Evening star., 1904-12-20
BUT TL|TIIEPROGRESS
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Trial of James M. A. Watson
Agai1 Delayed.
THE JURY INCOMPLETE
z
CUSTOMARY CHALLENGES TO
MEMBERS OF PANEL.
Summons Of Additional Talesmen Or
dered and Adjournment Taken Until
Tomorrow Morning.

Very little progress has been made in the
trial of James M A. Watson. under indict-
ment for the embezzlement of about $4,000
from funds in the keeping of the auditor Of
the District of Columbia. When the hear
ing was resumed this morning in Criminal
Court No. / a delay occurred while the
jurors impaneled in the Gassenheimer case
were summoned to the room and finally dis
charged. One of the jurors In that cause
was excused from further service in the
court, thus creating a vacancy In the
panel Before the Watson case could move
forward It was necessary to fill the va
cancy, so at 1920 o'clock recess for one
hour was ordered, the marshal being d1-
rected to summon in the meantime nVe
talesmen.
When court again met the vacancy on
the panel was filled without difficulty, and
counsel proceeded with the examination OIL
the jurors.
When those available, including eleven
of the twelve that had served on the pahei
in the Gassenheimer case, had been inter-
rogated, an adjournment was taken untli
10 o'clock tomorrow, at wh1ch time seVen'y-
five additional talesmen VIII report. II S -
expected that a jury will be secured and
the introduction of testimony begun pc
fore noon tomorrow as the defense mas
made use of six of it's ten peremptory chal-
lenges, and the prosecution tour. a..
At the hour adjournment was taken To-
day the following occupied seats in the
box:
Messrs E. G. Thompson James E. Alex
ander, John w. Scroggins, Henry K cum
jr, Henry T. Farmer, Francis Rabbit,
Daniel H. Mcdowell i. Johnson Fletcher,
Scott E. Grant, Peter ]. May and BENJAMIN
B. Merryman Each of those named. how
ever, is subject to peremptory challenge
Arrival of Defendant.
Watson did not make his appearance IN
the court room until shortly before IL:
o'clock today When he did so the scene
was substantially the same as that he
viewed yesterday morning. He was COM
PEELED to pass Immediately in front OF
Former Auditor Petty, Deputy Auditor
Tweedale, Private Secretary Wilson, Clerks
Donovan and Roche and a number of other
employees of the District of Columbia who
had been summoned to court as witnesses
for the prosecution
The defendant made no attempt to greet
his acquaintances, nor did he appear TO
recognize any one present. He was joined
almost Immediately by his wife, and cour-
teously arose from his chair and remained
standing until she was comfortably seated.
Both Watson and Mrs. Watson We're
dressed as they were yesterday, with the
exception that the large gold heart was
missing from the chain about Mrs. Wat
sons neck. After the adjournment Mrs.
watson look iunCneO0 with the
In the cell incosure beneath Criminal Court
No 1.
Assistant United States Attorney Keig-
win joined United States Attorney Beach
and Assistant United States Attorney Tur-
ner in the case today. Attorneys d. w.
Baker and Stuart Mcnamara were in at
tendance, and looked carefully after the in
terests of Watson. Attorney A. S, Worth
ington of counsel for the defense, still being
occupied with the Smeot inquiry at the
Capitol, was again absent from court this
morning.
L. Johnson Fletcher, James E. Alexan-
der and Scott E. Grant were called to the
box in the order named when the proceed
ings were resumed today Each of them
said he had formed impression. if not
an opinion, regarding the guilt or innocence
of Watson, based on the newspaper ac-
counts of the case, but ach added that he
could render a true verdict based on the
evidence as he should hear it in court.
This filled the box and the government
was called upon to exercise the first per-
emptory challenge. United States ATTORNEY
Beach excused William E. johnson, who
had been interrogated yesterday.
First Peremptory Challenge.
John w. Scroggins answered the ques-
tions and took the seat vacated by Mr..
johnson. The first peremptory challenge
exercised by the defense was directed
against john B. Espey, and he stepped
aside, making way for William NJ Weaver
He said he had formed an opinion which
would require strong evidence before 1t
could be overcome. The defense challenged
for cause, but Justice Wright overruled the
challenge.
AT the instance of the prosecution. Ben
jamin F. De Atley was excused After
Henry r. Clum. jr.. had been called and
seated the defense challenged Mr.. Weaver
peremptorily. Peter j. May was called, and
next the prosecution challenged Frederick
]. Mersheimer who had been called into
the box yesterday. Carl Krumke was called
and then the defense challenged Lysander
R. Embrey, who made way for Benjamin B.
Merryman. At this point the fourth chal-
lenge of the government was exercised. 1t
was against Samuel A. Coombs.
The seat he had occupied was taken pos
session of by Henry T. Farmer, after which
the defense challenged Mr.. Krumke His
place was taken by Robert W. Scholl and
United States Attorney Beach announced
that the government was satisfied with the
jury as then constituted. The Defense how
ever, challenged Mr.. Scholl, who was fol-
lowed into the box by George M. Whitwell.
The prosecution still being satisfied the
defense challenged Mr.. Whitwell, which dis
posed of the entire panel.
An adjournment was thereupon ordered
until tomorrow morning, one reason of it
being to give those jurymen who had been
impaneled in the Gassenheimer case since
last Friday morning an opportunity for
rest.
The seventy-fve additional talesmen or
dered for tomorrow morning were being
summoned this afternoon.