Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-21
To Secure TaIeSmen for
Murder Case at Salem.
Court Sends Sheriff to Draft
Men From the Street.
Panel to Try E. |. Meik!e, is, For
killing Father, Completed.

Salem, Mass, May 2O.-For the first
time in the history of Massachusetts.
a deputy sheriff went out upon the
streets today to draft men to serve up
on Jury in u capital case. This I'M
prccedented act was ordered by the
court when the list of talesmen sum-
moned on the case of Edgar +. Meikle,
a 16-year-old boy, accused Of the muir
der Of his father, Charles G.. Meikle, at
Lynn, on the evening of Nov Z, 1905,
was exhausted at the Essex county su-
perior court here today.
The draft was successful, however,
the panel being completed after 40
men had been summoned into court.
The action, however, created cOnSter-
ration, and as soon as the people Of
Salem realized that the deputies were
not joking, panic resulted, every
street IN the vicinity of the court house
becoming deserted within a short time
The panel. as completed follows:
Arthur Knight, West Newbury; w.
Tracy Getchcll, Salisbury; Edward c.
John, Lawrence; Charles NJ. Hoyt.
Haverhill; Everett a. Smith Hamilton;
John Nice. Andover; Frank W. Foss,
Saugus; George A. Parkhurst, Box
ford; John c. Gilmartin, Haverhill;
William F. Ireland. Gloucester; Micha-
ell G.. Lrcey, Salem; James S. Crow
ley. Salem.
Most Of the talcsmcn We're excused
on account Of their prejudice against
the innction of the death penalty.
The elder Meikle met his death by a
revolver shot and it was thought to-
have been self-inflctcd. The state 20
lice held this view of the case until
October Of last year, when they arrest
cd young Meikle on the charge Of muir
dcring his father, claiming that as the
bullet entered Meikle's left cheek and
he being right handed. nc could not
have done the deed.
Although the grand fury indicted
Melkle several months ago, for some
reason the case was recOnsidered att
last weeks sitting, but no report was
made
Young Neillle was brought from the
Jail to the court by Deputies Bishop
and Howe. lie was handcuffcd. He was
pale and thin, but appeared to take a
lively interest in everything that was
gong on. He wore dark. neatly fit
lapel. lie appeared to have no realiZa-
uon Of the position in which he was
placed. He was seated between the
TWO deputies. while beside one of the
deputies sat Rev. Henry lodnger, rec
tor OF St Peters Episcopal church of
inns city. who has visited the boy every
week since he has been in jail.
SiSk Brothers Of Lynn appeared as
counsel for Meil<le. while the state was
represented by District Attorney w.
scott Peters and Assistant District At
torney Henry C. Attwil. Attorney Cen
eral Dana Malone will not personally
participate in the trial
About so talesmcn were in the court
room and within an hour 20 of them had
h"en either excused or challenged and
thrc" had been accepted as jurymen.
inc list Of talcsmen becoming eX-
hanst"I. the judge ordered Deputy
sheriff Ticrney to 90 out into the street
ana summon 90 men to court to do jury
ou'y. Ticrncy proceeded to execute his
t"iilihlSSInn at once. He reached Town
h"usc square just as that thorough
ldFe was crowded with persons who
were gong home to their dinners. He
Ut once proceeded to carry out his in
SFnctions and the result was a panic
as soon as it was learned that the OIL
yer was not Joking The deputy man.
"Een 70 serve notice on 20 men, haw-
ever. before the square was deserted
Among those secured for jury duty
III inns way were Charles A: Archer. a
naycralty candidate, Former state
senator John ID. II. Gauss, Former
representative William D. Dennis. Lii
ccnsc Commissioner Morgan j. Nc
! sweeney, Dennis ]. Bradley, retired
Snoe manufacturer. and Joseph H.
f"or wcll-known leather manufac-
turcr
me panel was completed soon after
court mad convened for tho afternoon
session. 20 talcsmcn in all having been
examined. The court ordered Il recess
10 allow the members cr the jury to
niu good bye to their families AMI to
TX NJ important business matters that
might be pending. The jurymen will be
Sequtstered under the care Of deputy
sherifts, quarters having been provided
1or them at a hotel
tomorrow the jury will visit the
scene Of the crime, after which the
"nening argument for the prosecution
VIII be made.