The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-03
Great Interest Shown in
 Case at Brewton.
school Teacher Killed Because of His Love for the Sister-in-Law Of His sIayer-Self Defense to
 Be Pleaded.
By Bruce Kennedy.

Brewton, April 2.-(Special.)- )--When Fred l.. Hancock strong and vfrile, ap- peared in court here today to answer the terrible accusation of having wan tonly killed Professor Jesse A. Trout man, a paralytic school teacher. he did not show the effect of his fifteen months of confinement In the Escambia County jail. with a charge of murder in the first degree threatening to enc his career on the gallows.
 Professor Troutman was shot and killed at Canoe Station in the western part of Escambia County Sunday after noon. January l. 1905. The innocent cause of his taking of was Miss Winnie Weaver, a mere slip of a brunette girl with whom the school teacher was enamored. She is sister of Han- cocks wife and the trouble between the two men was due to the opposition of the Weaver family to the atten- tions shown the girl by Professor Troutman.
 The Hancock case was taken up by the Circuit Court. over which Judge Samuel E. Brewer of Tuskegee is pre- siding. at 2 o'clock. and the entire af- ternoon was consumed in selecting jury. When the twelve men had been sworn in at 6:20 o'clock this evening. the court adjourned until S:S0 o'clock tomorrow morning.
 Remarkable Interest Shown.
 The remarkable interest manifested in the case by these Escambia County people is best shown in the trouble given the court and the lawyers to se- cure a jury. Thirty petit jurors for the week had been summoned and a special venire of fifty talismen from which to draw jury for the trial Of Hancock. When these eighty tales men had been exhausted there were but seven jurors in the box. Twenty five additional talesmen were summoned before the lawyers were able to secure twelve disinterested men to sit in judg- ment on the fate of Hancock At least twenty of the talesmen swore that they were kinsmen either of the Troutman or Hancock families, and more than thirty of them swore that they had a fixed opinion as to the guilt or in- nocence of Hancock.
 Solicitor c. R. Bricken and Attorney !. D. Leigh of Brewton are conducting the case for the State. Hancock is represented by Jesse F. Stallings of Birmingham and J. NJ. Rabb. a Brewton lawyer. Throughout the selection of the jury the solicitor and Mir. Leigh were assisted ty W. J. Troutman. justice of the peace at Canoe Station and a brother of the dead man. Ham cock, debonnaire and with perfect free- dom from anxiety. sat with his counsel. They received advice as to the seiec- tion of jurors from W. J. Holland, Tax Collection and s.n uncle of Mrs. Han- cock.
 The jury as finally selected from 105 men examined is as fellows: J. J. Parker, J. s. Vaughn. W. W. Moore, R. D. Moore, W. G. Bush, H. P. Rabb, w. c. Coleman. W. R. Emmons. Lemuel E. Jordan. E. E. Johnson, B. F. Jordan and J. E. Till.
 Appearance of Hancock.
 Hancock came into court with a con- fident smile on his face which he wore throughout the afternoon, often laugh ing broadly at the repartee of the law : yers. He has light red hair. fiorid face, blue eyes that twinkle merrily and is far from the picture of a blood thirs- ty man. He wore neat sack suit of indigo blue serge, a turn down collar and immediately white shirt without a neck-tie. His hair was carefully brushed and he looked a man of ac- custorned tidiness. On his coat lapel he wore a pin of the Woodmen of the World.
 The court room was packed with hu- manity. most of the people being from tho rural districts of the county. Far back in the rear of the court room throughout the afternoon and until the proceedings had closed sat Winnie Weaver, the girl Tn the case. She is a pretty girl and she was dressed quietly and neatly. She wore a dark blue skirt and bolero jacket of good material over a white linen shirtwaist. Her well poised head was crowned with a new spring hat in style and good taste under meath which a wealth of black hair showed. There was never a smile on her fair face. She was a pensive list ner and despite her youth seemed to realize the awful things that had hap pened and the gravity of the situation