Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-15
TO BE CONTINUED.
AARON BURR'S JURY.
A Recollection of the Trial of the
Famous Duelist.

A Recollection of the Trial Of the
Famous Duelist.
Only four Of the first panel Of forty
eight talesmen summoned for jury
duty had undecided opinions about
| Burr, and only one Of those four ex-
pressed himself as entirely unpreju
diced concerning him. The other for
| ty-four were so irreconcilably hostile
| that the court promptly discharged
| them, and another panel was sum-
moned. This second lot, however, was
| worse than the first, and the situation
grew more and more serious as the
sitting process continued, for one can
didate after another expressed open
hostility and even hatred for the de-
fendant. At last, when hopes OF Sc
curing an impartial jury had almost
faded. a talesman by the name of
Morrison took the stand, who. 1t was
believed would prove an exception to
the rule. This gentleman had appar-
emily kept an open mind on the SUBJ
ject of the prisoners innocence or
guilt, and was willing to serve as
juror-almost too willing 1t seemed to
the defence-and Mr. Bolts rose to
croSs-eXamine.
Are you a freeholder?" asked the
counsel.
"Yes: l have two patents for land"
answered the candidate.
Are you worth $300?" continued
the examiner.
Yes" snapped the witness. Il
have a horse here worth half Of It,"
Have you another at home to make
up the other half?" jocosely pursued
the attorney. and then the audience
laughed.
Yes, four Of them," retorted the
talesman, angrily. II am surprised
there should be so much terror OF
me-" he continued, addressing the au-
| dience; but perhaps my name may
be a terror" he added, his voice rails
ing a shout. for my first name Is
Hamilton"
This "unprejudiced" candidate was
then excused and for fourteen days
the weary search continued without
success. Not one impartial citizen
was discovered in the entire second
panel: and at this juncture the pro-
ceedings were brought TO a standstill.
After some discussion, however, the
defence suggested that it be allowed
TO select any one ii chose from the
last panel, and the acceptance Of this
unique proposition paved the way for
one Of the most startling moves in
this extraordinary trial.
Strictly speaking, not one or the
proposed jurors was eligible to seat
in the jury-box, but of course some OF
them were less bitter against the de-
fendant than others. and ii was nat
ural to suppose that Rurr's advisers
would take advantage of that fact and
select the best of bad lot. Nothing
so commonplace, however. character
lied their plans, and TO the utter
amazement of all outsiders Burr pro-
ceeded to nominate the most obJec-
tionable talesmen of the entire list.
lInexplicable as this surprising manoeu-
vre must have been TO the general
| public, it was, of course, instantly
comprehended by the opposing coun-
sell Burr and his advisers doubtless
reasoned that the safest jurors would
be those whose hostility had been
most thoroughly exposed. The very
fact that he was willing to place his
life in the hands of his avowed enc
mics was. Of course, the most eloquent
protest of innocence which prisoner
could make.-Frederick Trevor Hill in
| Harpers Magazine.