Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-14
@EPROvED FOR HIS HESITATION
STATE w1THDRAws oBJECTIo
District Attorney Allows Query to
I Be Answered.
SAsKED ABOUT LABOR UNIONS
y q Member OF Organized Labor
and QuestiOns veniremnn
... as 60 His Attitude.

LOS ANGELES, Cal, Oct lS-After
Siours OF persistent questioning, the de-
fense in the murder trial OF James B.
E1McNannara challenged for cause Venire-
funan 2. 7. Nelson, near the end Of the
lmorning session.
Nelson was the first vehiretnan exam
stned in the trial Of the first Of the cases
resulting from the explosion which
lvVTecked the Los Angeles Times building
\ year ago.
From the start, Nelson's extreme hesi-
lAtich in answering questions put by At
torney LIE Compile Davis for the defense
Iesvas generally noticed, and it finally
brought an admonition from Judge Bord-
twell.
Have you any opinion that would re-
tuuire evidence to remover" was the
hQuestion finally hit upon that drew a
ldirect answer,
u think I have" said NAeson, and
Sater amplified this to include AN opin.
Iaon as to the guilt or innocence Of the
kdefendapt"
Assistant District Attorney g. Ray Hor-
tGon, for the state examined Nelson
briefly. elicitng a reiteration of the as
sertion that he would need evidence TO
sGemove his opinion, with the supplement
s6ary declaration that he thought he could
give a fair trial.
Examination of Talesman q T. Nelson
OF Pasadena, was the first proceeding set
before Judge E. Walter Bordweu N the
superior court today in the murder trial
OF James B McNamara. Questioning Of
talesnien. frequently regarded as a dismal
proceeding, furnished in this case intense
interest to spectators and partisans, be-
cause it was expected to define, in ad-
vance OF the opening arguments, some OF
the essential issues Of the trial, which 10
designed TO show whether the defendant
is responsible for the death Of Charles J.
Haggerty. who with twenty others was
KILLED in the Los Angeles Times explosion
(over year ago For nineteen OF these
deaths James B. McNanaars is held on
indictments, but the state has eleeted to
go to trial on Hasgertyls case.
The venirsmen had a little automobns
Fide early today. They came into court
with br4etling boards, 1t having developed
that none Of them was accustomed to
shave himself Various types OF raazors
were sent up to their rooms and rejected
They thepeupon decided to request the
appointment of barber who should be
allowed 10 shave them under the super
vision Of deputy sheriff
The prisoner accompanied by Sheriff
Hammel, sauntered into court nodding to
saveral friends. He took an inconspieu-
ous scat against the rail and ohatted Tor
a minute with Clarence 5. Darrow, his
chief counsel.
1t was 1910 o'clock when court con-
Yensd
H. 9. Poppenbush was selected TO fill
T.
tornAy Erederioks informed the court
that he would like TO withdraw his obieo-
ton to the unanswered question directed
% 2. T. Nelson on wednesday. The ques-
ton was:
with referonce TO the officers and men
who direct the management of the. af-
fatrs of labor unions DO you believe that
khe great majority of them are lawless
ltnenS'
I.s Compts Davis Immediately asked the
kauAstton OF Mr.. Nelson, who replied:
Fl don't believe can answer that ques-
lion. L don't know anything about the
officers"
sSWell. what is your belief about them? r.
II don't know anything about them"
''You seem 10 hesitate before answer
ing. Have you any doubt?"
II can't say"
"'You realize that the defendant is, on
krial for q matter that concerns labor
organizations. and you have no opinion
iubout the majority Of the officers being
aawleas mSnp' "a.
"A great many are and a great many
not"
about baIf and half. then?"
Il couldn't say
'If you thought a great many you
agopld say soY''
II my mind was made up.
Don't you know. Mr.. Nelson, that YOU
are praiudioAd against officers Of labor
znionSS'
mo, I should not say So"
Tho prosecution objected TO that line
= pf questioning az assuming that The
Renirenen know that the defendant wa
b member Of organized labor and thai
ho evidence or proof TO that effect had
been introduced
do you deny the defendant isT'' asked
Afr. Darrow.
I'VE are not giving testimony" an
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