Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-01-30
BEGIN THE FIGHT
FOR THAWTS LIFE
TWO JuRYMEN SECURED THE
FIRST DAY.
ARCHITECTS NOT WANTED
Defense Pere,lptoriIy Challenges
Two Men of Same Business as
That of the Dead Sanford White
-veniremen Seem Anxious to Get
on Jury.

New York, Jan. 24-The curtain
was rung up yesterday for another
act in the tragedy of real life known
as the Thaw-White case. The setting
vas not the gay all-night restaurants
of the Tendetloin, where the princi-
pal actors in the tragedy once were
familiar figures. At was not roof
garden crowded with summer revel-
ers who on the Hateful night cIinked
glasses in rythm to the music of the
orchestra and listened laughingly to
merry singers, and then were hushed
into the silence of horror as three
pistol shots cracked and noted
architect lay dead at taole where
he had been chatting with friends.
The story OF the play was brought
down TO the grim courtroom scene.
where u men are 10 sit and render
judgment which may mean either the
TAX ng OF another life, this time by
the state or the determination that
Harry X. Thaw was justified in the
claim that he shot the man who mad
ruined his wife. There may be a
third decision, that 1haw was insane
at the time he committed the crime
emotional insanity" it was called
yesterday-but there will be no oppor-
portunity to say that Thaw is now in.
sane
The trial began yesterday morning
and when adjournment for the day
had been taken 1T about 5 O'Clock
there were two jurors in the box. A
third juror had been accepted and
sworn. but he was excused. in the
closing moments of the session. the
reasons for the action being OF a pr.
vate nature and not made public.
Anxious to Sit in Judgment.
Nineteen talesmen were examined
before the day closed. Nearly all
seemed anxious to serve and a small
percentage was excused for causes.
The challenges in nearly every in
stance We're of peremptory charac.
ter and about evenly divided between
the prosecution and defense
The examination of the first tales
man called was followed with keen
est interest, as it was Thought the
line of questioning by lAe attorneys
for Thaw would develop the charac-
ter of the defense they are 10 set up
There was disappointment in this re-
spect. The defendants counsel
seemed perfectly willing to accept any
proposed juror who satisfactorily ans
wered the questions put by District
Attorney Jerome, who personally con-
Quoted the examinations The de-
Tense peremptorily challenged two
talesmen, however. who gave their
business as architects.
Thaw sat during the day at a table
set apart for his counsel At times
he seemed to taKe a lively interest
in the examination of jurors Again
he would seem listless.
Prisoners Family in Court.
Just behind the prisoner sat sey eral
members of his family, including his
mother, gathered mere for the trial.
Aside from the members of the fam
lily, there were only four women in
the courtroom and these were news
paper writer's. The attendance yes
terday was connned to newspaper peo-
pie and jury talesmen.
The jurors who remained in the
box when the Gay was done were
Deming b. smith, retired manufac-
tnrer of umbrellas and Charles II.
Fecke, enjoying teamster Both men
are married and have families. Smith
is about So years of age and Fecke
IS.
The trial will be resumed tomorrow
morning