The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-22
REQUIRED P ANEL
NOT YET SECURED
Two Vacancies Remain to Be
Filled From Third
Nenire.
FOURTEEN so FAR ACCEPTED
First Witnesses in Trial OF
Claude Swanson Allen May
Be Examined To-Day.
tBy STAFF Correspondence

Wytheville. Va, May 2l.-witnesses
for the Commonwealth, summoned TO
appear hsz. ;o- morrow. In the ;ria. CT
Claude Swanson Allen for the murde G
of Judge Thornton L. Massie, In Hills
Vile. March Ii last. will have to waic
until two more venircmen are accepted
and four stricken off of the panel Of
sixteen before they can be called to
testify.
When the fun quota of sixteen tales
men had been secured at ll;l5 o'clocl.
this morning, IL seemed certain that
by the converting OF court in the after
noon the defense would have deter
mined upon the four to be stricken
from the panel. But delay was caused
when counsel for both sides closete d
themselves with Judge Waller f. sta
pies and examined in chambers two OF
the chosen siNteen-John W. Martin
and y. NJ Copenhaver. both OF whom
were secured yesterday.
Two Tnlcsmen Excused.
Al $3.50 o'clock. after the conference
Talesmen Martin and j. \. Crockett.
secured this morning. were excused.
Copcnhaver had passed satisfactorily,
but examination OF the record in
Crockett's case proved sufficient cause
to have silim excused.
Ht OF inc Tcmalnder OF
the ven!rc facias was then undertaken.
but when it was exhausted at 4 O'Clock
not another talesman had been accept
cd. thus leaving the two vacancies TO
be flled to- morrow from a third y.nire
consisting of thirty men, summoned
tonight by Sheriff Tom Davidson.
The panel of fourteen men so far ac-
cepted is as follows: II. x. Nixon. mil
Ter. j. p. Williams. farmer: Charles c
Nen. mason; NJ. L. Lite. farmer; VIII
liam Il Jonas. farmer; a NJ Copen-
r. c. Huddle. merchant: S. O. Fish1r
farmer; c. c. Crockett, miner; f. G.
Vaughn. sawmill operator: NJ. l.. Lind
sey. farmer and undertaken; w O.
Neff. farmer; John Baugh. farmer
OF the vcnircmen excused to-day
upon examination. fifteen had fixed
opinions to the guilt or Innocence
of Claude Allen. which they said could
not be shaken by evidence: one was
opposed to capital punishment and one
was too deaf to he available. The six
who were accepted temporarily made
twenty-three to hc examined during
the day.
RuIinE of judge staples.
Judge Staples has made il rule in
tho examination OF veniremen I'm
Claude's trial that fixed opinion. ono
way Or the other. as to the guilt of
Floyd Allen or as to the verdict
that trial is sufficient to render a tales
man incompetent To serve on jury tc
try Claude. for the reason that the
cases are linked by evidence and cur
cumstances so closely.
Judge II. W. BoIen. Clerk Dexter
Goal and Deputy Clerk W. C. ouisen-
berry probably will he the first wit
nesscs for thu commonwealth. in the
order named tomorrow. if the Jury
Is sworn and the opening addresses
completed before the end of the day
Forty witnesses altogether have been
summoned ny the state.
Claude Allen evnced only a desult =
DRY curiosity in the proceedings to-day
in court He was escorted to and
from the jail by four Baldwin-Felt
Detectives. and was handcuffed until
he was seated in his chair at the conn
sol table. His stalwart figure ane
rather healthy color strongly contrast
ed with his fathers appearance during
his trial.