Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-15
G0RDY TRIAL COMMENCED
Women Screamed and Men SWore While
Trying to Enter the Court House.
pRISONERHAGGARD AND UNCOUTH
Twenty-Five Jurors Challenged
and Ten Excused.

Georgetown, April ,. LIN the court
OF oyer and terminer, yesterday, after
the arraignment of James NJ. Gordy fol-
murder In tho first degree. Robert
Morefield. colored was arraigned On
the charge OF granddaughter and pleaded
guilty to tho indictment. "A ttorney-
General White stated to the court that
he bad fully investigated the case and
he was satisfied the crime was barely
within the bounds of msuslaught ter.
He said that Moreiield and colored
compnnion. one day last summer, on
gagged 10 friendly tussle. that in the
tussle the man who was killed fell over
the tongue Of reaper and that More
field, reaching behind him, picked up
what he supposed to be small, harm
less club and struck the other man
lightly over the head. hut the club
proved TO be part of the machinery OF
the reaper and had, a sharp iron npike
on each side, about half an inch long
One OF these spikes penetrated the
mans skull, producing death.
Tho attorney. general added that he
had no doubt that no malice or i'll will
existed in tho mind of Morefield
toward his unfortunate victim, and
that the killing was entirely without
intent. In view OF this statement
che court imposed light sentence upon
the prisoner He was-ordereu to pay a
fine OF $40 and costs OF prosecution,
and be imprisoned one year. Andrew
J. Lynch represented the prisoner.
John Simpler, ia The court of general
sessions, pleaded guilty to assault. and
was given three months in Jail
George Marvel pleaded guilty 10 m
, Indictment for pointing a gun. Iio was
sentenced to pay fine OF $50 nnd costs.
Harry Landlord was arraigned on two
indictments for ASSAULT with intent to
commit murder lie pleaded guilty to
simple assault and the State accepted
the pisa. For the two indictments he
was sentenced TO 10 months impi ison-
inent aud to pay fine Of $50 and the
costs of prosecution.
John Burt. who was committed to
jail yesterday 10 await the result OF the
injuries said TO have been inflicted by
him in an assault upon Alice Dunbar,
at Lewes, on Monday night, has been
released from jail on $3.50 bail for his
appearance at court next October.
Georgetown, April 3.-Loug before
the court OF oyer and terminer opened
yesterday, at noon. the yard surround
ing the old Court House was a surging
mass OF humanity. struggling toward
the doors. hoping to gain admission to
the famous trial of James M. Gordy
for numbering his wife, Estella Mary
Gordy, ON the night Of March 10th,
last, To guard against the crush, which
would have been inevitable hadifree
access been given TO all who desired to
go into tine court room, tickets of nd
mission had boon given ITO the jurors.
witnesses and newspaper men. und
none but these and the members OF tho
bar were admitted until utter the
prisoner was brought up from the Jail
Toprsyent the mob from. crowding into
the lower corridor of tho Court House
several stout special deputies were ap.
pointed to guard both the trout and
rear entrances. hs 6EI5 ~
Crier Purnell opened the, court
promptly at IL o'clock. Chief Justice
Lore and Associates Cullen and Marvel
were on the bench. Judge Grubb went
to Wilmington Saturday and had not
returned.
The prisoner was brought into court
at IL. 90 o'clock by Sheriff johnson and
Deputies Robert Short, Rowland W.
Joseph. Jesse Sharp and William j.
McNatt. He looked even more baggard
than whom he was arraigned last
Wednesday. His personal appearance
was most uncouih. His hair was un-
combsd, his face still unshaven and his
clothing out Of repair and much soiled
His three brothers. Benton, William
and John, occupied chairs within the
bar and within reach of the un-
fortunate man, but he seemed utterly
oblivious to their presence and his
entire surroundings lie kept his eyes
closed or fixed upon the floor during
all the proceedings, not even looking up
when commanded to 'look upon tho
jurors" as they were empanelled,
Attorne, General White aud Peter
l.. Cooper, Jr., his deputy, occupied
seats at the front OF the bar, while
counsel for the defence. Charles +.
Richards, Charles W. Cullen, John NJ.
Richardson and Robert ii. Richards,
we're grouped near tho dock.
After the prisoner had been brought
into court the clerk of the peace was
ordered TO call the Jury. The B!ip
herring the name of Matthew i. PEN
mel was the one first taken from the
hox Mr.. Richards, senior counsel for
Gordy, asked tho juror whether no HAD
formed and expressed an opinion as to
the guilt or innocence of the prisoner
at the bar. He answered in the aifirma-
tive, and on being asked by the Chief
Justice whether or not he could give
verdict In accordance with the law and
evidence. notwithstanding the oninion
already formed, he replied that be did
not think he could. He was excused.
Greenebury Short was challenged by
the defence. David NJ. Reynolds was
Excused because of conscientious
scruples. The drawing proceeded until
b2 of the "a members Of the regular
and special panels had been called be-
fore tho ~ men who shall try tho cause
were finally chosen. The defence made
20 peremptory challenges, while tho
State challenged only two persons.
Five were excused because they had
formed and oppressed ana opinion, ten
because of CONSCIENTIOUS soruples and
three because of Illness.
At 2 O'Clock the Jury had been
selected, as follows: William s. .O'Day,
Northwest Fork hundred, foreman, BY
occupation a farmer; George II. Titus
Cedar Crook hundred, farmer; John S.
Cooper, Little Creek hundred, farmer;
William Ii. O'Neal, Broad Greek hun,
dred, farmer; Emory r. Phillips,
Little Creek hundred, farmer; George
Janues, Baltimore hundred, farmer,
James Is. Conoway, Northwest Fork
hundred. farmer; Wakeman w. Bryan,
Broad Creek hundred, farmer; Luther
liearne, Broad Creek hundred. farmer