Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-08-23
OPENED
Is the Trial for Life Of Morgan
McSVeeney.
THE DEFENDANT APPEARED
Calm As lie Entered the Court Room In the
Custody Of the Sheriff.
COURT CONVENED AT 1 O'CLOCK MONDAY,
The Entire Afternoon Was Taken Up in
Examining Jurors. Only Ten Were
Examined and of These But Three
Were Found to Qualify.

On Monday afternoon promptly at
one o'clock Judge H. w. Coultrap
stepped upon the bench in the Com
mon Pleas Court, and after saluting
his many acquaintances in the court
room, motioned to Sheriff McAllister
to call the court to order.
A large crowd had collected to hear
the trial and when Morgan McSweeney
was led into the court room everybody
turned their faces toward him and a
dreadful silence fell over the audience.
McSweeney appeard attired in a
black suit and was the picture of
calmness. His long Imprisonment
seemed to not have the least effect on
him and he appeared in the best of
health. He took a seat at ta..e with
his counsel, at the left of the jury box.
At this table were Attorneys Way, FL
lenwood, Preston and Edwards who
will take care of McSweeney's inter-
ests. Mr.. Edwards is an able attorney
of Pittsburg and is member of the
law firm of Williams & Edwards. Mr..
Edwards comes at the solicitation of
Miss Maggie McSweeney, and has
wide reputation as criminal lawyer.
Prosecuting Attorney J. G. Brenan
and Attorney A. D. Follett, counsel for
the State, sat at table at the right of
the jury box.
The press representatives occupied
desks Immediately in front of the jury
box and behind the witness chair.
With this makeup the wheels were
set in motion and the great trial of the
State of Ohio VS.. Morgan McSweeney
for the murder of eX-Deputy United
States Marshal w. E. Mason was be-
gun.
The court Immediately set to work
to select jury from the special venire
of thirty-six men drawn several days
ago, the names of whom appeared in
Sundays Leader. Chas. Meisenhelder
presented a physicians certificate
stating that his health was such that
he could not sit on the jury. The
counsel on both sides asked to have
him excused.
Chas. ". Weber was excused on t-e
ground that he had formed an opinion.
E. H. Williams was excused on the
ground that he had been confined in
the county jail, charged with embez-
element and that he had had some
trouble with the prisoner.
Alfred Covey stated that he had
formed an opinion as to the guilt of
the accused and it was stated that he
had said that McSweney should hang
Daniel Kirsch, of Salem township,
stated that he had formed an opinion
from the report Of the crime in the
Leader at the time of it's occurrence,
and that he had talked with several
people in regard to the case. He stat
ed to the court that he thought he
could go on the jury and bring in an
unprecedented verdict on the evidence
as brought out in the trial.
Samuel Swan. of Belpre township.
stated that he had formed no opinion
and that he took no county papers and
had not read of the case, as he was
away from home at the time. He was
retained.
VIM. Spencer, of Belpre, also quail
fed.
D. G. Dunbar. of Watertown, was
excused. He stated in the examina-
tion that he could not find the defend
ant guilty on circumstantial evidence.
B. F. Strecker presented certificate
from DR.. Sloan stating that his heall..
would not permit his sitting on the
jury. He was excused.
Inos. S. Hadley stated that he had
formed an opinion and that he was On
posed to capital punishment. He was
excused.
John Mitchell was excused on the
ground of sickness.
The Court then fixed the hours of
the court as follows: From $3.50 to
l1:3O in the morning, and from 100 to
$50 in the afternoon, standard time.
There will be no night sessions at the
present at least.
The Court then instructed the Sher-
IN to take charge of the three men who |
qualified as jurors and adjourned court
till $3.50 Thursday morning.
From the fact that but three men |
qualified in the first ten examined
brings forth the belief that the trial
will consume a great deal of time.
Every means possible is being made
to give the defendant a fair and i'm
partial trial and at the same time the
A.A-