The Washington times., 1902-12-09
CHARLES TH0H PLACED
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE
Difficulty Encountered in Sc
curing a Jury.
CHARGED WITH KILLING WIFE
Jealousy Alleged TO Have Been the
Cause Of Midnight Shooting in
Missouri Avenue House.

The trial Of Charles Thorn Tor the muir
der Of his wife. Ida Thorn. on May last. .
which was commenced yesterday in
Criminal Court No I will probably oc-
cupy the attention Of the court for the
remainder of the week. The attendance
was much greater than at any murder
trial since the Bonine case in December
last.
st lo o'clock the court room was filled.
on account OF his illness. however. Jus
tice Anderson was not able to be at the
City Hau at that hour. and the beginning
Of the hearing was postponed until 1.i5
p M. At that time the court room was
again filled with spectators. who re-
maiued until the hour Of adjournment
Thom was brought TO the City Hall
from the District Jail O. few minutes be-
fore l0 a. m.. and locked in a cell in the
basement of the building. He seemed
quite uuCoucerued. He declined to talk
to anyone. and sat bolt upright on
bench in the west side OF the cell lie
fixed his gaze on some imaginary object
on the wall opposite 20 him and hummed
hymns and national airs.
Il was reported that Thorn composed
some verses, entitled when Take the
Witness Chair" which he said he would
sing when be was taken into the court
He. however. did not make any attempt
10 do SO when led into the court room in
the afternoon. When the court was con-
yened the work Of imDaneling a special
panel OF jurors to determine the guilt OF
innocence Of the prisoner was begun.
Hard TO Secure Jury.
The regular panel Of jurors serving In
Criminal Court 40. 1 was exhausted
without "a special jury being selected
Justice Anderson then directed the
United States marshal for the District
to summon seventy extra talesmen 10 re-
port for jury duty
II was developed yesterday afternoon
while tho jurors we're being examined as
90 their qualifications to sit I'm judgment
on the defendant that many Of them were
disqualiied because Of having already
formed and expressed an opinion regard
ing the guilt or innocence Of the accused.
when William Bright was called 10 the
jury box his resemblance to his brother.
Henry J. Blight. who served on the jury
which found Guiteau guilty, was so great
that many believed him TO be The latter.
The accused is represented by Attor-
neya Henry T. Davis and Joseph shiH-
ington. and the Government by District
Attorney Gould
AZ the time Thom committed the
crime for which he is called 10 trial nc
was employed as watchmau at a local
bakery He and the woman ne is charged
with having killed were married only
about a year. For some time they had
been living at 321 Missouri Avenue
where the killing was done. For some
reason or other Thorn became suspicious
or his wife and they are said to have
bad frequent quarrels. On the night OF
May g. a little after u o'clock Thom
left The bakery where he was employed
and returned 10 his home. He took with
him pistol
In speaking Of this after his arrest he
said he could not tell why he took the
pistol home with him that night
Quarrel With Wife.
When he arrived an home ne went TO
his wile's room. and they quarreled
Thom became SO enraged that he tore
into bits a new bat which he had a short
time before purchased for her AT that
time they were iu a room on the third
floor OF the building. when her hus-
band destroyed her hat 70 is said Mrs
Thom screamed and lefJ the room. and
started TO 20 down stairs Her husband
So is said. followed her. As he emerged
from the door Of their own room Mrs
Thom had reached the landing on the
second floor He saw her. and com
menced dring ar her. The first shot. 10
Is said took effect. and Mrs Thorn fell
10 The Hoor. Thorn. however. 90 is said.
continued going down the stairway and
fired three more shots before hc reach
ed thc snof whcrc she was lying
in speaking of the affair few minutes
aflerward Thom is reported az saving
that g, was not until he saw his wife
wounded al his feet that De realized thar
~ had pistol iu his hand Hc aI-o
stated the same night that De killed his
vile because she was unlauhml TO him
Thom is about thirty-fve years oid
and is rather spare built Tie was neat
j. dressed. and wears 5is bcard1rimrncd
IN v0ndyke style. As he sat and listen
ed 10 the jurors being questioned ae 10
their qualification DO seemed nervous.
Al times however. he appeared not to
be iu tho slightest interested in what was
going on around him. At such times De-
appeared t0 Do simply "a spectator at the
PROCEEDINGS rather Than The man who is
on trial Tor mis- iifo.