The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-04
F0R.L|FE OR DEATH
Trial VIII Probably Occupy Whole
VEGETABLE Counsel EMPLOYED ON
Both Sides-keenest Interest Man.
ifested in Every Step Taken
Whole Day Consumed i'm Selecting
jury.
Especial to The 1dessenger.p

r&aieLSH. september 30.-The Supe-
rior court room was crowded to ,be
limit today at 10 O'Clock when across
h Bridge of Signs DR.. Rowland and
his wife, the defendants La the terri
DE poisoning case, entered the room
Judge Long being upon the bench ana
all the attorneys being present, three
for the state and five for the prison
ers. Everything was kept in the very
best order. Judge Long ordered n
n Mrs. Rowland to stand IN AZ tho
clerk prepared to draw the Jury and
then ne informed them Of their rights
When the clerk spoke of their being
upon trial for life or death there was
no change in the c~ountenance of eth
err Both looked much better than ar
the last hearing. Mrs. Rowland sat
Tear the judges seat. her husband
On her left, On the right being her
sister. who is a large and quite hand
some woman. Mrs. Rowland has a
vague ort of beauty. She was SIM
ply dressed in black. with a bit OF
white around her throat and very
plain dark hat.
The calling of the jurors began, ev-
erything being taken down by the
court S~tenOgrapher, Mrs. Calvert. Or
the regular jurors, only one was chos-
en-, this being L. A. Harper. One
hundred and forty-seven in all were
available, including the special venire
The keenest interest was manifested
in every step that was taken. Both
sides challenged jurors very freely.
Some of them admitted that they knew
nothing about the case and had never
read a line about it, while some said
they had formed very pronounced
opinions in regard to the matter.
The attorneys for the defense ex-
pect that the entire week will be TAX
en- up by the case and so state to your
correspondent.
1t is very evident thai there is going
to be a great fight On both sides. 1t is
certain that new evidence will be in
troduced by the state. The main eff
fort Of the defense, from what can
be judged so far, will be to break
down some Of the witnesses whose
testimony have already been reported.
Intense interest was shown by the
Rowlands in drawing the jury. Row
land is a small man and stout as to
figure, with a red and pimply face.
His eyes and ears missed nothing that
went on. His wife's quick eyes swept
the faces of the venire men called
without ceasing and also took in the
counsel on both sides, not forgetting
to keep a close watch upon that vet
eran criminal lawyer, ArgO, who has
figured in so many notable cases and
who is assisting the solicitor, the
! other associate counsel being Walter
Clark, Jr., a son of the chief justice.
For the defense the array of counsel
is an able one, three Of their number
having had very great success In
! bringing about acquittals. Three OF
the others are from this city, the
fifth, T. T. Hicks, being from Hender-
son. The court occupants are
all white, all the negroes except the
witnesses being turned out. The
presence of quite a number Of rail-
road engineers, members of the
brotherhood, was a feature. These
having stood close behind the prose-
cution all the while, in fact really
began it and struck the first blow.
One of the veniremen stood aside was
T. s. Barbee, who said he thought he
could give the prisoner a fair
and impartial trial, adding that what
he had read about the case would not
affect him in agreeing upon a verdict.
Judge Long said that Barbee was a
fair Juror for both sides, but added
that as he had read what was brought
out at a former trial he would allow
him to be stood aside Judge Ions
said that he was very much impress
ed with Barbee, who appeared to be
a man Of common sense and declared
if he had a case to be tried he would
want such men on the jury. There
was no tagging in the interest in the
! proceedings, no matter how trivial.
Witnesses are here from severa
states for each side.
After the seventeen men on the
panel and the $50 on the special ven
ire had been exhausted and only nine
! Jurors secured the judge at D O'Clock
! ordered a recess and called for a
| special venire of % free holders. 1t
/ REQUIRED Two hours to get the jury.
| nearly all are farmers.
Louis Mailer of the we'll known
! iewelry firm here, is the only town
man on the jury. 1t is said tonight
that he and Jesse Duke, Of Rolesville,
! will largely control the jury. Duke
was on the jury which convicted VIII
/ Adams. of murder. Both state and
defense profess to be we'll pleased
with Jury. which is certainly an intel
ligent one. 1t was 7.3O O'Clock "hen
the last juror was secured. 1t WIZ
he remembered that Dr. and Mrs'
Rowland were arraigned in July when
tho ;urv returned true bills.