The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-16
ST. CLAIR CASE IN
FEDERAL COURT
Men Accused of Robbing GaIva
Post Office.
WAS HEARD ONCE BEFORE
Jury Disagreed in Trial Last
Term.
WAS HEARD ONCE BEFORE

The United States circuit and distfic
court convened yesterday morning at tel
O'Clock in the federal court room in the
government building with Judge John c
Pollock on The bench and a large at
tendance Of curiosity seekers in addition
10 a number of attorneys that We're pres
irg.
Uncle Sam requires session OF the
United States court TO adhere strictly tc
formal rules laid down for the guidance
OF that court. and altogether the pro-
Ccedings ale of most august character
Court is always opened in formal man
ner by the crier calling the session to
order On the appearance from the inner
Office Of the judge and while everyone
present stands the crier asks for aid from
the Deity throughout the proceedings
The case of the Boatmens Bank of st.
louis IS. G. d. Fritzien, ct al which was
before the court at the adjournment Mon
day afternoon, was still under advise
nnent at the opening yesterday morning
and was passed at that time
The case Of the United States VS. Frank
St Clair. ct al. on the criminal docket.
was then called. The defendants, Frank
ST Clair and Geo. Gala CHER are charged
by the indictment with having robbed the
post office at Galva, on the 2fst of No
Tember, 1862, securing the sum Of $l06.10.
These two men. IA addition TO John
Gnderhill, who pleaded guilty of the
charge al the last term OF. court and was
sentenced to the penitentiary for one
year, were arrested the morning following
the robbery at the little town of Inman,
near Galya
Court was delayed for time by the dis
appearance of the original Indictment and
the attorneys for both sides were very
active for several moments trying to find
a copy. When they had finally made out
Il new one and the case was about TO
be taken up, a messenger arrived from
the district attorneys Office with the orig
inal, which was used in place Of the copy.
The clerk of the court called the petit
Jury. which was sworn and took their
seats FOR examination as to their fitness
40 hear the evidence in the case The
jury finally selected to hear the evidence
IS as follows:
William Baxter. c. +. Hickman, l. y.
Stonestreet r. T. Hammond. J. D Wells.
J. d. Harrison r. 5. Robinson. Geo. Alex
ander. Thos. c. Pratt. 7. P Tucker,
Aaron Way. a. A Wing.
For the United States the district at
torney. J. s. Dean, examined the jurors
and Otto Eckstein and Kos Harris of
Il, Wichita, acted for the defense Both at
g., III, ",
animation of the jurors on the question
as to whether the fact that one of the
defendants in the original Indictment had
pleaded guilty would prejudice them
against the other defendants.
After the examination of the first panel
of jurors court adjourned to re-convene
al two O'Clock
Afternoon session.
When court re-ccnvened at two o'clock
The court room was no. nearly as wen
filed as during the morning session. the
slow dragging examination Of jurors ap-
parently having tired the audience Of the
proceedings.
Almost one hour more was consumed
in examining the jurors several being
excused for cause. the United States TAX
ing advantage of three pre-emptory chal-
lenges and the defense two. waving their
last.
The jury. rs it now stood. was sworn
sn to hear the evidence IN the case and
20 find the defendants either innocent or
guilty. Mir Dean. on behalf Of the gov
eminent. placed the case before the Jury
Introducing i'm doing so i rudely drawn
map Of Mcpherson county. or that part
OF it that bore material relationship to
the robbery Mr.. Dean stated that It
would be the effort Of the government
70 prove first mat the robbery actually
took place as stated and second that the
defendants. through evidence sure and
conclusive. were gritty of the charge He
called attention 10 the fact that all trains
entering and leaving Galva for some time
after the robbery was committed. were
watched and no one left the town in that
manner that could possibly he connected
with the robbery. He also called atten-
zion to tracks of "a peculiar character
that were found around the building oc-
cupied as a post office
Mr. Dean then stated that early the
next morning three men were seen boat
ing their way on freight train from
Mcpherson. which is near Galva. to In
man, 4 small town also near. At the lat
ter place. states SIr. Dean the men at
traCted suspicion and were arrested. not.
however. without a struggle. When ar