Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26
QUICK ADJOURNMENT
Over Illness of a Juror in the
Nan Patterson Trial.
WAS NO ALTERNA NATIVE
FLYING SQUADRON OF DETEC-
TIvEs EMPLOYED IN THE CASE.
Reported That Prosecution Will Dis
credit Testimony of Alleged Eye
Witnesses to Shooting.

NEW YORK, November o6-Tbs turss.
OF Juror caused a sudden and unexpected
adJournment in the Patterson murder
tflal, which was to have been continued in
the criminal branch of the supreme court
To-Day after the Thanksgiving holiday re-
cess. When everything was in readiness 10
proceed IT was announced that Juror Ed
ward Drasser was too iii to leave h home
There remained no alternative but To sus-
pend the trial for the time being. and an
adjournment was ordered by Justice Davis
Although the members OF the Jury and
the defendant gave themselves over to COM
piete rest during the interval afforded by
the recess, the attorneys I'm the case took
advantage of the intermission in an entirely
different way. All their energies We're ex-
erted toward bringing closer together the
material points upon which depends the
success or failure Of their case
Rumor, which has figured prominently in
the case since the trial began, also was ac-
tive during the interval One of the stories
which gained wide circulation and which.
If true. undoubtedly woul6 have added ma
terially to the sensational side of the trial,
was to the effect that ]. Morgan Smith,
Nan Pattersons brother-in-law who fed
after he had been subpoenaed to appear be-
fore the grand jury, had been found and
was locked up at police headquarters. This
report was later denied by the police. how
ever.
The Search for Smith.
The prosecution has kept up an unre-
hitting search for Smith ever since he
disappeared. They charge that ii was
Smith who purchased the revolver with
which Young was shot and that he would
prove to be their strongest witness If he
could be found. Already Smiths photo
graph has been introduced in the case
and identified. and the prosecution has
promised that the pawHbroker who sold
the revolver will also identify the photo
graph as that of the man who purchased
the weapon.
Probably never before in the history OF
a murder trial in this city was there orr
ganized by the district attorneys once
what might well be called a flying squad.
ron of detectives. Assistant District At
tcrney Rand has. enlisted in. his service
county detectives, who are stationed at
the entrance of the court room for no
other purpose than to accept at a mo-
ment's notice an order to sally from the
building and investigate the character
and standing of new witness for the
defense
Service Volunteered Both Sides
Those in charge of the peoples case
may strive when the trial is drawing to a
close to discredt the testimony of the
numerous eyewitnesses the defendants
counsel promise to call to the stand. Mr.
Rand asserts that some of the witnesses,
before they went to the office of Abraham
Levy and volunteered their services for
Miss Patterson, called on him and de-
clared that they had seen the shooting
and that the actress held the weapon in
her hand.
At that time he says, these stories were
considered hysterical and the prosecution
cast the offers aside Lately however 50
many eye-witncsses have come forward,
says Mr.. Rand, that 1t became necessary
to take some steps to rebut their testi-
mony, and the special detail of detectives
has been assigned to Investigate the stories
of the witnesses quickly as their iden-
tity is disclosed
All the testimony thus far produced has
been leading up to what the prosecution
declares was the motive for the crime and
IL was expected that at today's session AS
sistant District Attorney Rand would begin
to unfold the crucially important feature
o. the case.
Affidavit for Jurors Illness
Everything was in readiness for the be-
ginning of today's session when word
reached Justice Davis that Juror Dressler
was seriously i'll. The information came
in the form of an affidavit from Mr.. Dress
ler's physician, which stated that the juror
had suffered a stroke of apoplexy. AS this
is the third attack. and as the patient Is
said to be in critical condition, it is pos
sible that it may become necessary to dis
charge the present jury and order a new
trial.
The first news of the jurors illness and
the fact that the trial was to be adjourned
reached Miss Patterson after she had taken
her place in the court room. Her father
was sitting by her side and she appeared
to be well satisfied that the Thanksgiving
recess was at an end and that the trial was
to be resumed.
When the adjournment was announced
she expressed disappointment and said she
had hoped that the annoying DELAYS which
have been frequent in the case were at an
end In ordering the adjournment Justice
Davis made public the affidavit submitted
by Juror Dressler's physician. Ii was as
follows:
During the past twenty-four hours Mr..
Dressler suffered attack of hemipbletia
from cerebral hemorrhage. The duration Of
the attack is uncertain and as a result of
it Mr.. Dressier is wholly incapacitated and
has lost the power of muscular co-ordina-
tion."
May Necessitate New Trial.
The serious illness of Edward Dresser,
one of the jurors which was reported at
the opening of court today. may necessitate
a new trial in the of Nan Patterson,
the former show girl who is charged with
the murder of Caesar Young. An affidavit
from the sick Jurors physician which was
presented to Justice Davis said that the
patient had suffered a stroke of apoplexy
and that his condition Is serious. AS this
was the third attack. fear was at. once
expressed that Dressler might not be able
to resume his duties, and the work done
during the past two weeks would be set at
naught.
Miss Patterson was in court when the ad-
journment was announced. She expressed
keen disappointment at the sudden and un-
expected interruption in the progress of the
trial II suppose this will mean a. new
trial" she said, as she was being led back
to her cell In the Tombs- Il am sorry the
juror is ILL., both for his sake and for my
own i was sure the jury would acquit me.
tsial