The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-24
Mrs. Lee Ruge McRea is Ar.
raigned For Murder of
Allen Garland.
OCCURRED IN THE
ROOM OF MRS. M'REA AND SHE
CLAIMS 1T WAS IN DEFENSE OF
Her HoNoR-DEFENoANT AP-
PEARS CALM IN couRT-TWo
JURORS ARE SELECTED.
BY Associated PresA

Opelousas, La, Oct. 23.-When court
adjourned today two jurors had been
selected in the trial of Mrs. Lee Ruge
McRea, charged with numbering young
Allen Garland In September in her
room at the McRea home. Mrs. McRea
appeared calm in court.
The curious from all the country
side fiocked here to attend the trial
of Mrs. McRea, wealthy and socially
prominent. Except for q brief declara-
tion that she killed young Garland be-
cause he insulted her, Mrs. McRea has
vouchsafed not the slightest informa-
ton as to what precipitated the kill
ing. Out of q maze of sensational
street rumors, some of them exceed
ingly ugly, the true story of the
tragedy will come out this week, for
there is an apparent relentless deter
mination to bring out everything at
the trial regardless Of the feelings Of
either family.
MOTHER OF THREE.
Mrs. McRea is the mother Of three
children, two sons, one II and L. and
a seven year-old daughter Her hus-
band has stood faithfully by the
prisoner throughout and almost con-
stalttly has remained with her in the
cell on the third floor of the local jail.
Mr.. McRea has employed six of the
the state to defend his wife and in
other ways has not been stingy in ex-
pending money to see that she clears
herself Of the charge that she mur-
dered her friend and neighbor without
justification. The Garland family has
also employed assistant counsel to aid
in the bitter fight that the prosecu-
ton win make to secure a conviction
<.se.s- u II E,@a ~ .ssss.
Reas protector during her husbands
absence from lso1nel on his rafiruasi
business for months. He, had slept
in the McRea home at night and fire.
quently accompanied the prisoner on
drives to the McRea farm near Ope-
lousas. On that fatal September 81 he
had gone over to the McRea home to
take a spool of thread sent by his
grandmother on q teiephonic request
from the prisoner. A few minutes after
he entered the McRea residence, which
to him was like a second home al
most, three pistol shots rang out and
Mrs McRea rushed into the yard In a
frenzy Of excitement. She exclaimed
that she had shot Allen Garland be-
cause he had insulted her.
Garland was shot back of the ear
and in the left side and was found in
front of rocking chair with his head
between his knees as though he had
fallen from the chair on his face. The
prosecution will attempt to prove that
he was shot from the back without the
slightest warning. And, too, the prose-
cution promises to establish q motive
for the killing which is based on al
legged relations between the prisoner
and the victim of her shots
It Is believed the regular panel Of
thirty veniremen who faced the court
when It opened at 10 o'clock this
morning viii be exhausted before a
jury Is selected.
A SLIGHT STIR,
A slight stir was caused in the court
room by question propounded to the
first talesman called by District Attor-
ney f. B. Dubuisson, which indicated
that the prosecution would ask for a.
verdict OF first degree murder, which
carries the death penalty in this state
regardless Of the sex of the defendant
Are you opposed to capital punish
ment?" was asked Talesman VALLEY
Barnes
well. IN some cases might" he re-
Piled.
Have you any idea that there is a
higher law than the law of the land ."
was Judge Dubuisson's next question,
brought forth by the belief that the
''unwritten law" may to some extent
be appealed TO by the defense.
NO, sir" replied Barnes. 'T would
abide by the law"
Are you a Mason?"
mo, sir, don't belong to any secret
order"
Barnes was challenged by the state
for cause