Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-05-23
Boise, May Is.

When court closed at three O'Clock
this afternoon the state had used sew
en- of its peremptory challenges and
the defense six. The work of com
pleting the jury still promises to be
long and tedious one. Today completed
the sixth day of the trial The wea-
ther is very warm Not much interest
in the case is manifested in Boise, on
ly small crowds being in attendance.
1t is evident even to a casual OBJ
server that battle royal is on. Each
side is contesting every step of the
way. But the tilts between the attor-
neys have so far been conducted with
uniform courtesy and good nature. 1t
is interesting to watch the class feat
sre figure in the selection of the jury.
A man appearing right down common
and plainly honest with no pretensions
TO belong to the confident side of So
ciety is invariably peremptorily re-
jected by the prosecution. While a
self-confdent man owning considerable
property and feeling certain super
iority and conscious respectability is
promptly dismissed by the defense.
The reason for this unconscious ac-
tion on the part of the contenjing
forces at bar can be furnished only
by the socialist philosophy.
The property possessing class and
those that have means to live in a
somewhat comfortable style find all
their interests in conformity with
maintaining the established order of
things. The wage workers and those
whose occupation has brought them no
sense of security and established posi-
tion in society feel no sympathy in
maintaining the farce of established
procedure. So the choosing Of the jury
proceeds as carefully as the chess play
er moves his pawns. Only in final re.
sort the Judge and the sheriff hold the
deciding moves. Over half of the new
panel of hundred men has been ex.
hausted.
The majority of the jurors are dis
missed because they confess to having
opinions already formed. Now and
then man is excused because he is
opposed to the death penalty on cir
eumstantial evidence. Almost the en-
tire panel is composed of farmers who
own their farms, and if they have ever
had trade it is the carpenter trade.
None have ever been union men in
militant trade organization. III one
such ever appears he is promptly dis
missed by the prosecution, There was
one mild looking and harmless farmer,
- Gribble by name, come into the
Jury box, whose examination brought
out the fact that while working in the
coal mines of southern Colorado years
years ago he mad belonged to the
Knights of Labor. He was peremptor-
lily discharged by the prosecution.
Mr.. Richardson always asks If there
is any prejudice against socialism or
socialists. One juror emphatically
stated that he was opposed to "latter
day socialists. Mr.. Richardson said
that was n new one on him, and asked
il they were related to Latter Day
Saints. The juror replied that he
meant Debs socialism. His further ex-
animation showed such deep and
abiding prejudice against socialists
that he was dismissed.
Orchard in the Limelight.
Friday morning there was enough
sensation to make up for the monot'
ony of the preceding days.
The morning Statesman came out
with full and Aaring headline ac-
count on three pages of select re-
ception held by Harry Orchard at the
penitentiary with Governor Gooding
and Warden whitney present, to the
representatives of the large and in
fluential capitalist press
Such repugnance to the Orchard tes'
timony has been disclosed among the
jury men that the prosecution finally
decided to break the hermit-like Sc
clusion to which this self-confessed
murderer has been held for seventeen
months, and trot him out for an in
spection by the representatives Of the
great organs and public informers Of
capitalism. The arrangements were
made privately and whispered around.
Thurs lay afternoon not socialist or
labor paper was gwen the slightest
inkling Of the plans. The Associated
press has given the news of the inter.
view Of the world. The party took the
electric car TO the Natatorium where