El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-21
The JURY
COMPLETE
Ire Crowd At the Pitt Trial
Is Picturesque.
EXAM NATION BEGUN
But Owing To the Great Number OF
Witnesses II Is probable the
Trial VIII Last a Week.-Very
Outlet Session Today.

Examination of prospective jurors in
the Pitt case was resumed this morning
at o'clock in the district court. At
ter their stormy session of yesterday
the attorneys had quoted down and
there was no excitement of any kind
early in the day
IL soon became evident that a jury
would not be hard to get but as few
persons had read eharticle which was
alleged to have been published to
prejudice the mind OF the public
against the defendant. The few who
had read the article asserted that they
had not been influenced by il and were
not disqualified as jurors.
An instance similar to the foregoing
occurred more than a year ago at the
| trial of Lee and Gilliland at Hillsboro.
New Mexico. On that occasion Editor
McCutcheon of the Ell Paso Graphic.
which afterwards became the News.
published an article in his paper alleg-
ing that Col. Fountain was alive. Cop
les of the paper were distributed
among the members of the special We
nire that had been summoned from
which to select jury to try the de-
PENDANTS.
McCutcheon. the editor. was arrested
for contempt on warrant sworn out
by the district attorney.
1ettiHS
Getting a jury in the Pitt case this
morning was a slow process. Both
the state and defense used the utmost
care in selecting jurors and few were
able to successfully pass the examin-
alton to which they were subjected.
1t was a wearisome process and the
panel was not completed until high
noon.
Almost at the same instant that the
whistle sounded for twelve O'Clock the
last man. August Anick. was sworn in
and passed up into the box.
The complete jury is composed OF
the following citizens:
r. j. White. +. w. Ardoin. Guy Good
loe. b. F. Jenkins, Mike Reilly. II. No
Ian. w. McLeash, c. o. Lagerfelt, j.
III. Watson. p. Williams, W. +. Rog-
ers. August Anick.
In examining the jurors this morning
touching their knowledge of the case.
the defense invariably asked the ques-
ton. Have you read an account of the
killing in the daily papers,?
When asked what particular paper
had been read the person questioned
almost invariably replied The Her
aid" Some read the Times and a few
had read the News.
AS these men were all under oath
their statements serve to indicate the
relative circulation of the three papers
mentioned. The odds were four or
five to one in favor of the Herald.
After the last juryman had been
sworn in Judge Walthall instructed the
witnesses to return at 2 O'Clock and
a recess was taken until then
Afternoon Session.
In the neighborhood of seventy-five
witnesses were called up and sworn as
soon as the jury had been brought back
at o'clock
Two stenographers were sworn in.
From the number of witnesses in at
tendance it is evident that the trial
will consume many days. The lawyers
hardly hope to finish by Saturday night
Judge Walthall admonished the wit
nesses that they would be held strictly
for any violation of the
rule. They were told not to talk any
one. nor to hear the testimony of any
witness. Furthermore they were in
structed not to read any newspaper
giving a detailed account of the evil
dence.
The witnesses formed a typical west
Texas crowd and il looked like the
whole of Ward county had been depop-
ulated of voters The sheriff of Ector
county and all of his deputies were
present. \ lawyer asked him who was
said he had no business at home. All
Of his constituents were at the trial.
The First Witness.
The first witness called was Morgan
Kiethly.
He said he was at Monahans when
the killing occurred. July 81. 1900.
4 diagram of Monahan's was ex-
hibited and the witness explained il to
the jury.
Judge Hammer conducted the direct
questioning the witness
in regard to blood stains on the ground
md wall of the postoffice at Monahan's.
Witness saw Pink Hill half hour af-
er he was shot. Witness was at Hills
'anch from July IS to 20. and himself
Hill. Burchfield and others came to
on the 20 with some cattle
Hill and Burchfield spent the night at
l.
Cross examined by Senator Gage wit
less said Burchfield married Hills
mother. Wit ness said he does not and
never did owe Burchfield any money.
nut afterwards admitted that he was
IN note made payable to Burchfield.