The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-24
ONLY SIX JURORS
HAVE BEEN CHOSEN
Paris Trial at Meridian is
Taken Up.
PRISONER APPEARS WELL
Is Charged With the Killing of Mail
Clerk John T. Stockton on the
Alabama Great Southern
Railroad.

Meridian. Miss, March 22-(Special.)-
The circuit court room was packed this
morning when the case of the state versus
James Paris, for the murder of Mail
Clerk John T. Stockton was called for
trial. The selection of a jury was at once
taken up and the whole morning con-
sumed in choosing seven men of the
twelve who are to decide the fate of
Paris
The regular panel of twenty-four men
was exhausted by noon and the other
Is lesmen summoned yesterday afternoon
from the county by Sheriff Temple, were
examined this afternoon in order to COM
plete the Jury The selecting Of jurors
who had not formed an opinion in the
case appeared to be a serious matter this
morning when man after man was reject
ed by the defense as incompetent to serve.
The jurors selected this morning were
]. A. Bell, r. C. Cornell, w. II. Var
brough W. NJ. Irby. w. B. Dennis. J.
w. Hughes and M. D. Drake A. J.
Bass will arrive here tomorrow afternoon
at 2:3O o'clock, from his home in Truss
ville Ala, If he does not have relapse.
Postoffice Inspector M. M Warren, who
paid Mr. Bass a visit yesterday, states
that the wounded man has been able to
sit up very little since being shot and
his arm has been giving him great deal
of trouble. The negro prisoner, Paris APP
pears well now, and in spite Of hope
less look in his eyes appears to take the
| situation calmly.
| Capt. J. w. Jewell for the defense an
nounced yesterday that some character
witnesses would be summoned for Paris.
Court resumed at o'clock this after
noon and the selecting of jurors was
again taken up. Thirty-six men were call
ed by Sheriff Temple from whom five
men were chosen completing the panel
of twelve. The five men accepted as COM
petent jurors by Judge Hall were: I. S.
Talbert, A. j. Merritt, &c. j. Culpepper,
! j. w. Gilbert and Tom Morton. The
panel was completed by 4:30 p. m. and all
accepted by District Attorney Currie for
the state.
Six Jurors Are Excused.
Captain Jewell for the defense, then
stated that he would excuse six of the
accepted jurors, leaving only six men ac-
cepted as satisfactory to both state and
defense. The accepted Jurors W. II. Var
brough, w. B. Dennis, A. ]. Merritt, e.
j. Culpper J. w. Gilbert and Tom Nor
ton. This exhausted the panel of sixty
talesmen summoned by the sheriff and
halt was called for af ew moments. The
judge then announced that 1t would be
| impossible to find enough men in time
to complete the jury during the days
session and accordingly adjourned the
case until o'clock tomorrow morning.
| A remarkable statement was made by
one of the accepted Jurors just before
adjournment. Captain Jewell requested
Judge Hall to be allowed to question the
remaining jurors as to whether they held
any prejudices against the negro race.
Judge Hall said it was rather unusual to
allow such a request after the Jurors
| had been accepted but he would allow
the Interrogation. In answer to Captain
Fewelrs question regarding the possible
prejudices of the jurors against negroes.
one of the Jurors stated that his father
was killed by negro mob and he
might" have prejudices.
This caused some discussion but after
close questioning by the defense the de-
Tense the juror declared that he felt
satisfied that he would give an unbiased
verdict and was accepted by the defense.
| The prisoner was then conducted back
| to Jail and the sheriff directed to bring
in new panel tomorrow.