Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-01
READY FOR THE TESTIMONY
Jury in the Morgan Murder Case is
Selected. q
WORK COMPLETED YESTERDAY NOON
Great Care Used In the Qucstioninp
Of Every Man CaIIcd-Eirst OF
the Witnesses Will lie
Heard Monday.
FORK COMPLETED YESTERDAY NOON

curing the Jury in the Morgan murder trial.
The examination of each juror was long and
extended until almost up to noon, when there
were still three challenges remaining for the
defense and two for the state. Judge Scott
then announced that he intended to keep the
court in session until the jury was emplneled.
The attorneys then considerably FASTENED
their questioning, evidently fearing that If they
dallied they would lose their dinners.
At | o'clock In the afternoon the twelve
Jurors in whose hands will rest the fate Of
George Morgan, charged with the murder Of
little Ida Gasklll, were secured and the court
took a recess until Monday morning.
Morgan occupied the same position as he
took Friday. He listened intently to the
questions put to the jurors and their answers.
Occasionally his attorneys engaged him in
close conversation when they were selecting
the Juror whom they intended to challenge.
Morgan, however, apparently had little to say.
Mrs. Gaskill. accompanied by one of her
children and a friend, was present during the
proceedings and took a chair close TO the
Jury box. She was dressed in a black mourn
ing costume. Once or twice she spoke to the
county attorney, but during the greater part
Of the proceedings she was engaged in closely
'Ntish W AhO iNSNioh anu "iath
passed between the attorneys and the jury
men.
At the opening of court the defense ex-
hausted its eighth peremptory challenge, A.
G. Body bsing excused.
Louis LIttlefeld, a milk dealer, and r. e.
Liveoey, a brick contractor, were called to fill
the panel, the jury box having contained only
eleven men on adjournment Friday night.
Both the Jurors went through the examina-
ton of both attorneys. having no prejudice
against the accused and having no objection
to capital punishment.
On its ninth ~peremptory challenge the
defense excused John e. Davidson.
John Grant was called. He said that he
had formed an opinion in the case from
what he had read and heard. He was con-
sequently challenged. In answer to ques-
lions from the court he said, however, that
this opinion would not affect him in rem
dering a verdict and the challenge was over
ruled. The defense also challenged the juror
on his statement that he had been shown by
a reporter who will be a witness a sketch
of the building where the murder occurred.
The challenge was overruled.
The state used its third %peremptory against
G. w. Larsen.
KNEW o LITTLE ENGLISH.
The next Juror called was Lawrence Kel-
Ter. He was a German and appeared to have
some difficulty in understanding the ques-
tions put to him by the counsel. Judge
Scott finally interrupted with the question:
"How long have you been in this coun-
try?"
Thirteen years. answered the Juror.
"How old were you when you came to this
country" continued the court.
"Thirty-siX."
"Do you understand the English language?"
mot right"
"Slnce you have come to this country have
you mixed with English-speaking people or
with your own people?"
We'll, l try to learn English" answered
the witness.
You don't seem to be getting along very
WE'LL said the court, and a laugh arose. "Do
you think you could understand what the
witnesses will say?"
mo, SIR"
You are excused"
The next juror, Theodore Starks, was a
prepossessing and intelligent appearing man,
but he was excused because he had formed
an opinion in the case from newspaper ac-
counts.
The next juror, Fred Kelley, a stableman.
knew Morgan. He was the first juror who
had been at all intimate with the ac-
cused.
How long have you known Morgan?' was
asked.
About a year and a half. He boarded at
the same place | do, and | met him usually
two or three times a day"
"Have you formed an opinion of his guilt %
Eyes, SIR"
Would it take evidence to remove that
op!nion?"
Yes sir"
Excused" said the court.
During his examination Kelley was very
nervous. His hands and frame trembled and
drops of cold sweat appeared on his fore
head.
h. H.. Church, a married man, 80 years of
age, and the father of a boy and a girl, was
the next juror called. He had formed no
opinion from reading newspaper accounts of
the crime and was not opposed to capital
punishment. He consequently held his seat.
The defense used its tenth peremptory chal-
lepge against John Grant.
Thomas Kinsman had read the account in
The Bee and had formed an Impression as to
the guilt or innocence of the defendant at
the time, but he did not retain the impress
sion and would not allow 1t, if recalled. TO |
influence him.
THEY CONSULTED MORGAN.
On the call for the defendants eleventh
peremptory challenge the attorneys consulted
Morgan. The accused glanced over the Jury
and when he leaned back in his chair r. III.
Church was excused.
II. l.. Lingenfeldt. a mail carrier, had
formed an opinion on the case, but did not
have II then. In answer to a question he
said that his opinion had been removed nv n
circumstance, but he was not allowed by
the court to relate this circumstance. The
juror had no conscientious scruples regarding
the infection of the death penalty. He is a
married man and has three children.
~ .hHHlh consuming AloIbdn the at
torneys for the defense excused Simon Rice
on the twelfth peremptory. This created
surprise. as Rice had been considered
an ideal juror. On his examination he said
that he had neither read nor heard anything
OF the case, knew nothing about 1t. had
consequently for ned no opinion as to the
guilt or innocence of the accused and had
no objection to the innlction Of the death
He lives at Valley.
W. B. Wyinan. IA Union Pacific employe
al South Omaha, was the next Juror called.
Have you any conscientious scruples as
TO the ~inhiction of the death penalty 2" was
q
II have, II the evidence is circumstantial.
~ the evidence connecting the accused with
the crime IL purely circumstantial, l could
not bring In a verdict of guilty of murder In
the first degree against him"
The Juror PERSISTED In this view and he
was excused for cause.
Matthias Klng, the next juror called. was
a ltile short on the English language. He
could not understand tho questions put to
him. When asked II he Lad an opinion as 10
the quit or innocence Of Morgan he said he
did not know what an opinion was. Here
the court put IN a numbsr Of questions: ''Do
you understand the English language" was
"A little" was the answer.
do you 'hink YOU could understand thn