The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-12-19
HARRY HOUCK'S
TRIAL BEGINS
Week May be Consumed in
The Hearing.
MURDER IN FIRST DEGREE
This is The CHARGE Against
This is The Charge Against
Young Man.
Houcl< is Being Tried For Shooting
jerome Hostcttcr, u Policeman, in
The Erie Yards--IIostcttcr Died
From the Wound he Received.

The trial of Harry Houck for the
murder of Jerome Hostetter was be-
gun in common pleas court this morn
ing before Judge w. T.. Scoheld. The
special venire of jurymen reported at
10 o'clock and there was a stir
throughout the court room which gave
evidence of great deal of interest
centering i'm the trial of the case.
Jerome Hostetter was shot in tho
Eria railroad yards on the night Of
August Is, 1910, death following as a
result of the wounds sustained, on the
following evening. The shooting oc
Cured shortly after Ray Hoffhines
had been held up and relieved of his
watch and other valuables. The hold
up occurred on Silver street A call
was sent to the police station and Hos
letter and officer Fisher were detail
ed on the job of running down the
suspected highwaymen. The men who
were supposed to have done the job
were trailed into the Erie yards by
the officers and one of them was seen
to enter an empty Eric coach which
was standing on a siding. OFFICER
Hostetter commanded the fellow to
put up his hands and come down off
of the car platform. Just as the man
started to comply with the order OF
the officer, shot rang out from in
side the car and Hostetter fell to the
ground with bullet hole through
his abdomen. 1t was thought the shot
had been fired by the confederate OF
the man who had been covered by the
policeman.
The net was thrown out by the po-
lice and several suspects were picked
up in different parts of the state on
the following day. Several days after
the shooting, letter came to Marion
and IL leaked out that some informa-
ton could be secured from 1t. Police
Captain Link Bond went to work on
the case and the result was the ar
rest of Harry Houck in Sidney. Houck
was returned to Marion, given pre-
liminary hearing and was bound over
to the grand jury. At the last sitting
of the grand jury he was indicted Tor
murder in the first degree. When ar
ragned before Judge Scofield he
pleaded not guiltyoto the charge and
the date for his trial was fixed. The
court appointed l.. i. Myers and w. +.
Moloney to defend Houck and named
Fred e. CUTLERY to assist Prosecuting
Attorney Charles l.. Justice In the
prosecution.
b At the time of going to press TINS
afternoon the jury had been hlled so
far as the challenges for cause were
concerned but this does not mean
that the jury has been secured. The
defense has sixteen peremptory chal-
icnges to exercise while the prosecu-
tion has four. So that all OF the
men who now sit in the jury box
may be excused before the trial OF
the case is ready to proceed.
The special venire OF thirty-slx
names has practically been exhaust
ed there being but six remaining
IL is possible that another Special
.venire will have to be drawn before
the jury Is secured.
II developed during the examination
of tho Jurors that there Is quite a
widespread sentiment against capital
Many stated that they
were opposed to the death penalty,
some going so far as to state that
they would not bring In verdict Tor
murder in the first degree because OF
the death penalty for the accused,
Others stated that they had formed
an opinion which 1t would he dill
cult to change while others were ex-
cused because of physical disabilities.
After the last man had been seated
In the jury box, the court took q
recess until Tuesday morning at nine
-.