Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-05-06
MANY WITNESSES ON
AYERS MURDER TRIAL. NOM
WELL UNDER WAY,
TESTIMONY BEING TAKEN
jury Is Finally Secured and With Of
details Visits the Premises About
Which Testimony VIII Re Taken
Finding Of the Body Described
Octeadan; Appears Happy
Madison, MAY j

Madison, May s,
The circuit court room was thronged
Monday afternoon With curious
crowd gathered to hear the opening vi
the trial of George Ayers, charged With
tAr murder of Gus, Peterson on the
night OF Oct 1 last, The case was
called promptly at O'clock Ayers
was brought in 10y tndersherin Bur
mester before the hour and before the
Judge and jurors had arrived, He
seemed to ENJOY the partial freedom
given him by the undershe,tn jan
life seems to have agreed with him rs
he looks healthy and ruddy and walked
in with Il springy step, lie Was
dressed in n new suit OF black With a
white shirt and collar and gray tic,
lie had a most cheerful and easy air.
District Attorney Anderson appeared
alone for the prosecution hut Attorney
E, Ray Stevens had c. E, Whelm to
assist in the defense. Ayers father,
his wife and sister, Minute, sat inside
the rafting. John Peterson OF De For
est, brother of the murdered man,
was also present.
The following jurors were first called
by Clerk Of Court Parish: Henry
Page. Madison; E E. Duty, Burke; J.
II, Gould, Bollevilee; Matthias Esser,
Wcstport; Ncls Johnson, Blooming
Grove; John Koch, Sprtngheld Den
mis- Kessenich, Springheld, John E
Lee, Chrtstiana; George Lockwood,
Vermont; X. o !. 0nstad Pleasant
Springs; C, Stubley, Black Earth; Al
bert Torgerson, Pleasant Springs. They
we're carefully examined by District
Attorney Anderson and then In turn
by c, E, Whelan All were asked by
opinion MS to whether or not u crime
had been committed ant The Norwe-
gians II the fact that Peterson was one
Of their nationality would influence
them any. All had read or heard
something of the case but not one OF
them thought he had formed an opinion
which amounted to prejudice. None
of the jurors were excused for cause,
and the attorneys then proceeded to
exercise their peremptoly Strikes"
the defendant being entitled to "a. the
state 10 II, The result OF the strikes
was not made manifest until the regu-
lar panel was exhausted, A new name
was called after each strike. The first
was John Schantz of Cottage Grove.
Two strikes by the defense was fol-
lowed by the drawing Of William Haak,
Sr,, OF this city and Lewis pettey OF
York. After the next strike by the
district attorney DR.. s. Smith OF Mont
rose was called. Two more strikes by
the defense brought Casper Strohmen-
ger OF Sun Prairie and J. G. Latham
OF Fitclbnrg to the jury box John
Alderman OF Roxbury was called after
the next strike.
+. Schembera OF York, and William
l.emcke Of Middleton. were called next.
William G. Schumann OF Berry. Paul
Pulvermacher OF Roxbury, Albert An
derson OF Perry, James l., DAWSON of
Blooming Grove. A. V. Tedderly of
York. W. Il. Riley of Waunakee. Fred
Stickney Of Mazomanle, John O'Ncill
Of this city, Matthias Essor Of Wcs,
port, r. 10. Davis OF Middleton, James
&. aig OF Albion and Peter E. Male OF
Blue Mu4 uds were all finally called.
The attorneys then announced mat
they had agreed upon but nine and the
ccdrt then ordered n special venire OF
10 names to be drawn and declared an
adjournment until a'clock this morn.
Ing. Judge Siebecker also announced
that this would be the only remaining
case on the calandar that could be
heard at this term and excused the
other jurors.
The nine men remaining to form part
OF the jury are j, II. Gould Of Belle
vile, c. Stubley OF Black Earth,
George Lockwood Of Vermont, John
Alderman OF Roxbury, william
Lemcke Of Middleton, w. r. Riley OF
Waunakee. Fred Stickney OF Mazom
anie John Il. Lee OF ChI1siiana. Mat
thias Esser Of Westport and II. II.
Davis Of Middleton
II is expected that the case will be
concluded Saturday.