The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-12
Defendant Is First of 134 Miners To Arragned For
The Alleged Murder of Constable w. R. Riggs, and
Infcting Wounds On Other Deputy Sherifs.
ATTORNEYS PLANNING STRONG DEFENSE
Jury Selected At Morning SessiOn-Counsel For Both
Sides Outline Evidence To Be Presented.

by any other coal company in Marion
county. If they were prejudiced against
strikes as a means OF settling contro-
versies between labor and capital, or
If any OF them were coal company en-
ployes.
Attorney Morris objected. alleging
that the strike against the Jamison
company had nothing to do with the
trials, but finally consented to the
question regarding the employment OF
the jurors by the Jamison company.
Attorney Burke then urged the court
to ask the talesmen II any of them
were prejudiced against lawful strikes
as means of settling labor troubles.
The court put the two questions. Dut
no additional jurors were excused.
The attorneys for the state and the
defense then conferred together in
whispers exercising their right of per-
emptory challenge until only twelve
Jurors remained out OF the original
twenty talesmen. The names of the
remaining twelve men were then read
and each one took his place in the
jury box, the court excusing the re-
naming veniremen until next Monday
and directing that they all stay out
of court room until that time.
Indictment Read.
Attorney Tusca Morris then read
the indictment in which Urich and
1873 other strikers are Jointly indicted
for first degree murder for the killing
of William r. Riggs. and declared that
Urich had elected to be tried sepa-
rately.
None of the other lao indictments
against Urich were mentioned in
court, and it is believed that some OF
them at least may be dropped.
Affnrnav Morris then outlined fhn
evidence which he expects to prove by
witnesses for the state and read the
so.called Red Mans act, the law under
which the indictment against Urich Ia
based.
According to Attorney Morris ex.
PLANTATION, every person who may have
been involved in an act or in the plans
for it which later resulted in the
death of man is a conspirator with
in the meaning of the law and is gull-
ty of murder in the first degree.
Mr.. Morris then described the at
tack on Sheriff Conaway and nine
other officers on the country road
between Pennington and No. 9 mine
following the arrest of Valy Brnas
and Peter Terkoli. two of the strikers,
and the fight which followed. He de-
clared that Urich, the defendant, had
talked over with the others a plan for
the rescue of the prisoners, and that
Urich had waved a club with an iron
nut" on the end of it, declaring him.
self match for any two officers.
Following the fight when the Off
GERS fed, Mr.. Morris said that Consta-
BILE Riggs got into buggy and rode
some distance from the scene of the.
fight, after which he got out and bath
ed his face in spring near a church
and walked to the home of Hezil1iah
Robey, where he was found by off,
GERS in serious condition.
Few Spectators.
Few spectators were in the court
room this morning other than the
jurymen, the witnesses for the state
and the defense and the constables
and other officers of the court. Most
of the attorneys of Marion county ana
some visitors from other counties
were inside the railing which sepa.
rates the space reserved for the ofTi-
GERS of the court from the part of the
room open to the general public. Dur
ing the afternoon larger number OF
spectators appeared.
Urich carried in his hand the Bible
and prayer book which has been his
constant companion since his arrest
During the selection u jury Urich
kept the book closed with his fingers
marking place in the book which is
well thumbed. When the book drop
ped open a glimpse at the marked
page showed that it was a full page
picture of the crucifixion of Christ