The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-24
FOUR JURORS ARE
EASILY SECURED
TWO vENIREMEN OBJECTED TO
THE AFFLICTIoN OF CAPITAL
PUNISHMENT
ALL HAD READ PAP ERS
TASK OF SECURING NECEsSARY
SIXTEEN MEN COMPLETED
AT 2,40, EARLIER THEN
WAS EXPECTED.
ALL HAD READ PAP ERs

With the securing of the remaining
four members of the panel in the
Beattie trial as the days work, the
Circuit Court OF Chesterfield county
reconvened at noon yesterday with
thirty veniremen present on which to
draw.
Promptly at noon Judge Watson
took the bench and court was opened
with due form.
Mr.. Sheriff, have you made a re-
turn on the writ of venire facias is
sued on the day before yesterday
asked the judge.
Yes, sir" replied Sheriff Gill, 'it
Is In the hands of the clerk"
AT this point there was minutes
wait while the court stenographer,
who had been slightly delayed in
coming out from Richmond, was call
ed by the sheriff, MIR. Winston came
in and the machinery OF the court was
complete.
Mr. Hill Carter. OF counsel for the
defense, asked for copy of the renire
facias and OF the sheriffs return
thereon, and made motion to quash
the writ on the ground that 1t was
void by reason of error apparent on
lis face. declining to speeit such e.
ror. The court oNerruled the motion,
as on previous occasions at the out
set Of the procedure, and counsel for
the defense excepted.
Examinations Begin.
The examination of veniremen was
then begun. ". r. Sherman being
the first man called. In answer to
questions by the court. Mr.. Sherman
stated that he was forty years Of
age, lived in the vicinity of Ettrick,
had no personal knowledge of the
crime; had not talked with anyone
claiming to have knowledge of the
crime. He had. however, read all the
papers he had come across contain
ing news Of the crime. he said.
"Have the newspaper publications
caused YOU TO form an opinion as to
the guilt or innocence of the ac-
cused % inquired the Judge.
Il think it has" was the reply.
is that opinion based on the as
sumption that what YOU saw in the
newspapers is true? ~ pursued the
court.
Didn't Believe 1t All,
Il don't believe everything I read
in the newspapers. but / believe a
part of it. replied the venireman.
is the opinion you have formed a
well-fixed opinion ?" duerted the
Judge.
Yes, think it is"
Mr.. Sherman finally declared that
he did not feel that he could give
the accused a fair and impartial trial
on account Of the fact that what he
had read might bias him, and ne
was excused,
l., l.. Lester was next sworn. He
was twenty eight years OF age, lived
in the southwestern part OF the coun-
~. knew of his own. personal knowl-
edge mono of the details OF the crime
had read considerable part of the
newspaper publications with refer
ence to the case. He had formed an
opinion in the matter, but could not
say that It was fixed opinion.
Have the accounts you have read
led you TO form any opinion as to
whether this man is innocent or gull
ty?" asked the court
Yes, sir" promptly replied the ve-
nireman.
Would that opinion bias you were
you accepted as juror In this case? ?"
insured the judge,
/ "No, sir. I don't think 1t would"
was the reply.
do you think what you have read
would bias you at all? ?" insisted the
court
/ Again the venIreman was quite sure
that he could sit in the case without
bias.
Mr., Lester, said the Judge. the
law requires that every man charged
with crime shall be tried by per-
! faptIv t,y,Y1 4prv no gov tbtr
that you could try the prisoner in the
same frame of mind that you could
have had you never read anything
a bout the case in the newspapers ~
Mr. Lester thought Yet that he
could free himself from all previous
/ Impressions
Still trying to bring out the Utmost
thought of the man who was so con
fdent that he was competent to sill
in the case, Judge Watson again ask
ed. 'Do YOU think that YOU could
try this man, feeling that he was an
innocent man until competent evi.
dence was introduced to show him
guilty >"
| Yes sir" was the confident replv
! Had Expressed Opinion.
Counsel for the defense here took
the venireman. Mr.. Carter asked him
If he had not expressed an opinion
on tho case. He stated that he had
a good many .imes.
IL the evidence introduced In the
trial OF the case should prove TO he
substantially the same as that pub-
lished In the newspapers your opinion
would remain the same until and un-
less removed by testimony. would II
metz inquired Mr. Carter
1T would" admitted the witness.
Here Mr.. Wendenburg took the
venireman and brought out that he