The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-14
another MURDER trial
Joseph Ruminisky on Trial for Kill
ing August Grouse, of Archibald.
THE JURY HAS BEEN SECURED
Panel Was Exhausted and Judge Arch.
bald Told the Sheriff to Call in Twelve
Talcsmcn--Detnils of the Crime for
Which Accused Is OH Trial.


yesterday morning in the main court
room before Judge Archibald. District
Attorney John r. Jones and Attorney
Charles Il. Oliver represent the ;omrion-
wealth, and Constable William Dougher
OF Archibald, figures as the prosecutor.
The defendant is a Poland.r named
Joseph Euminisky, and he is charged
with the crime of felonlous homicide.
ii Is case where, If the commonwealth
can establish what 1t proposes TO do.
the defendant will be convicted of mur-
der in the first degree. The defendant
Is represented by Attorney M. A. Nc
Ginley, one of the bright young mem
hers of the bar who will make de-
termined battle to save his client from
the hangman's tree.
AT IL o'clock yesterday morning Ru-
minisky was led before the bar of jus
tice and entered plea of not guilty
The task of getting a jury was then
proceeded with and 1T was a tedious
undertaking, as usual in all murder
cases. AS each juror came forward ne
was asked the regular questions about
his scruples against capital punishment
whether he formed an opinion or not,
and If he could go into the jury box
and render a verdict of murder in the
first degree If the evidence warranted
Vt, knowing that the law is responsible
for the execution of the death penalty.
Attorney mckinley, in questioning
the jurors to test their competence to
sit in judgment, did not adhere to the
general rule of lawyers in homicide
cases. He introduced the unique and
forcible method of testing the feelings
of the jurors against the Polish peo-
pie. The Jurors We're also required to
state whether or not they We're tenn
perance cranks. The cause of this was
obvious; the defendant was drinking at
the time the affray occurred which he
is implicated in.
TalcSmen Called In.
Two juries Were out and, therefore,
much delay was caused in getting
twelve men. In the afternoon IL jury
that had been engaged in a case in
court room No3 was discharged and
that added to the panel But before
twelve jurors could be got 1t was neces-
sary for Judge Archibald TO issue an
order for special venire of twelve
talesmen from the by-standers In court.
Sheriff Clemons returned with the
following twelve, and William T.. Ben
nett, the first one on the list, was ac-
cepted, and that completed the jury.
These are the talesmen: William p.
Bennett, w. A. st. John, Thomas w.
Davis, Clark Lowry, John II. Reynolds,
w. NJ. Finn, w. j. Murray, John d..
Richards, A. X. Detweiler, Peter For
rest and w. ]. Mathews.
The jury that will try Ruminisky is
as follows:
w. &. Moore, carpenter, Scranton.
+. l.. Bertine cabnetmaker, Scranton.
VIM. Frantz, eX-commissioner, Scran-
ton.
Nicholas Wayman, farmer, Greenfield.
+. l.. Miller, Waterman, Carbondale
Joseph Bailey, blacksmith, Chnchila.
h. b. Stark, insurance agent, Scranton.
Joseph Stewart. miner, Scranton
George h. Wade, merchant, Old Forge
j. Il. Mansfield, wheelwright Scranton.
Thomas Flannery, shoemaker, Carbon
dale
William p Bennett tea. agent, Scranton.
Judge Archibald ordered the jury
sworn and the jurymen We're led to
L
and Evans.
Story of the Crime.
The crime the defendant is charged
with is that of partnership in the death
of an old man named August Grouse
at Archibald last September. The mur-
dered mans son. young man named
John Grouse, is an accessory to the
murder, but he has made his escape.
Old man Grouse and his son lived on
Pine street near the Delaware and
Hudson depot in Archibald. on Satur-
day night, Sept. IS, 1894, Ruminisky
came to Grouse's place; the old man
used to keep sort of a cobbler's shop,
that Is he did odd jobs mendng old
shoes.
The beer pail was called into requisi-
tion and about | o'clock Sunday morn
ing the old man, the son and RumiH-
isky began to quarrel. The son struck
his father on the head with a wooden
form that shoemakers use in repair
ing the uppers of boots. The form was
in the shape of mans leg from the
knee down.
II Is alleged that Ruminisky took n
hand in for fear the parricidal son
would not be able to accomplish his
brutal design. Ruminisky is charged
with plunging a dagger six times into
the old mans liver. DR.. Van Dusen, of
Archibald, was sent for, but all surgical
attention was fruitless. Old man Grouse
died the following Thursday. That Is
substantially the case for which Rumin-
isky will be called to answer for his life