The Washington times., 1904-04-11
Motion to Consolidate
Counts Oveuuled by
Justice Pritchard.
Wife of Prisoner Sits
Attentive Listener
Beside Him.
Regular Panel ExhaI
Without Securing
Full Jury.

James II. A. Watson. VIII
merly employed as a clerk
trict Auditors Office, was
today in Criminal Court
Justice Pritchard. for epb
$73. 900 OF the money OF the
ernment. The prisoner car
smiling. in charge Of a
shall, e. L. Turner. II
however. soon changed
seriousness when the &C
g was unfavorabIe 10
Mrs. Watson was not
the trial Of her husbl
menced. A minute artet
ard Overruled the mott
counsel TO consolidate
ments against him. she
room. She was dressed in sfeep
She walked with a quick step. and.
ing 10 where her husband was seate-
was given a seat On his left. She
seemed impressed with the seriousness
OF the occasion. and entered into a
whispered conversation with the
prisoner.
Mrs. Watson in Court.
A few minutes after Mrs. Watson
entered the court room the selection OF
a special panel Of jurors to pass upon
the gl.iit CT innocence OF her husband
was begun, OF the first four jurors
called three of them failed TO qualify
because they had already formed and
expressed opinions regarding the guilt
OF innOcencG OF the defendant In fact,
one of the talesman said that he had
formed the opinion that Watson is
s-frffs.g Of -
aiX 9th r Jurors We're excused, because
they had formed or expressed opinions
As 10 the innocence or guilt OF the de-
fendant
The regular panel was exhausted with
out special jury being chosen Justice
Pritchard directed that eighty extra
talesINen be summoned and report for
duty tO>Orrow morning.
= Good Spirits.
When Watson entered the court at 10
o'clock he did not appear u be- much
worse for his more than ten months
in the District t1u. He was
dressed in a suit of black clothes ana
was clean shaven. His long confinement
did not seem to have depressed his spir-
Its TO any extent His cOuntenance was
bright and he seemed 20 be alive TO
what was going on. and paid the closest
attention TO the legal fight with which
his trial was opened When the ruling
of the court was against him. however.
II was plain 10 see that ne was greatly
disappointed. 1t was then that be took
on a serious look, which he maintained
throughout the remainder of the day.
When the selection of the jurors TO
pass upon his guilt or innocence was
begun Watson moved up close 20 A. 5
~ lftFsff al
with him relative TO the acceptability
Of a talesman.
Consolidation OF Counts
When the court was convened, stuart
of counsel for Watson.
pressed the motion made last Friday.
asking that the three indictments
against the prisoner be consolidated,
and that he be put on trial on them
Jointly as one indictment
Il was argued that the indictments
are practically the same, in that they
7efe1 TO the same transactions, the
same witnesses would be called TO tes-
,ify in reference to all the indictments.
ana on the general ground that it wound
nv olive unnecessary hardship TO Wat
son If he is called TO answer to them
Arguments along the same
ine were made by d. w. Baker and
Mr. WOrthiugtOn IN support of the mo
ion.
Difference IN Indictments.
The motion was opposed by Assistant
District Attorneys Hugh T. Taggart anI
Charles H. Turner. who contended that
there is a great deal of difference in
the matters referred TO in the several
and that a consolidation OF
them would result in great embarrass-
ment to the jury in coming 10 a con-
clusion relative 10 the questions In
yolved.
Two OF the indictments are drawn un-
Ger the old law. and one under the
,ode which went into effect in January.
SOL Justice Pritchard. in overruIing
he motion to consolidate the three in
iictments. said that the defendant would
,e put on trial on the one based on
he code, and said that the other two
should be consolidated for the purposes
IF trial