Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-12


An unusually youthful body. Six of the
members, apparently. have not attained the
age of thirty years. and of the other six
ell seem to be under forty-five years OF
age. The jurors
Messrs. Leonard Daniel, Irwin ]. French,
j. A. Holcer, Arthur l.. Orrison, John r.
English, Lincoln w. Burkett William H.
Clarke, Joseph Ward. Colon B. F. Halter,
Allen H. Lithgow. William A. Curran and
Lewis F. Palmer
When court adjourned yesterday those
occupying seats in the box We're Leonard
Daniel. Irwin j. French j. A Holcer Rich
ard Hartnett, Arthur l.. Orrison Marshall
Overfield. John r. English. Joseph F. Saum,
Lincoln w. Burkett Charles Schnebel and
this morning peremptorily challenge d
Messrs- Hartnett, Overfield. Sum and
Schnebel.
Only thirteen of the eighty additional
examined and of them James r der John
F. Steinel, Charles A. Shields, Charles Wer-
ner, Horace w. Parke and Dave Freeman
were challensed for cause" on the ground
that they had formed an opinion regarding
the guilt or innocence of the accused. Tie
government challenged peremptorily James
Alexander and John O'Brien. Joseph
Ward, Colon B. +. Halter Allen HI Lith-
gov. William A. Curran and Lewis F.
Palmer were accepted, completing the jury
cited
ne ueIense used only seven, the govern
ment only five of the ten peremptory chal-
lenges to which each was entitled.
Watson's Interest Manifest.
The court room was only comfortably fill
ed with spectators when the proceedings
were resumed this morning. and the attend
ance did not increase t" any material ex-
tent during the remainder of the session to-
day. Watson, well-dressed and prosperous
lCOEOc M Infested iptn oil N
occurred. His wife, seated close by his side
also paid close attention to what trans
PRED. She frequently wiped her eyes, which
more than once seemed to fill with tears.
when reference was made to her husband S
alleged populations
After the jury had been impaneled Assist
ant United States Attorney Turner outlined
to the twelve men who are to pass upon the
guilt or innocence OF the defendant lust
what the government expects to prove
Two Treasury Department employees iden-
titled certain papers as belonging to the
files OF the department. and then Mr.. James
L. Petty, formerly auditor of the District OF
Columbia, directly under whom Watson
served during the time the crime with which
the latter is charged was committed. was
called to the witness stand. He remained
there during the rest of the session today
Mr.. Petty described the work of the audi
tors Office and told of the several funds the
auditor kept. The subject of the handling of
vouchers. the drawing of checks and the
, into
When the matter of alleged admission of
guilt. made to Mr.. Petty by Watson, was
reached the defense objected. contending
that reference could be made only to al
legged admissions that related to the specific
charges set forth I'm the consolidated indct-
ments under which the accused has been
placed on trial The usual hour for recess
arrived before the controversy was ended
and the question was not passed upon by
the court until the beginning of the after
noon session.
The Opening Statement.
In his opening statement to the jury As
sstant United States Attorney Turner ex-
planned that Watson was on trial for en-
bezzlement under two indictments. one en-
bracing two counts and the other five
counts, consolidated The consolidated in.
dictments. would. therefore. be treated as
one Indictment of seven counts The de-
PENDANT was accused of the embezzlement
and wrong conversion to his use OF
seven different checks, the property of the
District of Columbia. The several counts
are substantially similar, the chief differ
ence being as to the Identity of the checks
The first count for instance. sets forth that
February %, 1901. Watson was a clerk
employed by the District of Columbia and
assigned to duty in the Office OF the auditor
The auditor had to his credit at the Cen
trail National Bank funds belonging to the
municipal corporation. The date mentioned
MI tetty uIeW ms OIucldl cneck Tor
2S2.Io, to be deposited In the Traders
National Bank. Instead of depositing the
check. as it was his duty to do II is cited
In the first count. Watson cashed 1t and APP
piled ii to his own use.
Continuing, the speaker informed the jury
that Watson was assigned to the duty OF
looking after the deposits referred to, and
had the custody OF the bank pass books
4 .e discovery OF the alleged populations
was referred to and, It was declared Wat
son had admitted that he was about S75 ,OOO
short in his account. and gave as an ex-
cuse that connection with bucket shop
was responsible.
clusion, that Watson was employed by
the District of Columbia; that he obtained
these checks by reason of such employment:
that he kept false books; that he cashed the
checks for his own use. and that he ad-
course. expect verdict of guilty as in
dicted at your hands"
Counsel for the defense reserved their
opining statement to the jury.
The Hearing of Testimony.
The first witness called was Thomas F..
Athey, an employee of the Treasury De-
partment, who, In response to a subpoena
duces tecum addressed to the Secretary of
the Treasury. produced from the files of
that department a large number of checks
drawn on the treasurer of the United
States that will b offered by the prosecu-