The Washington herald., 1908-01-07


dications when the work Of getting a
jury for the second trial Of Harry X.
Thaw for the murder Of Stanford White
began to-day that an effort will be made
to make the trial move more rapidly than
the first which occupied almost three
months.
There viii be night sessions until the
jury box is filed and maybe night ses-
sions while the testimony is being taken.
if the lawyers do not try to hasten mat
ters. Justice Dowling. who IS presiding
at this trial in the Supreme Court, Grim
inal branch. showed to-day that ne is
averse 10 any unnecessary delay or long
arguments and speeches. which charac-
terized the first trial
When the first days session ended at
10 O'Clock tonight, nine jurors, who may
be called provisional jurors, for they
may yet be peremptorily challenged by
either side. had been selected. The pro-
ceeding Of postponing the peremptory
challenges is "a departure from the usual
custom tn criminal cases in this county.
but il was adopted after a consultation
between District Attorney Jerome and
Martin W Littleton. counsel for Thaw.
and approved by Justice DoWling.
As each side has thirty-one peremptorv
challenges. it IS possible for the Jury box
to be filled and emptied five times. and
the job Of getting a jury started all over
again. AS explained by District Attorney
Jerome 70 the court in the course of the
last trial and IN other trials. many COM
munications. some Of them annonvmous.
but meriting investigation. were sent 10
both sides regarding jurors who had been
sworn.
viii Investigate Each Man.
Ti;o Investigation that had 10 be made
was often OF q disagreeabIe nature, and
sometimes resulted in the withdrawal of
jurors already selected. It was deemed
best in the opinion of counsel for both
sides, that the peremptory challenges
should be reserved after a juror had
measured up TO the other qualifications.
This means that both sides Will have a
chance TO make an investigation of each
juror, and If dissatisfied with him can
challenge peremptorily.
Doubtless many jurors will sit in the
box for TWO or three days and then
be dropped. and It was the opinion Of
jury lawyers that two or three of the
men selected to-day viii not be Jurors
when the taking Of testimony begins.
Aside from few changes in the ar
rangements Of the courtroom and the
absence Of several familiar faces. the
scene to-day was very much like the
opening DAY of the first trial The
morbid curious crowd outside was not.
80 great. and the police had less TO do.
for the women had been warned they
would not be admitted and Justice
Bowling took occasion to announce
from the bench that they win not be
during the trial That, of course, cut
down the size of the crowd.
New Reporter Is There.
Inside the courtroom was packed
with talesmen and reporters. Repre-
sentatives of the sympathy squad were
there. but not as many as before.
There was a newcomer. with dazzling
light hair and much pIumage. She
made the hit of the day. You may hear
from her later. as she was not thor
oughly identified to-day
Thaw. who has the most at stake in
the proceedings has changed little.
His straight black hair is as wild as
ever and acCentuates the natural pal
Tor Of his face His queer smile still
is in evidence, and he did as much
talking TO his lawyers as ever, al
though Mr.. Littleton paid no attention
to him. Thaw's manuerisms, notice
able at the first trial. seemed more pro-
nounced. and he strode into the court
room with the same upward tilt to his
left shoulder.
Thaw did not walk through the
courtroom, but around it through "A
brass-railed passageway on the White
street side of the room. lie sat inside
of the clerks rail, a few feet away
from Mr. Jerome and his assistant,
Francis 2. Garvan. From where Thaw
sits. at the end of his counscis table.
he has TO twist around only a bit 90
get good view of his wife and the
other members of his family
Mrs. Tbaw Arrives Early.
Those of The Thaw family who were
present to-day had their old seats at the
end of the jury box. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw
came early She was escorted to the
courtroom by Detective Moore. who IS
employed by her husbands lawyers. and
she went to lunch with him. although
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