The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-04-18
TTORNEY ACH
IS POISONED BY
EATING MUssELs
Chief Counsel of Abe Ruef
Stricken in Court and
Faints in Corridor
SENT TO HOSPITAL
Heroic Measures Promptly
Applied and Sufferer
VIII Recover
IL MEN FOR THE JURY
Panel Filled for Trial, but
Perenptory Challenges
Will Thin Number
IL MEN FOR THE JURY

t1enry Ach. chief counsel for
Abe Ruef, was stricken suddenly in
court yesterday afternoon with ptomaine
poisoning and fell unconscious in the
corridor. An ambulance was sum-
moned. and he was taken in haste to
the Lane hospital. where Drs. Hirsch-
fielder and Gibbons worked over him
for four hours before they pronounced
him out of danger. AT midnight it was
stated at the hospital that Ach was
resting easy and would be out in a few
days If no complications intervened.
Ach and Attorney c. H. FairalI dined
together yesterday in a Fillmore street
restaurant. Ach ate heartily of mus
sells. and his illness is ascribed to the
shellfish. He left the restaurant at
1:30 o'clock and walked Ieisurely to the
courtroom. Less than an hour later.
while busy examining jurors in the
heat of the courtroom, he was seized
with sudden pain. Turning to Ruef.
he said: I'm in terrible pain. Have
some one else take the case while I
get some air.
Ach walked from the courtroom. but
as he reached the corridor he was
seized with convulsion and fell un-
conscious Bystanders rushed to his
assistance. He was picked up and
taken in an ambulance to the Lane
hospital. Drs. Hirschfelder and Glib
bons were hastily called and decided
at once that heroic measures were
necessary to save the patients life.
During almost the entire afternoon
they worked, and in the evening were
able to announce that they were hope
full for his recovery. During the even
ing Ach continued to improve.
1t was said by Ach's associates last
night that the Ruef case would pro-
ceed without interruption. Attorneys
Shortridge, Fairall and Murphy were
closeted with Ruef last night from
o'clock until II.
Twelve men were in the Jury box at
the close of yesterdays session Of
Judge Dunne's court in the trial of
Ruef Fifteen days have passed since
the defense answered ready" 1t has
taken that time to fill the box, and no
peremptory challenges have as yet
been exercised. All records for nro-
crastination are likely to be broken be-
fore this jury finally is completed.
This morning the twelve men in the
box will be subjected to peremptory
challenges, the prosecution having five
in all and the defense being allowed
ten.
Among the twelve tentatively Sc
lected is Clarence Colman, who sat
on the jury which convicted George d.
Collins.
Biggy's quest for talesmen was not
altogether successful. Of the fifty
names drawn forty-one were sum
moned, but six of these failed to ap
pear yesterday morning, and of the re-
naming thirty-five no less than twen-
ty-six pleaded that they were unable
to serve and were excused by the court.
This left but nine available and present
out of the venire of fifty.
Johnson challenged Bartholomew
OReagan, one of the nine already ex-
amined and in the box, and he was dis
missed after it had been shown that
he had served on a jury during the past
year. This left four men to be selected
from the nine who appeared on the new
venire.
The names were placed in the box
and the following four were drawn:
Adam c. SCHNEIDER, Milton S. Ottenhefm-
er, Joseph Goodman and Clarence Cole
man. AS SCHNEIDER did not respond when
his name was called fifth name, that
of L. Friedman, was drawn from the
box.
Ottenheimer. the first man examined.
said that he had been a schoolmate Of
Ruef. but that he had a ffxed opinion
Of his guilt. After challenge by the
prosecution he was excused.
Joseph Goodman got himself tangled
in his answers He told Johnson that
his fixed opinion was such that he could
not view the case as he would an ordi-
nary one. Afterward he explained to
Ach that his fixed opinion, to which he
had alluded, was that man was inno-
cent until proven guilty.
II am convinced that he is not In a
proper frame of mind to become a
member of this jury" said the judge
and he was excused.
Clarence Colman is a brother in law