Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-20
Slayer of E. G. Williams, Looking
Remarkably Well, Appears at
Sheriff's Office Early-Work
of Selecting Jury Done
BUT FEW WITNESSES
WERE EXAMINED
Charles Beardsley, Who Saw the
Shooting, Gives Main Testimony
in Case-Courtroom Was
Well Filled.

the case OF the state against DohaAc
IA. Balm. charged with the murder or
l. G. Williams. OF Decatur, in their
OFFICES in the Prudential building on
June 7s last
The jury was impaneIled by. the skin
OF its teeth. Three full panels. part
o fourth. and all but six OF az ~
a special venire were exhausted. II =
state exhausted eight OF it's ten cLGI-
Ienges: the oefense Is OF its 20. and IL
went Off for cause-that is, for OPP
position to capital punishment, or bias
Tor or against the prisoner Sixty
eight Jurors were examined. exclusive
OF those who ud not appear or were
excused or disqualified
The following compose the jury:
NEMBERS or JURY.
George T.. Murphy, architect: 5. 5.
aounsIey. OF the swift Specific Co.; =.
4. Moncrief, OF the Afoncrief Furnace
Co: G II. Wilmington. secretary An
rora CoIdring CO.: James E. BeIcher,
the plumber; A. W. Galloway, OF Rob-
ms & Galloway: Claude Shumate. OF
the A. b. & A. railroad; w. ID. Curtin.
a. W. Mckinley. stone cleaner: ]. e.
Rushin, a salesman OF the Atlanta Gas
Light Co.; W. Al. Hunter. a textile OPP
erative, and J. NJ. Jackson, a horse
snoer.
Two Jurors ad pay memberships in
military companies. but failed to be ex-
eused because the first sergeant did not
attest their signatures. They, however,
went or for cause
At 1 O'Clock, the jury was formed
and court took a recess until o'clock.
1t is possible that all the evidence viii
be in BY afternoon adjournment, but
the case win hardly reach the jury be-
fore Friday. =.
At the afternoon session Drs Willis
Jones, r. p. Glenn and r. c. Hodgson
were put on the stand They performed
the autopsy on williams body, and told
OF the direction the bullets took.
COURT is DELAYED.
Owing TO a wreck on the A. & W. +.
railroad between Atlanta and Fairburn.
Judge Roan's home. il was after 10 O'Clock
Thursday morning before he arrived At
the superior court. criminal division. and
opened the trial Of Donald NJ. Balm
charged with the murder OF Z. @. Will
Iiams, in the Prudential building, on June
= last.
Work of empanelling the jury was then
started Although comparatively few wit
nesses had been summoned, the trial prom
ises TO consume all OF Thursday, II it
does not lap over until Friday.
preceding the trial in the sheriffs office.
He looked remarkably well. He was
greeted by many Of his friends. who wish
cd him good luck" and to whom he ex-
pressed the belief that ne would be ac-
quilted.
Charles BeardsIey, the eyewitness Of
the tragedy in the Prudential building
Is the main witness.
Mr.. Balm IL represented by Reuben r.
and Solicitor c. d. Hill viii be assisted in
the prosecution By Cox. Cox & Cox and
william schley Howard.
WITNESSES PRESENT.
All the witnesses were present Thurs
day when the trial opened. Attorney Ar
mold said that the trial would be q
straight legal hight on tie issue. and
would have no unusual features.
AT O'Clock, the regular hour Of open
ing court, the room was tolerably well
filed, and many were disappointed by
the delay. The crowd increased By the
time the trial opt ned.
Judge Roam. on arriving in court at
1870 O'Clock. explained that his delay was
cue TO the railroad and not himself. Both
sides then announced ready.
Mr.. Arnold said that many jurors had
the impression that reading accounts OF a
crime In newspapers disqualified them,
which was a mistaken idea He asked
the court 10 make this clear 20 the jurors.
At 1880 o'clock two jurors had been Sc
lected-S. S TOwnley and George E. Muir
ply.
When the name OF H. II. Cabanlss was
reached. Mr.. Cabaniss expressed some
hesitation when asked whether he was
perfectly unbiased Col. A. H. Cox, OF
the prosecution. asked that the solicitor
again ask the question. stressing per
fectly." Mr. Arnold argued this point
Mr.. Cabaniss was asked again and he
said be was not perfectly unbiased. he
was excused for cause. The court ex-
planned that reading newspaper accounts
Of a tragedy did not disquaiify a juror.
Afternoon Session
Charles Beardsley was the first witness
az the afternoon session of the Bain
trial. He~tOid about entering room 30.
OF the Prudential building. having heard
Balm and Williams 'fussing'' there.
1Ir. williams chair was near the door
Mr.. Balm on the other side. Beardsley
said. He heard Ar. Williams say some,
thing when he entered. He didn't know
what Balm said. either.
-Four or FIVE minutes later he heard VIII
liamE make a remark that II people
didn't stop troubling his desk when he
left the city. there would be trouble. He
didn't address Balm particularly. Mr.
Beardsley said. on examination OF Col
onel Cox, but things that mad led up to
this made him think the remark referred
TO Balm.
The first thing he heard Balm say was
I'm an old man g years old. A few
months ago you slapped my face. II you
had been a man you wouldn't have done
#"
Then Balm started to his desk. Boards
ley followed TO get him 10 stop talking.
About half way between them, Balm
started shooting.
Beardsley said he didn't know where
the pistol came from
Balm fired the first shot. II struck the
witness in the wrist. He was knocked
down.
- when Balm fred. he didn't see Williams.