The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-17

the murderer Of Patrick A. Largey. Ii
on trial for his crime and for his life
before a jury in Judge Smiths depart
ment Of the district court. A jury was
obtained In less than q hour and q half.
and the expeditions ann in which
the trial proceeded was a revelation to
the attorneys and witnesses from
Butte, who are accustomed to see the
trial Of criminal cases. and especially
the selection of juries. drawn out into
days and weeks.
A few minutes before 10 o'clock yes
terday morning Riley was brought into
court by Sheriff Davidson. The MUIR
derer looked well; confinement In jail
had evidently been agreeable to his
health. He had discarded his wooden
leg, and his hobble on crutches gave
him a more than usual helpless look,
and one calculated to excite some de-
gree Of pity. Riley recognised a few
to them, but at no time did his face
relax from h morose and hang-dog
look that has grown habitual to IL. I'M
mediately after court convened Judge
Smith empanelled a new trial jury, the
panel being composed of an intelligent
lOOhl1S IOt VI IIcH anu IcphCSCutatiNc
citizens. The jury drawn to try Riley
is made up of probably as intelligent
and as fair-minded lot Of men as ever
sat on a murder case in Helena, and
Riley will doubtless have a very fair
an impartial trial. He is well rep
resented by counsel. for Judge j. M.
Clements, his chief attorney, 10 regard
ed as one of the ablest criminal lawyers
in the state. He is assisted by Attor-
ney Cason of Butte.
The state was represented by County
Attorney Guy w. Stapleton. Judge
G. w; s;apiet0n and Bernard Bernard
al Nolan. assisted the state in selecting
a jury, and examined the veniremen.
but took no further part in the case.
The state exercised only n peremp-
tory challenge. but the defense exhaust
ed it's ten. The first IL men called to
the jury box were John Wick. Henry
Donald. Henry Hay, v. G. Kinda, Wal
ter Matheson. s. NJ. Meadows, John
r. Britt. Joseph O'Neil, John Prye,
John Adami.
Nearly every man Of the ~ said he
had an opinion, formed by reading ac-
counts of the murder in the newspa-
pers. but all said the could, notwith-
standing the opinions, try the case fair
ly and impartially on the law and evil
dence. Juror Kinda said he had known
Mr.. Largely for 25 or 30 years. but none
of the others had known either Mr..
Largely or Riley.
I'VE pass the Jury for cause" an
nounced Colonel Nolan. at the conclu-
sion of his examinations.
Mr.. O'Neil. you said you had no
acquaintance with Mr.. Riley. did you
not?" asked Judge Clements of one Of
the jurors.
Yes, sir"
l. H. f@Iy - 1enp
that a man named Sullivan. Thomas
]. Riley and others worked for your"
Il do not. So many worked for me
that / cannot remember all of them. i
might know him If / saw him."
The defendant was pointed out to the
juror. and Mr.. O'Neil said he never
saw him before.
DO you remember an instance when
Thomas ]. Riley called on you and
claimed that you owed him a balance
of IS cents?"
IT do not"
do you remember that he came TO
your place and ate three meals there,
unlimited, to square the account?"
II do not"
"Mr. Kinda. would the fact Of your
long acquaintance with Mr.. Largey
have any influence on you in deciding
this case?"
mot exactly"
IF not exactly, would 1t In an indef-
mite way?"
mo-"
Passed for Cause.
The jury was passed for cause by the
defense, and the state. on its first per-
emptory challenge. excused Mr.. O'Neil.
whose place in the box was taken by
Seth Bowden. The defense on its first
two challenges excused John F. Prye
and Seth Bowden. who were succeeded
by George r. Mettlen Findlay Ur-
quart. The state waived its second
challenge. and the defense exercised its
third as to John Adami. f. j. Good
kind, who was summoned to the box.
said he did not like to impose the
death penalty, and in deciding a MUIR
der case he would place his own con-
struction on the testimony, In spite of
what the law or the court would say
as to the weight to be given II. He
would not convict a man and impose
the death penalty II he could possibly
find an excuse for not doing so. Col
onel Nolan challenged the juror for
cause and Judge Clements resisted,
saying that the juror had stated the law
correctly.
III that is the only reason for re-
sisting the challenge" said Judge
Smith. "the objection will be overruled,
The challenge is sustained"
william Lein was next called and
passed by the state. but was peremp-
torily challenged by the defense. Chas.
Helig. the next man called. was passed.
The state waived its third challenge
and the defense excused Mr.. Hay for
Henry Blase.
Have you any conscientious scru-
Piles against hanging as a penalty for
MURDER"
mo. sir: IL a man deserved hanging
I'd hang him."
The defense challenged Mr.. Britt,
whose place in the box was taken by
r. A. Abercrombie. The state waived
its fourth perenptory challenge and the
defense. on its seventh. excused Mr..
Mcdonald and Sam Alexander vas
called. The latter said he had an
! opinion as to the defendants guilt, and
had known Mr.. Largey for a good
many years. He said he could try the
case fairly and impartially. yet II
would require evidence to remove the
opinion he possessed. He was passed
by both sides, however. and h de-