Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-08
THREE JURYMEN
ARE SELECTED
TRIAL OF ERNEST G. STACK
POLE is BEGUN
Attorneys Of the Alleged Murderer Of
Joel scheck Subject Jurors to
Severe oss-Exan1instlon.
Court Room Crowded

when the lengthy session Of the first
day of the trial Of Ernest G. Stack
pole, charged with the murder Of Joel
scheck. came to a close late yesterday
only three jurymen had been selected
and swore in to act as Jurors when
Stackpole shall make his fight for life
before them.
The men selected thus far are Charles
H. Iseech of Pasadena, ]. X. Brenizer of
1929 Berendo street, Los Angeles, ana
Elmer Thomason of Azusa.
All are men Of rather more than
middle age and all during cross-exam-
nation expressed themselves of being
almost entirely ignorant of any of the
details of the murder. In fact, they
had not even heard of the shooting OF
Joel Scheclx and the following arrest of
Stackpole.
cross.Examination Is Severe
During the entire morning man after
man was called and sent to the jury
box. where the four attorneys repre-
senting Stackpole proceeded to put him
through the most severe cross-examin-
alton. If a man had read an account
of the murder in the newspapers Stack
poles attorneys looked upon him with
disfavor, and finally they attempted to
have him dismissed for cause, but
even after one of the attorneys had
announced that the newspapers had
attacked Stackpole just because he
smoked cigarettes Judge James ruled
that that fact would not be considered
a cause and six peremptory challenges
were used up in dismissing the news
paper readers.
Several other men had been present
at the preliminary hearings and others
had objections to capital punishment
and were dismissed, so that late in the
day, when the attorneys were weary
with their work, there were but three
men in the jury box and nine more to
be selected before the real work Of the
trial can be taken up
Staekpole Expected to Testify
But during all the examination At
torney Edward Fleming, representing
the district attorneys office, had
scarcely a word to say. He looked the
jurors over carefully, made few per-
emptory challenges and then allowed
the others to remain.
From the start, however, 1t was evil
dent that Stackpole will take the stand
in his own behalf before the trial is
over, and to every juryman the follow
ing question was one of the first to be
asked:
would it make any difference in
your opinion of this man should it be
brought out at the trial that he has
been unfortunate in his youth and con-
fined in states penitentiary?"
Upon the reply of the juror rested the
decision of the attorneys as to whether
or not they would accept him.
Yesterday morning the court room
f.ac 70 wifi fifteen
minutes before 9 O'Clock, and long be-
fore the hour set for the hearing the
seats, aisles and ante-rooms were filled
with an eager throng.
Many Women Present
About half of them were women,
some in gaudy raiment and others hav-
ing the appearance of refinement, but
all were eager to see the man. whom
many have called handsome and whom
others have described as looking like a
baboon.
Promptly at 10 O'Clock there was a
commotion at one of the side doors of
the court room and a moment later a
rather tall, well dressed young man
appeared in the court room, closely fol-
lowed by Deputy Sheriff Ira HERR g
ton, who will guard Stackpolc during
Ibis trial in department 1.
nized him and she promptly made
known her Information, whereat there
was a general eraning of necks and a
jostling among the crowd, so that the
officer had to fairly fight his way
through
Request for Continuance Denied
When the spectators had been forced
back attorneys representing Stackpole
asked for a continuance on the ground
that one of their witnesses was suffer-
ing with broken leg in a mining g
camp, but the judge dismissed the
motion with a smile.
second time they moved for con-
tinuance on another ground witt the
same result, and then they asked for a
change of venue, which also met with
defeat, and the trial was ordered to
proceed.
Judge William James was announced
as the Judge to try the case.
The first jurymen were called and the
trial began. Stackpole's appearance
made good impression on most of the
jurymen. The man was dressed in a
new black suit. He wore shoes of the
latest pattern and natty white soft
hat. His linen was fresh and his bat
wing collar was set off by u blue silk
four-in-hand tie. AS he took his seat
dL Lilt dllOIlltJS utSk ne DlnlGu On Il
blood red rose handed him by Attorney
Thompson.
Every item of the mans attire was
commented on by the spectators. They
discussed his shoes and his small feet
his carefully groomed appc arance.' and
then made comments on his tiny ears
which stuck so close to his head. They
made remarks about his thick lips and
his broad nose, and then settled down
to watch his trial.
The Crowds Disappointed
At the noon hour Stackpole cringed al
the idea of going back through the
crowd, so he was taken to the judges
chamber and then while the spectators
thronged the halls waiting to see him
taken back to Jail he was hurried down
a back stairway and set to his cell
When he was brought back in the
afternoon he was only encumbered with
single cuff, and thanked the deputy
for the consideration shown him.
When the final challenging of the
jurymen for the day began Stackpole
was allowed to haVo a voice in the mat.
ter Eagerly he leaned forward and
scanned the faces OF the men who
might be selected to try him. AS the
names were read h would look care
fully at the man and then either noe