Bridgeton pioneer., 1905-01-12
RAS|NCER GUILTY
| IN FIRST DEGREE.

i@ AHolo WAS ST0aG PACK OF curious
4 people at the Court House Monday
Y morning in anticipation of the trial of
Frank Rasinger for the murder of his
wife Elizabeth, on October 18th last.
Tine main aisle of the Court room was
3 barred by the tipstaves and only jury
men and witnesses were allowed in
the seats until these were all provided
with seating accommodations.
Judge Trenchard had the Court
Crier to announce that he would sit
in Orphans Court and Court of Com
mon Pleas, in the Grand Jury room,
for the purpose of hearingany motions
that counsel desired to make before
him.
Constables were kept busy keeping
4 the crowd in hand, and Coroner s. M.
Hall brought in the gun used in the
shooting and heavy suit case before
Judge Swayze had taken his seat on
the bench.
There were nearly a dozen girls and
women in the audience It was sup
posed they were witnesses, but the Off
GERS said they were not.
Judge Swayze took his seat at 10. 15
and Court was opened by Crier Clev-
enstine. and Rasinger was brought in
and took his seat by the side of his
counsel.
The Judge said:
Mr.. Prosecutor, are you ready to
move the case of the State against
Rasinger?''
am,' said Prosecutor Fithian.
Mr.. Iredell said he had intended to
move for continuancy of the case on
account of an absent witness. That
had been overcome, but he had an
other obstacle to going to trial, an
he submitted to the Court an affidavit
which the Court took. It was to the
effect that he had engaged DR.. eleven.
ger as an expert witness DR.. Clev IN
ger was sick and could not be present.
The affidavit was held by the Court
to be not sufficient cause for a con-
tinuance, and the drawing of the jury
was ordered to proceed.
Rasinger, neatly dressed, sat stolidly
by the side of his counsel; he had a
sort of half sleepy appearance and did
not seem to take interest in the pre-
liminary proceedings.
DIR. Clevenger was an insanity ex-
pert. The Court had asked Mr.. Ire
dell why he had not secured another
4 insanity expert and Mr.. Iredell said it
was because of lack Of funds. The
Court said he might select any insan-
ity expert he saw fit, and the Court
would allow for the expenses.
Let a jury be empanelled. said
the Court.
Ernest A. Pierce was the first juror
called. Juror, look upon the pris-
oner. prisoner, look upon the juror.
DO you challenger The prisoner
raised his eyes and looked on the juror
for moment. Mr.. Pierce had con-
scientious scruples against capital
\ punishment, and he was challenged
finally peremptorily by the State.
VIM. G.. Champion was next called !;
II he had no conscientious scruples
against capital punishment, and he
was sworn. Harry Lincenburg was
the next juror sworn. VIM. A. Har-
an was challenged by the defence.
John Q. Carroll was excused because
Of defective hearing and because of
his age.
Belford Ogden was chosen next.
John O. Vanaman was challenged per-
emptorily by the defence. Frank E.
Robinson and Edward Davis were the
next two chosen.
Richard Hand was challenged by
the defence.
& Frank Lore was chosen.
Elmer johnson was challenged per-
smptorily by the State.
David Reeves was sworn.
John T. Vandyke was sworn.
John Stoddart was challenged by
the defence.
John D. Brandriff was challenged by
the defence.
SS Howard S. CARL was challenged by
aSthe defence.
Samuel Bateman had conscientious
scruples against capital punishment,
and the State challenged him peremp-
forily.
E Charles Ewing was challenged by
the defence. He had formed an opin-
'&lon from reading the newspaper re-
83norts which had strongly prejudiced
him, he said.