The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-22
ANACONDA news.
E!LL PLEAD INSANITY
FnE RACE TRACK TRAGEDY
- nay spent In Empaneling . jury
sd Hearing . Few Witnesses
for The etass-Incsdsnts
Of the Trial.

william GIL. charged with murder IN
be irst degree. through causing the
cath OF Patrick welch near the lace
rack. Sept. "a last. faced Judge Brant-
y and . jury In the district court yes
|eroay. That the case IL one Of alb
Sorbing interest was shown by h
Srowd that filled h court room and
ringed the walls thereof. when the
Hear We, hear We" OF the bailin COM
handed silence. In the throng could
e seen h faces of dozens Of the pion-
kers who have made h history OF Deer
Lodge county.
The accused. himself q pioneer of
hnore than three score years. would
kcarcely be selected as a murderer In
Inv crowd. Slight OF build. with a
riendIy face and kindly eye. he looked
ke the last man to strike down a
blow in cold blood. Throughout the
ay he sat with one or two friends,
liking an earnest interest In the pro-
keed.ngs. but rarely moving from his
keat even to speak to his council.
County Attorney Trippet and AS
Instant Self represented the state. and
county Attorney-elect j. II. Duffy y
b<ared for the defense. The sentencing
Joe Sullivan and matters of less i'm
ortance occupied the time of the court
an extent hat IL was well after 10
o'clock before the case OF the day was
hpened. In anticipation of challenges.
special venire of Jurors had been
oaIled. and the following citizens re-
sponded: Henry DAILY and II. q. Coy.
anaconda: ]. w. Watson. Stuart; John
s~taffanson and j. j. Dennin, Lost
kreek: NJ. A. Christianson, Warm
prings: Matt Hanson and Joseph
Jansen. Deer Lodge. The court adj
honished them earnestly as to their
uuties and Clerk Morony administered
the oath. His honor advised the new
1urymen as to what excuses would be
Accepted for non-service. One juror
arose and aid hat he had some cattle
out in the hills and IL was nightly
eough weather for them.
We'll. Il would be mighty rough
leather to go out m hunt for them"
aid his honor. and the remark amused
he crowd nightly.
Matters having started on h "a gen.
tally. Mr.. Duffy announced that the de-
tense was ready. The first IL Jurors
drawn from the box were John Roach.
G. w. French. william A. Dilts, II. L.
Davis. John Kinvig. II. s. Coy, James
Barrett. Hugh DAILY. f.. M. Covert.
kohn X. Heater. John Nye and James
tallory. County Attorney Trippet Sc
kcted the last named Juror for n
starter. Mr.. Mallory said he knew the
defendant. but thought he could try
the case fairly. He had no scruples
that objected to the death sentence
being imposed upon convicted murder
ers. A question In that direction was
put by Judge Trippet to each of The 25
men whom he examined during the
day. and none was found willing to go
on record as against capital punish
ment. Mr.. Nye knew neither GIN nor
WEIGH. nd had no opinion as to the de-
fendant's guilt. Mr.. Coy and Mr.. Dilts
told Judge Trippet the very same
thing. Mr.. DAILY was not acquainted
with either deceased or accused. He
had talked the case over some with
his friends. but had formed no opinion
that would prevent him from acting
fairly in the case. Mr.. French knew
both Gill and WEIGH. and had both
formed and expressed an opinion. h
opinion was based solely upon the talk
ne had heard. and not pom personal
knowledge. and he thought he could
render a verdict fairly and upon the
evidence evolved. Messrs. Kinvig.
Heater and Covert did not know the
men involved In the tragedy and had
formed no opinion in the case. AIR.
Barrett. without acquaintance with the
men. had formed an opinion. but be-
neNen ne could rendcr a Just Nefdlct.
Mr.. Davis did not know the men and
had no opinion in the case. Mr.. Roach
had known GIL for seven or eight
years. and had had an opinion at one
time. He thought he could vote fairly
On the verdict. however.
Judge Tr.ppet passed the entire IL
5hrors for aus
Then Mr.. Duffy went at the dozen
candidates. His questions quickly
outlined the course of the defense. IL
was to be based pom Gill's mental on
dItion at the time of the killing and his
previous excellent reputation. The
principal question of the half dozen
asked the Juror was this:
Have you any prejudice against
what IL known as the defense of In
sanity? Would you consider the testi-
mony introduced tending to establish
such a defense just as fairly and i'm
partially as o would any other offer-
ed in the case?'
Not a man Of all Of them admitted
entertaining such a prejudice.
On another OF the questions. Mr..
DUFFY encountered a mag I'm the per-
son Of the court. II was:
Have you any opinion or belief as
TO the guilt or innocence Of the de-
PENDANT from what you have heard or
ready"
Mr.. Duny asked this OF Juror NAL
lory. and Judge Trippet objected saw
agely. He commended that Mr.. Duffy
had no right to ask a juror what his