Evening star., 1899-04-10
Panel of Jurors Selected Without
Serious Difficulty.
Few CHALLENGES BY EITHER Side
Philadelphia Editor Challenged BE-
cause Of His Newspaper Articles.
EX-sENATOR's MANNER CALM

ex-United States Senator Quay and his son,
Richard r. Quay, on charges of conspiracy
in the misuse of funds of the Peoples Bank
of this city, begun this morning before
Judge Biddle in the court of quarter ses-
sions. The arrangements that We're in effect
on the date the trial was last called. Feb
rUary 81 when it was postponed at the re-
quest of District Attorney Rothermel, were
again carried out. AS a consequence, but
few. except those directly interested in the
case, jurors and newspaper men, were
ahled to gain admission to the court room.
Outside the court room a special detail of
city hall watchmen held back those not for
trnate enough to have special cards of adj
mission.
Promptly at 10 o'clock Judge Biddle took
his seat on the bench. Judge Mestrezat Of
Fayette county occupied a seat beside him,
merely as a spectator.
Mr.. Quay's Manner Calm.
Mr.. Quay. quiet, calm and with impassive
features. sat behind Mr.. Shields and to the
eX-senator's left sat his son Richard. Mr..
Quay held a brief conversation with Mr..
Shields, and then, settling back in his chair,
leaned his elbow on a table by his side. and
from time to time glanced about the room.
His son talked with no one, and confined
his attentions to observing counsel arrang
ing the papers in the case.
About twenty minutes were occupied in
the calling of names of the panel of jurors
and the witnesses in the case.
EX-Judge James Gay Gordon and former
District Attorney Graham, both of whom
have been active in the prosecution of Sem
ator Quay, and are Subpoenaed wit
nesses, entered and occupied seats within
the lncloSure reserved for the present dis
trfct attorney and court officers.
There was long list of witnesses for the
prosecution, including Thomas w. Barlow,
receiver of the broken Peoples Bank; State
treasurer James S. Beacon, ex-State
Treasurer Henry K. Boyer who is now di-
rector of the Philadelphia mint; James S.
Mechanics. once the leader of the republican
machine in this city, who was president of
the Peoples Bank; George A. Huhn the
leading stock broker of the city through
Whom Mt. Quay transacted much of his
business; David H. Lane the local repub-
lican leader; Richard F. Loper, who was
general manager of the assigned Guaran-
tors trust Company, through which the
1eoPles 1es3IP? Bank lost upward of $500, 600;
:" imam Montgomery. cashier of the AL
legheny National Bank of Pittsburg: Allen
- Rorke of Philadelphia. who is building
1i Ine state capitol; Charles H. Mckee of
P1ttSburg, ex-Lieut. Gov Lyons law mart
ner; Clay Kemble an officer of the Peo-
pies Bank; Teller Tabor of the same hank.
all OF the experts who have examined the
s pooks OF the bank and many Others in all
more than fifty.
Selection of Jurors.
an AOi maj proceedings began at 10 .p5
O'Clock, and the first on the list of the panel
Oh Jurors was called. He is Francis ]. Hill,
painter by trade After he was sworn in
District Attorney RothermeI called his at
lehtlon and the attention of the rest of the
panel OF nifty jurors to the case "A bout TO he
tried, saying 1t was the trial of NJ S QUAY
ana Richard r. Quay for conspirafy Hill
SAID he had formed no opinion as to the
guilt or innocence of the defendants and
was accepted. Harry Weiss. dealer. was
STOOD aside by the district attorney, as
was fhlilp korns, manufacturer. Adolph
H. FandeVeer, cutter, the next called was
sworn. He knew neither of the defendants
ana mad formed no opinion of the case.
Replying TO the defendants counsel, he said
ne knew no one connected with the prosecu-
tlon. He accepted.
John w. McCleland, signal inspector, was
the hrst man to say he had formed an
opinion but questioning developed that it
could be changed If the evidence was suf-
hcient He was accepted. William femme.
paper hanger, apparently not more than
twenty-one years old, answered the cues
tions satisfactorily and was accepted
John Henry Mole, mac hinist, said he did
not understand the English language thor
oughly and was excused.
Two other jurors We're stood aside and
then John j. Mclaughlin, horse shoer went
into the box as juror number five
James Berens. harness maker, was accept
able and became juror No. 9. John Chris!
tfan, clerk, and Wm s. Smith, iron worker
were successfully stood aside. James F.
Creery, engineer, created some amusement
| by his answers to counsel for the defense
He said he did not know the defendants OF
any one connected with the case, and he
added:
II don't intend to-"
He was accepted and took seat No. T.
Editor Williams Called
Iaicott Williams. one of the editors of the
Philadelphia Press, in answer to the dis
trict attorneys questions, stated that he
knew both of the Quays and had formed an
opinion, but he felt able to try the case ac-
cording to the evidence.
Mr.. Shields, for the defense, put Mr.. Will
lamS through a severe examination. Mr.
Williams admitted that he had written edi-
tor1als severely denouncing the defendants
and had participated in editorial councils at
which the anti-Quay policy of the paper
was discussed and outlined.
The questioning led to a discussion of the
responsibility of an editor for the opinion
| expressed by newspaper employing him
| and the political policy Of the paper In
| which he had no voice. Mr.. Williams
| stated that. although he had formed an
! opinion. it was not fixed and he felt COM
| petent to try the case it's merits. Judge
| Biddle cited recent decision by the su-
! perior court in the Pittsburg Leader case,
which, he thought, changed the law on the
| subject of an editorial writer's responsible
| ity. There was lull in the proceedings
while volume containing the decision
| was hunted up.
Mr. Shields finally determined to chal-
| lenge Mr.. Williams for cause" and the
| judge sustained the challenge.
Twelve Jurors Secured.
| George w. Mccall made the ninth Juror.
! Charles Eisenhaus. agent, was the tenth
] juror accepted. George A. Denning, iron
! worker, became the eleventh juror, and
| Thomas E. Dwyer the twelfth. One hour
| and eight minutes was consumed in this
work. Ten jurors were stood aside" one
| was excused and one challenged for cause.
AS soon as the jury was drawn Messrs.
| Shields and Shapley held a brief consuita-
| ton with the ex-senator and his son. The
| prosecuting officers also consulted, the re-
| suit being that George Denning, juror num-
| Der eleven, was Withdrawn from the box,
| having been challenged by the common
wealth. Andrew Cochran, designer, was ac-
cepted in Dennings place. Robert r. Van
| deveer, juror number 2, challenged
| by Mr.. Shields. VIM. Jackson, rigger,
| colored man with unusually dark skin,
was accepted in Vandeveer's place.
George w. Mccall. ST., juror number
0, was challenged by the commonwealth.
| James Mountney, artist, took his place.
| The defense challenged Thomas E. Dwyer,
juror number II, who was withdrawn Ed