The Washington herald., 1908-01-08
COURT DROPS NINE
FROM THAW PANEL
Continued from Page One.

Continued from rage One'
Bowling. in sustaining a challenge made
by Mr. Llttleton, said that he did so on
the sole ground that the talesman said he
would require evidence at this trial to ef-
face the opinion he had formed by read
ing the newspaper accounts Of the first
trial
After that, whenever Mr.. Jerome showed
that he had no inclination TO have a tales
man on the jury. he went after him along
these lines, using very few questions, and
in many instances it worked well and the
talesman was soon on his way out or the
courtroom. Mr.. Iittlet0n adopted similar
measures when he wanted 20 get rid OF a
talesman that Mr. Jerome had taken a
fancy TO, but il was necessary for Mr.
Litteton to be a bit more adroit, and to
take up more time.
Justice Not Pleased.
Many men appeared on the special pan
el who had no right TO be there, and Jus
tice Bowling was not much pleased with
the situation. Talesmen on special panels
are exempt from jury duty IN small cases,
but they are supposed 70 be free from con-
Iscientlous scruples about the death penalty
in capital cases. and also to have minds
strong enough not TO form opinions on
newspaper accounts Of murders.
Yet man after man appeared to-day who
said that he had an opinion which he
could not shake if he went into the jury
box. About nine men in succession made
this statement. while Commissioner Of
Jurors Allison. who has charge ~ prepar-
ing special panels, sat on the bench with
Justice Dowllng. In each case where a
man was untitled to be on the special
panel Justice Bowling had his name
stricken of.
Arrest Creates Stir.
There was one incident that caused
some excitement. a talesman, who said
he was John NJ Wexford. told District
Attorney Jerome that he had been robbed
Of his watch in the courtroom. AS only
those who have the proper credentials are
supposed to get into the courtroom, this
gave Mr. Jerome some concern. lie sent
for Detectives Reardon and Wasserman
and told them 10 look over the crowd in
the courtroom for pickpockets.
They didn't find anybody in the court
room. but they picked up two young men
outside in the corridor ana said they were
pickpockets and members Of East Side
gangs They were aTraigned in The T0mbs
court, across the corridor from the Thaw
trialroom, and held in $1,000 bail each for
a hearing on next Friday
There was no great rush TO get into the
courtroom to-day, probably because of
Justice Dowlings orders and Of an order
issued by Mr.. Jerome He has announced
that he viii not give pass 10 any one
TO get into the trial, and he has issued an
order 30 his staff and TO the clerks in
his office not 90 make any attempt TO
pass anyone through the police lines at
the door This means the exclusion OF |
lot Of persons who were at the first trial |
Talesmen Were Happy.
When the nine talesmeu who had been
selected temporarily the night before
came 10 court in the morning they ap-
peared 10 be IN a pleasant frame OF mind |
They had been quartersd during the night /
at the Hotel Knickerbocker. in Forty
second street. which VIII be a pretty ex- 1
pensive experiment for the city. Twenty
one rooms have been engaged and when 1
the trial starts twelve jurors and six |
attendants VIII stay there nightly. Those /
who have tried to figure out the cost say
il viii be about 81 GO a week.
Whea ThaW was brought into court the (
only member OF his family present was
his half-brother. Josiah Mrs. Evelyn
Nesbit Thaw appeared about a half hour
late, explaining that her automobile had
had an accident in the BOwery coming
down town. She looked as well as the
day before and smiled at her husband /
when she entered the courtroom through
the side door. as usual. Whenever she
got chance during the rest Of the day
she greeted him with a smile Mrs.
George Lauder Carnegie was at the after /
noon session.
The First Juror.
William II, Roberts, secretary OF a sig /
nal and control company. was the first
juror picked at the morning session.
Then Joseph \. Mooney. a decorator. was
excused because he knew stanford White |
Several talesmen were excused in a rush. !
and then Mr.. Littleton began a long but /
what seemed a futile examination Of /
Louis Adler who had an opinion about |
the case.
II you are inclined to make a chaI- /
lenge make it now" suggested Justice |
Bowling, cutting Mr.. Littleton short.
challenged said Mr.. Littletcn
Sustained" said Justice Bowling.
When the first panel had been exhaust /
ed. which happened in a very few min. /
utes, Justice Bowling announced, without
any explanation, that James Conway. a /
hotel Keeper, at 81 West Eleventh street.
and William +. Brewer, "a decorator. Of 4
lSS ClaremOnt avenue, had been rejected /
by consent There was no explanation
from Mr.. Jerome or Mr.. Littleton why this
was done. and it is understood that there
Will be none whenever a juror is excused.
II IS known. however, that the District
Attorneys office has squad of men look
ing up every man who is selected in
addition 20 making a preliminary investi-
cation Of the names as they appear on
the special panel
Broker Is Dropped.
Dexter 0. Tiffany. a stock broker. was
put through an extremely lengthy exami-
nation. He said he had an opinion. and
would take it TO the jury box with him,
but he would not let il influence his
judgement Mr.. Jerome liked him, but
Mr.. Littleton won point when he got
Mr.. Tiffany to say that il would require
evidence to remove his opinion. It was
then that Justice Dowling made the ruling
excluding talesmen who had opinions
which would require evidence TO remove
Charles c. Goss, an accountant for the
American Tobacco Company, was selected
as the next juror. John J. Halloran, a
clerk for the Equitable Life Assurance
Society, was passed up when he said he
could not vote for conviction. John E.
McHOTter an auditor for James McCut-
eheon & Co. said he had formeu no Opin-
on on the case one OF the very few pshn