The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-26
BY Associates Press.

Opelousas, La, Oct. 25.-The exami-
nation of talesmen to serve on the jory
in the case of Mrs. Zee Runge McRee
for the alleged murder of Chas. Gar
land was resumed late this afternoon,
following hard fought but futile ef-
fort by the prosecution to have the
special panel of talesmen summoned
yesterday dismissed because of alleged
bias in their selection. A night ses-
sion of court was held.
Judge Peavy, after hearing the tes-
timony and arguments on the motion
to dismiss the panel, decided the
charge that Sheriff Swords had acted
improperly in taking an alleged par
tisan of the defense on the trip to
summon the talesmen was not sus-
tanned. The motion was overruled.
THE MOTION HEARD.
The court proceedings opened today
with a hearing on the motion of the
prosecution to dismiss the special
panel of $50 talesmen because of the
alleged questionable action of Sheriff
Swords in taking a partisan of the de-
fense with him in executing the courts
order for this extra panel.
Sheriff Swords denied today that
Pickens Butler the alleged partisan Of
the defense referred to had accom-
panied him in the york Of SUmmoning
talesmen. He admitted having had
Butler in his automobile but said he
took him to a political meeting yes
terday. Friends of Sheriff Swords,
who is in the midst of a heated cam
paign for reelection charge that the
allegations against him were conceived
by his political enemies for the pur-
pose of injuring him in his campaign.
The Garland family large in numbers
and of powerful political influence in
st. Landry parish heads the faction
nh t.
BAR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
Judge Peavy announced upon the
convening of court that he had not had
time to look fully into the motion. Of
counsel for the defense 20 have Dis
trict Attorney r. Lee Garland barred
from further participation n the prose.
no part in the trial until the motion
was decided.
Little Valera McRee, the golden
haired daughter of the defendant came
into the court room early and after
kissing papa" and mama" she shook
hands with each of the attorneys who
are defending her mother.
The examination of witnesses on the
prosecutions motion to dismiss the
extra panel was begun Wednesday.
Pickens Butler was sworn and in reply
to questions from the prosecution ad-
mitted that he was an intimate FRIEND
of the McRees and a witness for the
defense. He denied that he assisted
Sheriff Swords in any way in securing
talesmen. He said he went to Eunice
with Sheriff Swords yesterday and re-
turned with him to Opelousas last
night asserting that he went alonr
merely as a friend and without any
concern regarding the surnmoning of
talesmen. He denied that he had ac-
tually aided the defense in any man
ner.
AROUSE PREJUDicEs.
Another angle of the pre;udices that
have been aroused by tkis case with
questions prepounded to Mr.. Butler by
the prosecution respecting his Ma
sonic affiliations and those of the de-
fendant.
DO you belong to any lodges ?''
asked acting District Attorney Du-
buisson.
Yes SIR" replied Butler.
do you belong to the same lodge as
the defendant"
Yes SIR"
Mrs. McRee is a member of the or
der of the Eastern Star.
Sheriff Swords was next sworn. He
said he did not believe Mr.. Butler saw
him summon a single talesman. He
and Butler, he said did not discuss the
McRee case on their ride
Il see that the papers have brought
out the question of secret orders in
this case said Sheriff Swords. "I
want to say right here that I belong
to one order the Elks. I am not a
Mason, 1 am not a Jew; / am a plain
white man."