The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-14
Jury IS SELECTED
TO TRY HAzERS
Four Students Charged With
Having Caused Death of
Freshman Rand.
FIRST EVIDENCE IS HEARD
Lawyers Fail in Effort to Reach
Agreement SO as to Bring
In Special Verdict.
FIRST EVIDENCE is HEARD
Especial to The rimes.plspatch. ]

Hillsboro, y. c.. March 13.-To an
swer for the death OF Isaac William
| Rand. which occurred in tho carly
hours OF Friday morning, September
IS, 1912, Ralph w. Oldham. OF Raleigh;
Aubry G. Hatch, of Mount Olive; Ar
thur II. Styron. and William l.. Mcr-
rinian. Of Wilmington, four young men
and fellow students OF the dead boy,
were arrairncd before the bar of JUS
| tice of the classic Orange Courthouse
to- day at II o'clock TO enter plea in
answer to the charge Of manslaugh-
ter. Slowly cdsing their way down
the narrow aisle of the courtroom.
packed and jammed with spectators
| from far and near. the four young
men took their seats at table in
front of the judges bench promptly
at the hour set for the trial. The
fathers of three of the boys accom-
panied them. and sat together during
the day The fourth boy. who is an
orphan lad, was in close range OF his
attorney during the afternoon
The powerful array of counsel came
into the courtroom just n few min
utcs late, and Immediately counsel for
the prosecution and defense went into
Il nearby room to make a last effort
whereby they could agree on the facts
and present them to the judge for
his disposition of the case. Thus it
was earnestly hoped that an agree
mcnt for special verdict could be
reached, and end the case within thirty
minutes. Continual parlcying for Il
period OF two hours between the State
and counsel for the defense was with
out result.
Consequently. at 2:l5 o'clock the
state announced its readiness to pro-
!, h,, I,
OF a jury required an hour and a half
From list of scventy-two talesmcn
the jury was selected Forty nine OF
the Number stated that they had
formed and expressed an opinion that
the four sophomores were guilty OF
manslaughter. Twelve men called were
unsatisfactory to the State for reasons
OF having formed opinions that the
young men were not guilty or for
other reasons not equal TO the test re-
CURED by the State
Following the reading Of the indict-
ment by Solicitor $. NJ. Gattis. phras
Ing the charge that the four sopho-
morcs at the bar did with force and
arm fcloniously Stay and Kill Isaac
William Rand" the state launched its
case by placing .. X. Rand, father OF
young Rand, on the stand His tcstl-
mony was only TO the effect that ht
Robert n Wellons, roommate o.
Billy Rand was the second witness
and his testimony consisted OF a repe
! ution OF the story told AT the coro
ncr's inquest OF how they were takcI
! from the rooms and carried to the ath
letic field TO dance for the upper class
men. II recounted how Rand fell from
the barrel on the broken bottle. Wei
Ions stated that one OF tho soparonl ores
u IA 1 ;oI
over the barrel. but he would no
positively assent that the barrel was
kicked. In connection with tcstimonN
of Wellons. the barrel was produced
In courtroom and identified by tho wit.
ness as the one from which Rand fcl
TO his death.
Or. w. r. McNider. physician OF the
university, and j. r. Pendergraft, DO
lceman. Of Durham. were the other
two witnesses examined during the af-
ternoon. This testimony only told in
what condition Rand was found and
of the blood spots found on the clothes
Of the four sophomores.
The trial marks the first time in the
history OF the state that college stu
dents were placed on tr,a, In conncc-
ton with Il hazinS escapade which re-
suited in the death of one of their
number.
| Realizing the legal precedent invoIv :
ed in the trial many prominent law
ycrs from throughout the State were
on hand The defendants are repre-
scented by a brilliant array of counsel.
while solicitor $. NJ. Gattis also is
aided by leading members of the bar
in this State
Young Rand met his death AS the
result of being hazed by upper class
men September IL last Following
his roommate. Robert Wcllons who
also was hazed, Hands was dancing on
! the head of a barrel when il toppled
over In falling. Rand's neck struck
the ragged edge OF broken bottle.
severinE the artery. lie died within
half an hour. The barrel was produc ed
in court to-day.