The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-08
BECKER WILL TAKE
STAND HIMSELF
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Pdoe
under investigation for contempt aston.
ished the lawyers In the case.
1t appears. however. that affidavits
have been offered to the District Attor-
ney recitng that when Mr.. Cochran was
leaving the Criminal Courts Building on
Wednesday he paused long enough to
remark. with a gesture. that he was
through with the Becker case because
It was assassination" Mr.. Cochran
assured n reporter for THE Sun that
he had made no such comment and that
he had confined himself to his statement
In court that Mr.. whltman's act in Civ
Ing out the Dresner statement was the
act of an assassin.
The Investigation. with or without the
cognizance Of Justice Seabury. who de-
clined to discuss the matter at all, was
under way last night. Its purpose ap-
parently was not to hale Mr. Cochran
before the court for contempt but to OBJ
tain material for the record which would
countercheck Mr.. Cockran's torrid
charges that an unfair atmosphere was
being created by Mr.. Whitman.
Mr.. Cochran can hardly retire for
mally from the Becker case because he
was never formally In 1t. Mr.. Manton
Is Becker's counsel Of record and he
called and may call again upon the re-
verberating eloquence OF the head of the
| firm OF Cochran & Manton. That is to
say. Mr.. Cochran Is likely to make the
opening address TO the jury and is prac-
tically certain to make the closing appeal.
There is not the slightest truth in ru-
mors which were circulated yesterday
that counsel for Becker will put in no
defence. Mr. Manton and his associates
have prepared a stronger case. they be-
lieve. than was presented for their client
on his former trial. They intend to fight
every step OF the way. and they have
witnesses. newcomers. who are depended
upon to smother Jack Roses amazing
! narration.
Jury Material Gives Out.
| As on the first day Justice Seabury was
! obliged to adjourn court while the after
noon was yet young because the lawyers
ran out OF Jury material. or 100 men
called in the second section OF the special
panel eighty-on answered to their names
and from these only two Jurors qualified
| These were Dwight W. Custer OF 200
West lS0th street, formerly a printer and
/
figure and with pleasant, agreeable face.
and Ambrose V. Farleye of 527 West
! lS6th street. brokers' clerk, youthful
and obviously Intelligent
Had 1t not been necessary TO excuse
Juror No. .. William b Dalton. an ad-
vertising manager Of 1875 West 18TH
| street, there would have been seven jurors
In the box at the close of the second
day and there would have been reasonable
expectation OF filling the box by tonight
or tomorrow at noon. But Mr.. Dalton.
submitting satisfactory reasons to the
court. was dismissed. and his departure
left only the first row OF the jury com
plete. In excusing Mr.. Dalton Justice
Seabury said:
AT his own request and for personal
reasons Juror No. Is excused. This ac-
tion in no way reflects upon his character
or his integrity"
The fine progress In jury making OF
the first day OF the trial was nullified by
the laggardliness OF yesterday, a situa-
ton brought about by the persistent
monotonous iteration and reiteration OF
II have opinions about this case too
strong to be overturned by the evidence.
There were times when Justice Seahury
the most patient Of men. frowned In seem
ing disgust Men OF obviously good char
acter and keen Intelligence baked So
frankly at Jury duty In this murder case
that they could hardly walt for counsels
questions to disQualify themselves.
This avoidance OF public service indi-
Gates that 1t will take the remainder OF
the week to Nil the jury box and that
the presentation of evidence cannot be
begun until Monday. The third section oil
the special panel will be In court this
morning at 10 80 o'clock, but an entirely
new panel OF 100 has been requested from
the Jury Commissioners and II Will appea'
at L. NJ. to-day. so as to guard against
L., tlnx tha nj ~ q I
100.
In the former trial 1s7 talesmen were
examined before the jury was complete
In this trial 155 have already been rur
through the legal mill and the jury Is oni!
half complete. John T. Carmody, repre-
sentative of the jury commissioners, wal
in court Yesterday listening attentively Il
, the excuses put forward by ta!esmen
. Places on the special panel are eageri!
I. sought, as they insure talesmen fewe
summonses for jury duty than Is the cas-
, with men on the ordinary jury lists.
Before Justice Seabury took his plac
on the bench yesterday Becker and hi
wife held long whispered conference
Mrs Becker Is taking more direct par
t in the present trial than she assumed II
the former one. II she doesn't like tn
e appearance OF a talesman she says ~
quickly and emphatcally. and her hus
!, bands lawyers have yet to accept maj
e she doesn't approve. Becker himsel
I leaves the business pretty much TO hi
D counsel. Occasionally he leans to one sid
in his ponderous composed way and ask
a question or makes n comment.
The first talesman examined yesteria,
was Edgar :. Baruch "A broker or j wal
, street. He was excused quickly, and the
there was a long procession of talesme
who insisted solemnly that they were to
: prejudced for jury duty or that they ha
Z conscientious convictions against the deaf
y penalty.
! Inventor Too Busy to Read.
l. When Dwight W. Custer was examine
e he told counsel that he had been so bus
with his inventions that he hadn't ma
S time to read much about the Becker cas-,
q That struck everybody as so reasonabl
n and truthful that he was accepted as