Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-09
Twelve Jurors Secured and Taking
OF Testimony Commences Be.
fore the Court.
OPENING STATEMENT BY STATE,
Assistant County Attorney Whitaker
Makes a Brief Summary Of Evidence
To be Introduced.

william Quick. David Il. Jones. Milo
Andrus, w, p. Gillespie W. II. Atwood.
II. S, sconeid, John Robinson, @. #.
Marsden, +. w. Walker, ]. s. Edwards,
T. II, Latlmer and w. s. Barnes,
The above are the 70 Jurors sworn and
accepted 10 try the case Of the State Of
Utah VS. John Rice who is now on trial
IN the criminal division OF the district
court before Judge Morse for the MUIR
der Of Fred Buetler IN this city on Feb.
Is, 1897. Strange to say that. after hav-
ing excused every man on the special
venlre yesterday and issuing another
renlre Tor 70 men returnable this morn
ing, the first two men called to the Jury
box for examination this morning we're
acceptable and were selected as the re-
naming two Jurors necessary to COM
pletc the jury il was about il.l5 when
the two jurors were accepted and sworn
in The Information against Rice was
then read 10 the jury by Deputy Clerk
Buckwalter and Assistant County At
torney j. j, Whitaker then made the
opening statement 10 the jury In be.
half Of the state.
In his statement, which was very
BRIEF, Mr.. Whitaker pointed out ON a
diagram the location Of Beutlers room
I'm the rear OF lS west South Temple
street and also the nelghboring build.
ings near the scene Of the crime. Con-
tinung he said In part' owe will show
To- you gentlemen OF the jury that some
time prior 90 this crime Il came TO the
knowledge Of defendant John Rice that
old man Beutler had n sack OF money
ana that Rice, in conversation with
one OF the states witnesses, said that
II he had the money that Beutler had
he would not be mending umbrellas
About 10 days before the murder,
the state will show that Rice inquired
where Reutler lived saying that he had
q friend who wanted a couple Of UNI
brellas mended, The party did not
know whore the old man lived, but d.
fected him TO Mrs, Beuters house In
Murray. Rice then went TO Murray but
Mrs, Beutler did not know where her
husband bad moved to and told defen-
dant OF an cXpressman who moved
Beuter From the expressman, Rice
found out whore the old man lived The
state VIII show IN It's testimony that on
the night " the crime there was a
meeting between Rice, Hunter and
Munoey at Hunters granary west Of
The Oregon short Line depot for the
purpose Of planning the robbery.
THE meeting was held at about
o'clock and shortly after that the three
men went to Beutler's house and en-
tered. Rice and Muncey grabbed the
old man and after choking him threw
him on the bed where they held him
while Hunter searched the room for
money While this was being done some
one was heard at the door and the
three men made their escape, The po-
lice were notified Of the effalr by neigh
bors while the scuffie was going on and |
arrived at the scene shortly after the |
men left. When they arrived the door |
was unlocked and Beutlers body was
lying against II and had to be removed |
before they could enter
After forcing their way inside the |
officers found the room In confused |
and found some old rags |
stuffed In Boutlers mouth and throat |
and marks on the throat caused by the |
men In choking their victim Beuters |
body was still warm, but life was ex- |
linct."
At the conclusion Of Mr. Whitakers |
County Surveyor j. y. SVEN |
son was called to the stand and gave |
figures and distances In connection with |
the diagram which he had prepared Of |
The scene OF the murder. After brief |
cross examination by Attorney Hamil- |
ION for the defense, he was excused and |
court then adjourned until this after |
noon, Mrs. Beutler, the widow Of the |
man, was present In court |
again this morning, but Rice's wife was
rot,