Mexico weekly ledger., 1909-08-12

Court ADJOURNED al o'oO uhpi Weo-
tuesday morning at 9 O'Clock when
Tire trial will start The panel of
40 jurors has been chosen.
Attorneys saIllnes and Stocks are
fighting every inch Of legal ground
for Luther Anderson, on trial for his
life. Before the trial began Monday
afternoon they investigated the pre-
Iiminary hearing Of the accused as
well as the commitment under which
Sheriff WooIery had held him In jail.
The defense then tried to have the
case continued to the September term
of court stating Mrs. Clarence Farms
worth, Of Farber, who Is at deaths
door, Is a material witness and when
introduced could prove she saw Was-
ner after Anderson was alleged to
have killed him. This Mas denied by
the court. The choosing Of jurors
|wIlI take at least two days. Prose-
cutting Attorney Cant inquiries Of
each talesman II he Is opposed to
capital punishment when the EVIL
dence and law warrants It. AndeF<
sons parents are with him and the
fatnsr and uncle Of Wagner, the MUIR
dered man, sit beside Mr.. Cant and
Mr.. 5arrows, who lie assisting In the
prosecution.
II Mrs. Framework dies, II may
materially effect the case Of the de-
Tense.
The trial Of Luther Anderson, who
lie charged with the killing Of Au-
gust Wagner last December at the
latter's country home near Vandalla,
|hegan here Monday at a special
term of the Audraln county circuit
court. One hundred talesmen have
been ~subpoenaed from whom twelve
men will be selected to hear the case
Sixty men are the usual number re-
quired, but because the tragedy at
tracted so much attention, making tho
task of qualifying a jury more diff
cult. Judge Barnett, before whom
the case will be tried, ordered Sher-
IF j. B. Woolery to get 100 men,
from whom the jury will be selected.
Story Of the Crime.
August Wagner was found with hi
head beaten into a pulp in the cellar
of an clubhouse by some of his
neighbors on the morning of De-
oember 4, 1908. Luther Anderson
was Immediately arrested.
At the Coroner's inquest his sister,
Mrs. Tennessee Bottoms. testified
that Luther came to her fathers
home the morning Of Dec, 8 with
blood on his hands and clothes. On
that morning Anderson vas seen
to leave Wagner's house, a short
time before he is said to have ar
rived at the elder Anderson's.
He stated to the family that he
had helped kill a hog and got the
blood on himself.
{ Luther Anderson, on the night OF
January 10, planned a Jail delivery
Because Of this he was transferred Il
the Montgomery County Jail for safe
keeping. From there he escaped or
February % and was at large about
two weeks, when he was found
working as a farm hand just ovei
the Missouri line in Iowa. He was
brought back to this city. Later /
was decided to place him in the st
Louis county Jail for safe keeping.
Anderson's trial was first set TO.
June IA, but on account of some flaw
in the States proceedings, the trla
! was put off again and set for thu
T. special term of court that begins a
), 1 O'Clock Monday.
1t is quite likely the taking o
, evidence will not start until Tues
day. The large venire of 10
. talesman will require much time, ii
!, all probability, to choose the jur
from and this will delay the taking G
evidence.