The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-03
SELECTING JURY
 IN COFFMAN CASE Judge Greene Issues Attach ments for Absent Witnesses FIXED OPINIONS OF JURORS Fifty.four of Defendants Witnesses We're Absent, Twenty-eight of
 Whom Could not Be Ac-
 counted for.
FIXED OPINIONS OF JURORS

The case of Rhenna D. Coffman, charged with the murder of the Rev James Wat son Bradford at Brookside last Decem- Der, was called yesterday morning in the Criminal Court. Before the day was past and the court adjourned a venire Of forty two turymen was gone through and only eight men selected. Other jurymen will be selected this morning. The eight se- lected are:
 ]. J. w. Vining Robert l.. Seaborne, John Salter, w. R. Davis, Bret R. Brown, I. L. smocker, William Bryant, J. H. Thompson.
 The case was called yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. Before that time the court room was packed with crowd of wit nesses, summoned jurymen and specta- tors interested in various aspects or the case In the Criminal Court room proper every seat was taken and all available space was filled with onlookers Near the defendant who was well dressed and calm, sat his wife, her sister and his father.
 At the calling of the case Solicitor H. P Heflin, for the state, announced ready for trial, but after the calling of the defer se's witnesses it was dscov- ered that fifty-four were absent. twenty eight of whom could not be accounted for Explaining this fact. Attorney Hugh Morrow. for the defense, stated they were forced to answer not ready, though anx- ious to go into a trial. He said some of the absent witnesses were important and should be in court before trial was be- gun.
 Judge Issues Attachments.
 al ha the trial begun and would issue attach nents for each of the twenty-eight wit ne:ses and instruct the sheriff to place enough men at work to bring all before him during the day and the following day A list of the absent witnesses was then made out and attachments issued.
 In doing all this so much time was taken up that it was 12:30 o'clock when the list was completed. A recess was taken in consequence until o'clock.
 At the afternoon session the question of securing a jury was again taken up and the work of picking men begun. The first man called was John F. Antwine. In reply to question regarding competency, he stated he had a fixed opinion which would bias his judgment of the guilt or innocence of the defendant. J. D. Donel- son, next called, was declared competent but excused by the state. Peff B. Swift would not convict on circumstantial evil dence, and Will Ware was not a free holder, or had not been during the pre- ceeding year.
 The work was then continued until forty-four men had been called, of which eight proved acceptable to both sides. Those excused and the reasons therefor are as follows:
 The Excused Jurors.
 Excused by State-J. M. Waldrop, John D. Acton and Joc Neal
 Excused by Defense-Thomas L. Smith Frank J. Patton, John D. Powell, G. w Hurst ". H. Williams. Dumas Hall and !. E. Woods.
 Incompetent on Account of Fixed Opin- lons-Charles l. Graves. A. R. Dearbon George A.. Gibson, Louis ]. Mackey, Thos Nensford, R. L. Camp, J. D. Hury, w. F. Tyler, T. c. King, George B. Kelley, Will liam Merrill A. B. Crane F. A. Wide man, s. E. Dunn, Alexander Marshall, O. VI. Franklin and E. R. Dickerson.
 Excused by Judge Presiding for Other Cause-J. B. Kcnan. J. J. Yam. W. H. ich and Joe G. Shaw.
 The case will be taken up again this morning at 9:3o o'clock. when the jury wili ne completed and the examination of witnesses begun.