The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-10-30
.DY||v|A|M|I|TE=cAsE IS " !.
!: BEFORE /: THE COURT.
Matthew A. Schmidt Finally Put
on Trial for Murder in.
Los Angeles. .
Q: ',:': -soc MAY LAST
@as Coz, EvERAI MONTHS
Case Grew Out of Blowing Up
of the Los Angeles Times -
Building,

Ine trial OF MdLIAeW "A. '0CIiAAAuI OA
a. charge of murder in connection with
dynamiting Of the Los Angeles Times
building, October 1, 1910, .,is now in
session before Judge Frank r. Willis
of that city.
The scene Of the trial is, the court
room where Jas. B. McNanlara plead
ed guilty to the. same. charge four
years ago and his brother John H.,
to the charge of dynaniting, the
Liewellyn iron works:
District Attorney Thos. T.. E. Wool
wine have charge Of the case for
the. prosecuting of labor leaders. at
Indianapolis. Former Judg c. H.
Fairall OF San Francisco is chief coun-
sci for Schmidt. He will be assisted
by Job Hartman, who was assistant
to Clarence Darrow at the Mcnamara
trials, and Frederick Moore. :.
A regular venire of fifty-one. names
has been drawn for the trial. It. is
expected two weeks will be required
to select jury. Various estimates of
from one to four months are made as
to tho length Of the trial. J,
Judge Willis Presides.
bench at 10 o'clock, he found Mr..
Fairall seated at the table for :coun-
sci in the chair nearest the jury box,
with his associates, Job Hartman
and Fred H. Moore, alongside him.
District Attorney Woolwine and his
assistants, Jas. W. Noel, Asa Keyes
and A. H. Van Cot, were standing.
The judge remarked it was customary
! for the ristrict attorney and his aides
to have those seats. -.
''It is only the custom, not the law
said Fairall, and sat still. The cour'
told him to move. He declined un.
less it was made, "a formal order
Judge Willis Issued the formal order
and the: counsel for the defense
moved to the other end of the fable
Preliminaries settled, Mr; Fairal
challenger the VeniEe, on the ground
| that it had been drawn before. the neW
law went into eect, which makes meI
not on the tax lists eligible for jur,
service :Judge With denied the chal
lenge, holding that as property own
ers the members of the Yenire. wer,
not ineligible, and therefore, tn
venire was regular. :. Fairall conteste,
| this point hotly.2- IT! predict we will
find the venire made up. Of men o.
large means" he asserted.
Attack Venire.
:Fairall attacked the vehire on the
| ground that the prospective talesman
| had been tnterrogated by the agents
OF the District Attorney, to which Mr.
Woolwine replied that the, veniremen
had been investigated, but not inter
| rogated. The court ruled against the
challenge. In the course. OF interro-
cation of George Alexander-not the
former mayor-an incident indicated
that the defense had also made, in
vestigations. He asked Alexander ii
his eyesight was not defective, since
he habitually wore colored glasses.
! II do not wear them, and my eye
sight is good" said Alexander. IRE.
Gently I had a cold In one eye, and
wore colored glasses for few days. y
During tilt over the question OF
investigation Of veniremen ~Woblwine
declared Fairall was simply makini
assertions to. 'get into the papers, i
and the court ordered both Woolwint
4 and Fairall to- sit down. -, =
&, Again after the court had insisted
that Fairall must not ask questions
that had already been answered, ant
that reasonable speed must be made
the special prosecutor commented
Someone is, wasting time.''' :,:s
You may go back to Indianapoli.
as soon as you like; no one will OBJ
:ject," retorted Fairall. =