The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-08
A JUROR IS DEAD.
End Came Suddenly to e. w.
GRADER Today.
Was Serving on. Gordon-Munn
Jury-Case Postponed.

The death this morning of E. w.
GRADER, juror in the Gordon Mum
partition suit in the second division
OF the district court, brought to sud-
den end the third trial of the case. At
torneys for Mrs. Lille Gordon Mum,
the defendant, refused to waive the
tWelIth juror, which was offered by
attorneys for Mrs Jennie S. Gordon,
and nothing remained but to declare
the hearing a mistrial and discharge
the jury. The case probably will be
tried the fourth time some time in
March, next.
The case has. been one of the most
expensive of recent years. at least.
Inc costs OF the present trial to the
county alone, in jury fees, amounts to
more than $500, now gone for moth
ing with the jury discharged. The
fees of jurors always are paid by the
county, no matter what the outcome
or the cases. only fee of SIS for
case being charged up as costs. 1t
is estimated that the famous case has
cost. altogether, the sum of $4,000
since the litigation began shortly after
the death of Mr. Gordon.
The death of Juror GRADER occurred
suddenly this morning about 9 o'clock
at his home, SIS North Van Buren,
street. He had been feeling particul-
arly well yesterday, other members
of the jury told Judge Whitcomb. His
father declared this morning that he
was up as usual and dressed, prepara-
tory to coming to the courthouse.
Returning from breakfast he declared
it was pretty cold and saying he was
not feeling well he went into his room
and lay down. Fifteen minutes later
his sister found him there, lying back
on his bed, dead. Death is said to
have resulted from a stroke of para
lysis. it being the third he has suf-
fered.
The first intination of anything
wrong with the juror was when court
convened at 8 o'clock with the juror
missing. Telephone communications
with neighbors elected the informa-
ton that he was sick. Later it was
reported that he was dead, and an
investigation proved the assertion to
be true.
Mr.. GRADER has been in bad health
for number of years, former paralytic
strokes having left him partly para
lyzed. His father declared he helped
the young man to dress this morning,
as has been his custom. and that he
did not know he. even felt bad
Attorneys J. B. rLarimer and A E.
Crane, for Mrs. Gordon, declared this
morning they We're sorry the trial
might not have been concluded with
eleven men.
The trial of the present case has oc-
cupied II court days The Jury has
been celebrating on it's verdict since
last Friday at noon, when the case
finally was submitted. All the costs
in the case except the expense of the
jury, and the salaries of the steno-
grapher, presiding judge and bailiff are
taxed against the 1itigants. But the
portion of the expense borne by the
county amounts to. a considerable sum-
This is the second time 8 jury has
heard the evidence-e jury fees alone,
at the end of another hearing. promise
to aggregate between 81, 800 and $1,400
to be paid by the county.
A story to the effect that Juror
GRADER committed suicide this morning
was denied by his relatives. Evidences
of carbolic acid poisoning are said to
have been found, and the man is said
to have purchased a bottle of carbolic
acid this morning His father. and DR.
w S. Hunter, who was called to attend
him, declare death was due to third
stroke of paralysis.