The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-25
SENSATION SPRUNG 1. IN THE M CREE CASE Charge Sheriff Words With
 Partiality
WILL BAR GARLAND
Sudden Halt Brought in Trial of Mrs. Mckee for Alleged Murder of Garland-Charges and
 Counter Charges

Opelousas, La, October 24.-Develop- ments of an unexpected nature embracing sensational charges against Sheriff M l. s. Words of this parish and involving the integrity of the special venire of 1oo talesmen which the court had ordered summoned for jury duty, brought sud- den halt today to the trial of Mrs. Zee Runge Mckee for the alleged murder or Allan Thurman Garland
 Immediately following these charges which were filed by counsel for the de- fense. a motion was filed that R. Lee Garland, district attorney, be barred from active participation in the trial.
 These developments served to emphasize the bitter feeling that has been engen- dered by this trial, and, too. q heated political fight in which the powerful Gar land family is arrayed against Sheriff Words and the faction of the democratic party of which he is the leader, is recog- nized as cropping out in these actions.
 Tomorrow morning Judge Peavy will announce decision on the motion to bar the district attorney from participating in the trial and immediately thereafter tUt CUdTEto tllS sHSi III hiii M taken up.
 Will Last Ten Days
 Whatever, the courts decision on the motion to dismiss the extra panel of talesmen, it is now practically certain that the Mckee trial will last for ten days or, even. longer, with night ses- sions.
 No progress was made in the selection of jury. The two jurors chosen yes- terday are the only ones in the box. Sheriff Words and his deputies rode all day without being able to complete summons on 15o men of the special venire ordered by the court.
 At 3:S0 o'clock, this afternoon, follow ing two short sessions, adjournment was taken because of the lack of talesmen, only 4S of the 150 having been brought into court.
 At this juncture Acting District At- torney Dunuisson filed his sensational motion for the dismissal of the special venire. In an affidavit he alleged that the sheriff Is executing the courts or der to summon the extra venire had been accompanied by Pickens Butler. q man identified with and actively engaged In assisting the defense. of the accused.
  aense whatever in the fairness -sut im- partiality of a venirernen of talesmen se- lected and summoned under such cir cumstances.
 Charles E. Mercy, witness. testified that he saw the sheriff and Pickens But Ter together in an automobile going west late today.
 Other witnesses and arguments will be heard tomorrow.
 Captain A. D. Henriques of counsel for the defense then submitted his mo ton that Assistant District Attorney Garland be barred from active partici- patton in the trial, the grounds being that as he had been excused he was an uncle of the defense he was not eligible to assist In the prosecution.
 MT. Garland, although excused on his own motion several weeks ago, actively has assisted In the trial this far
 In a brief interview with an Associ- Eted Press representative Mrs. Mckee expressed confidence in establishing her innocence.
 S"If there are not 12 fair men to be found in St. Landry parish,' she said, T shall feel sorry for the parish. know1 12 such men can be found and am confident of my acquittal"
 T wish you would state, too,' Mrs. Mckee added, that I am the mother of four children and not of only three as has been reported. And, please em- phasze the fact that am not. and never have been, society woman. I have spent most of my life at my home duties, in going to church, and In talk ing care of my children"
 The prisoner would not discuss the killing nor the incidents which caused her to shoot Garland in her home Sep tember 21, last.
 Again Mrs. McRee, dressed as on the opening day of the trial. sat beside her husband Seated with Mrs. Mckee and her husband were the seven lawyers as- sociated in her defense and to the rear of these sat several women relatives and friends. ..,s. -..-,
 About. the table with the four attor- neys. who are engaged in the prosecu tion were two brothers of the deceased, Albert and August Garland respective ly, handsome and of courtly bearing. Another. brother, Sidney Garland, watched the proceedings from spot farther back in the court room. F An Interesting figure of the group about Mrs. Mckee was her eldest son, Rowan McRee. IT years of age, his face constantly flusheeq and his penetrating blue eyes watchin intently every fea- ture of the case al 1t developed, realiz- ing the fight being made for his moth CTS acqulttal. t it.1 --------------.s.---------