The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-04
Twelve Men Chosen to Hear the Case
Out of a Total of More than
Fifty Venircmen.
WHAT THE STATE WILL PROVE
STATEMENT OF DEPUTY PROSECU-
TOR BENEDICT OUTLINED.


After two days of rigid examination and
close questioning after exhausting the reg
ular panel of twelve jurors and examining
ffty-six men of the special venire of sew
enty drawn for the trial. the attorneys for
the prosecution and defense of DIR. Joseph
G. Alexander agreed upon a jury at AIS
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The jury was
sworn in, and at 4:90 o'clock the court ad-
journed, to begin the taking of evidence
this morning at o'clock. The jury which
will try Alexander is composed of the fol-
| lowing citizens of Marion county:
c. L. Faulkner, pickle merchant, 211S Park
| avenue.
Thomas w. Brown. a retired bookkeeper.
! 1929 Ruckle street
Harry l.. Davis, plumber, city.
| township.
James d. White, cigar salesman, Is West
| Market street.
| the lockwood Manufacturing Company,
| 1917 Barth avenue.
William II. Gimble. retail paper mer-
chant, oil Stephen street.
John B. Pasquier, retired carpenter, 500
East Michigan street.
| w. ]. Lister. retired stock broker iii
| Broadway.
Robert Lingenfelter. laborer. employed by
the Foster Lumber Company. North Senate
Joseph Theasing, farmer. Decatur town
| ship.
stephen Cook, retired farmer 1915 Ring
| gold street.
HARDEST TASK OF ALL.
When the attorneys in the case announced
to Special Judge John NJ. Bailey that they
were satisfied with the jury and asked that
it be sworn they completed one of the most
difficult tasks of the prosecution and de-
Of or< live
of each juror examined ana the prompti-
tude with which each unsatisfactory juror
was dismissed showed the keen legal battle
that is expected to mark the trial. The
jurors were dismissed for the slightest
cause, and the bare possibility of having
known Alexander or any other physician in
dicted on similar charges was sufficient
for Prosecutor Ruckeshaus to dismiss the
| juror for cause. The defense closely ex-
amined the jurors as to their opinions of
the case, and any man who had ever dis
cussed the outcome of the trial or heard it
| discussed was excused.
This morning the trial will begin with
| the opening statement of Deputy Prosecu-
| tor Charles Benedict. Contrary TO the
| statement of an evening paper, published
edict had made an alleged opening state
ment to the jury, the opening statement
will not be heard until court convenes this
| morning. In his statement Benedict will
review carefully the Investigations of the
| grand jury and the Indianapolis detectives
of the grave robbing charges and the dis
covery of the evidence which made pos
sble the indictment of Alexander He will
narrate to the jury other crimes than the
theft of the body of Rose Neidlinger, the
specific case charged in the indictment, and
will attempt TO show to the jury that the
special case but example of the
systematic grave robbing of which Alex
ander was the head. He will tell the jury
what ii is to expect In the way of evidence,
and what statements of Rufus Cantrell
the self-styled king Of the ghouls,' bear
directly on the case in hearing.
TO INCLUDE OTHER INFORMATION.
Mr.. Benedict will tell the jury that the
testimony to be introduced for it's consider
alton in proving the theft and concealment
of Rose Neidlinger's body will include every
bit of information needed. The funeral di-
rector, who superintendent her burial; the
sexton of the New Augusta cemetery. who
saw to the burial and later the guarding of
the grave; the detectives who opened the
grave to find it empty; Rufus Cantrell and
his band of negroes who stole the body,
and finally the widower of the Neidlinger
woman who will testify to the identification
of his wifes body when Ii was discovered
in the picking watts of the Central College
of Physicians and Surgeons in October last.
After the close of Benedict's statement,
which will probably take little more than
an hour in delivery. Rufus Cantrell will
| timony will probably occupy the greater
part of the day. After Cantrell the rest
of the testimony will be introduced and it
| is likely that the prosecution will rest it's
case Friday. The defense will occupy three
days with testimony to refute that of the
prosecution and the evidence in rebuttal by
the State and the argument will probably
not be concluded until Wednesday of next
| week.
ALEXANDER INTERESTED.
During yesterdays proceedings Alexander
preserved the same demeanor as or the
day before. but showed acute interest in
the proceedings of the court. He closely
followed the questions of both his own at
torneys and those of the prosecution and
frequently suggested questions to be put
: to the Jurors by his counselors. He was
, not nearly so pale on Monday and
showed that his interest in the trial is
. counteracting the effects of his recent Sc
! rious illness with walking typhoid fever.
The reasons for excusng veniremen
called to the jury box yesterday were as
numerous as varied. Dennis Eagan, a
blacksmith. was excused because he had
; shod the horses of Dr. Alexander and other
! physicians. Cardolis Shaw was ineligible
because he had attended mitigation
meeting held In Decatur township, called
because OF the depredations OF the shouls
In that part of the county. An amusing
? dismissal was that of +. p. Wilbert, of Pile
North Capitol avenue, whose business, that
: of a monument and headstone builder, was
against him. Charles +. Faucet was no,
examined, as he is suffering from a mild
attack of smallpox Ralph Bogart, OF I'll
North New Jersey street, was excused be-
cause his daughter is well acquainted with
; DR.. William Molt, who is also under indict.
2 ment alder and abetter in the depre-
, dations of the ghouls.
The crowd at yesterdays sessions of the
} court was not so large as on the opening
day. The dry proceeding of selecting jury
was of no interest to the habitues of the
g court and only the spectators anxious as L
the outcome of the trial were present Ths
number OF physicians, medical students anC
attorneys was as great as the day before
and all of them displayed much interest
!, over the selection of the jury.