Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-07
CROWDS SEE
MESKH TRIAL
ALLEGED SLAYER OF OFFICER
LYONS IN COURT
WILL FIGHT BATTLE FOR LIFE
UNAIDED BY FRIENDS
Daniel F. Meski, Charged with MUIR
der, Apparently Mos. Uneoncerned
Man in Judge Smiths
Court Room

f. MeslSil. charged with the killing of
Patrolman Patrick H. Lyons on the
night of November 80 last, appeared
before the bar of justice to 90 battle
for his life.
That the fight will be a strenuous
one and every point taken advantage
of was made evident from the outset,
objection after objection being entered
and exceptions taken to every adverse
ruling OF the court by MeskiPs attor-
ney, S. M. Smyser.
1t was learned yesterday that Meskil
can expect little material aid from MS
relatives in Lincoln, Neb., his old nome
His mother is a hard working woman
supporting a large family, the father
having died more than year ago. Inc
family is in straitened circumstances
and it will even be impossible for the
mother to visit her son during his
trial. Meskil has an uncle in Con-
necticut and a cousin in Victoria, B. c.
and it is possible these men may come
to his assistance.
But at present he stands alone in his
fight, and the hundreds of eyes tnat
gazed at him Yesterday as he sat in the
crowded court room, while not uu-
friendly, were filled with curiosity.
People Cor Early
Two hours before the time for the
court to open and while employees at
the court house were still busy clean
ing up the large rooms, men ana
women made their appearance, anxious
to secure a seat from whence they
could watch and hear all that occurred.
By o'clock every seat in the court
room was occupied, while an hour later
when Judge Smith entered the room ne
found before him a larger crowd than
- in bie r
for some years. Ranged along the
rear wall, filing the aisles and sitting
on the window seats were men and
women, while a number inside the
railing surrounding the enclosure
where sit the court officials, lawyers
and witnesses sat cross-legSed on the
floor.
1t was a motley gathering and each
face betrayed the inquisitiveness that
filled the mind.
The people against Daniel r. Mes
kil' called the court, and every head
was lifted and every neck craned to
catch the first glimpse of the man
charged with a crime that but little
more than a month ago stirred the citi-
zens of Los Angeles to the very depths
of their feelings.
It was with some difficulty that the
accused man. closely followed by Sheriff
Hammel and a deputy, made his way
through the crowd gathered in the
aisle between the railing and the little
room where the prisoners await the
summons into court.
Walking with head slightly bent
Meskil looked neither to the right nor
left as he made his way slowly TO the
chair next to his counsel. He was at
tired in the same brown suit he wore
at the time OF his capture and which
it is claimed was purchased with the
proceeds of the robbery of the Belle
Vernon dairy. He wore no vest ara
his unbuttoned coat hung loosely from
the muscular shoulders. A navy blue
tie was neatly adjusted on the bosom
of a light flannel shirt, the low collar
of which revealed the bull-like neck.
Prisoner Unconcerned
AS he sat in the revolving chair he
glanced slowly, almost lazily about the
crowded court room, then facing the
Judge he remained in this position dur
ing the remainder of the session. APP
parently he was the least concerned os
any one present, glancing up from
heavy eyelids only when his attorney
made an objection and when the para
phernalia he is said to have carried on
the night of Lyons death was placed
in evidence. He even smiled at times
when his attorney and the prosecution
became involved in wordy conflicts or
when a witness became confused in his
or her testimony
q desire to move to set aside the in
formation because the defendant has
not been legally committed by a magis-
trate," said Mr. Smyser IS the proceed
fngs began. The purported prelimin-
airy examination was commenced and
held on a non-judicial day and in sup
port of my motion l desire to submit
a transcript of the preliminary exam
nation. He was arraigned on Deem
Der ! and the preliminary was begun
and concluded on December g."
WAS the preliminary examination hell
during the special holidays?' inquired the
court
Yes" replied Smyser
"Overruled,' declared Judge Smith, and
an exception was taken.
The entire forenoon was occupied in Sc
curing a jury and at noon the following
twelve men had been chosen:
j. Q. Adams of Pomona, George w.
Yarrow, lis North Beaudry avenue. Los
Angeles; Louis Anderson Pasadena
George W. McCampbell, Rivera; John
PAUL, Artesia; G. w. Benedict, Pasadena
George w. Shelf. 1874 Slauson avenue Los
Angeles; Thomas Story, Burbank; VIII
liam Healgate, Eighteenth and Downey
avenue Los Angeles; Lucian Small.
Glendale, and Frank E. Stockwell, Comp
ton.
Dine on Lawn
AS the hands of the clock pointed to
the hour Of noon the court room quickly
became empty, large part of the crowd
making their way quickly to the lawn a.
the north end of the court house in order
to see Meskil as he was taken back to
the county jail. Many of those who had
attended the forenoon session had brought
with them lunches and the greensward
was soon occupied with persons, singly
or in crowds, eating their midday meal
under the warm rays of the MONDAY sun.
Their meals were disposed of with dis
patch and an hour before the time set for
the beginning of the afternoon session OF
court found the room we'll filed, while at
o'clock not an inch of standing room
remained.
The first witness called was George w
Campbell. a surgeon living at 119 South
| Boyle avenue. DR. Campbell performed
the autopsy on the body of Patrolman
Lyons December l at Pierce Bros UNI
dertaking establishment and testified as
| to the condition of the body. The right
eye, he said was destroyed and the ap.
pearance of the face indicated a very
close explosion. The skull was fracture.
| in all directions.
The iexanaina lion of the witness was con
Quoted by City Prosecuting Attorney
| Edward J. Fleming. who called Capt A
]. Bradish Of the University station as
the next witness. Capt. Bradish told Of
! his acquaintainceship with Patrolmar