Arizona republican., 1901-10-30
RuBRNsTHIH ON TRIAL
For the Double Murder at seottsdale
 on May 9th.

The trial of John Rubcnstein. for the murder of Amos Nye and Pedro Johnson, an Indian. at Seottsdale on May last, was begun in district court yesterday and completed. so far as the people are concerned. It was a very simple presentation on the part of the prosecution.
 Rubenstein met Wye in the road and without any provocation wha shot and killed him, and few minutes after shot the Indian il the hack and killed him. Rubenstein was a mail carrier and the only supposition regarding his motive is, that Nye and the Indian. bringing load of hay along the road to some extent obstructed it, and that he believed that the "celerity, certainty and security of the postal service would be increased by their removal. There had never been a quarrel be- tween Rubenstein and either of his vic ums. and there was none that day. The murderer had longrbeen regardeI by those who knew him, as a dangerous person. While he had never exhibited any homicidal tendencies. he had kept his neighborhood on South Third ave nue. clear of cats and dogs by means of poison, and his neighbors believed he would not hesitate to resort to arson and murder. He had no intimates and was altogether regarded as a danger ous person. It was not said of him that he was insane. but that he was a pervert. who could not be reached un- til he committed Some more pervert act than any which had yet been com mitted.
 After the double murder of Nye and the Indian he seemed to feel no more compunction than after poisoning his neighbors cats and dogs. He was ar rested within three hours. sbut unless to his attorney. he has never referred to the tragic event of May 6. It is said that he feigned insanity in jeil and for a time was violent. After that he became as any ordinary pris- oner. When he was brought into court yesterday he betrayed no interest in the proceedings. There was nothing about him that suggested insanity. and nothing that suggested a sense of re- sponsibility. He was like a block of wood or stone.
 The jury was selected before noon. Almost every member of the panel was challenged. but only the peremptory challenges were effective. The mem bers of the jury are J. E. Stovall. I. s. Warner. w. Wade. R. A. Tuckey. J. T ' Robert Friedel, w. A. Squire, C. C. Montgomery, Kinsey Phillips and w. ". Willis.
 The first witness was Chaplain Win field Scott. and though he was longer on the stand than any other, he saw no part of the tragedy and only heard the shots which brought death tu Nye and the Indian. The chaplain had for some time been suffering with q broken leg. He had been carried out of the house on d cot by Nye and annther man to direct some farming opera tions. and was then carried back by them. It was soon after that that he heard the shot which killed Nye. The other witnesses were A. A. Vanderhoof, J. I. Davis, W. l.. Perry, Mrs. May Ferguson and Lloyd Elliot. Some of them saw the shooting and others only heard the shots Upon their testimony the territory rested at o'clock.
 The trial will be resumed this morn ing. In the nature of things there can be TO evidence, nothing more than a motion to examine the defendant for his sanity.