendant Who Reversed the Order by Getting from the Fire
 Into the Frying Pan.

There were unmistakeable signs yes- terday that district court was in session. The porches and corridors of the court house and the entrance to the court room were thronged with witnesses and members of the venire.
 Witnesses going to or coming from the mysterious grand jury room tended slightly to increase thethrong and add to the generally litigious appearance. But nowhere else about the court house save in the sherif's office was there any liveliness. The district court had ab- sorbed it all.
 The first venire included forty names. Four of the members were excused after which another special venire was ordered and returned. The following gen tlemen thus became eligible to ser vice in the jury box: W. ". Edwards. Henry Morgan, R. E. Harrington, Well lington Richins, L.. Foushee, F. A. Shaw, Geo. Barnett, R., B. Vinson, Bruce Perley, Lewis Wilson, c. J. Dyer, B. Bliss. A. H. Fulton, N. A. DeCon- nick, Frank Peck, J, w. Morrill,, H. C.. Baker, s. c. Symonds, F. P. Noack. Jas. L. Paterson, J. M. Pratt, J. L.. Cant, Arthur Brizzee, J. H. Root, G.. L, Richmond, John Perrin. H. c. Meador, J. o. Hall, A. W. Hoffman, N. c. Webster, G. c. Carey, A. Humphry. c. W. Mills, A. H. Smith, T. H. Jones, H. V. Harbert, W. Webster, David Falconer. Reuben Rosenberger, Orrin Merrill, c. L. Atkins, M. A. Grouse. Logan Rives and Warwick Scott.
 James German and Harry Russell, who had been reindicted for. resisting arrest, were arraigned and given until this morning to plead.
 The first case called for trial was that of John Brlce, charged with burglary. On Decem Der 27 last the residence of Hon. M. H. McCord, northeast of the city, was burglarized, and among the articles stolen were couple of guns and some jewelry. Within few days these articles were found in the posses 1 eion of Brlce and his arrest followed Brice accounted for the possession o the stolen property by saying that it had been given to him by a mar named Hardy, who had just come down from the mountains. Hardy saiC he wanted to sell the property and tolo Brice to take it and dispose of it Though he lived within a half mile o Mir. McCord's residence, he displayed the guns and jewelry in conspicuou manner. The defense therefore insisted that if he were guilty he would not thu have invited detection. The prisoner who is very young man, was attended in court by his mother and brother and sisters. The jury deliberated upon a verdict for couple pf hours and re turned one of not guilty.
 The next case was that of Benjamin Earle, charged with the burglary 0 the Phoenix steam laundry and tn Farley house.
 The arrest of Earle on this charg; was accidental. It occurred on the morning following the murder of Franl Smith last winter. Earle and twt other strangers, Thos. Mcdonald an( Henry Johnson, were arrested not ia from the scere of the murder and il the direction in which the murderer had been traced. The shoes of two 0 them were found to fit tracks made b, the murderers. They were easily abl though to prove their innocence. A the time of their arrest there was foun' large quantity of clothing and othe articles. A part of the clothing wa identified as some that had been stole in a recent burglary of the Phoni steam laundry and part was identifie
 by E. H. Winters of the Bee Hive a goods taken from the branch Bee Hiv store at Mesa several months before.
 The prisoners were given an e2 animation and held to the grand jury Earle tried to exonerate his companion
 All three were indicted jointly an
 Earle and Johnson were indicted t.
 gether on a second charge. Earle aske
 for and was given separate trial undt . each indictment. He is now on trii F for participation in the steam laundl , burglary.
 The case proceeded until 8 lot
 skeleton keys found on the prisone
 were needed in evidence. They we
 in the possession of Sheriff Orme VI :, happened to be out of town and u case was continued until this mornin