New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-23
WAITE IS AMUSED
AS TRIAL SPEEDS
Continued from page I

who attended Mr.. Peck through the
strange, brief illness that was his last
Mr. Deuel's cross-eXamination Of Dr.
Moore was brief The lawyer, caught
unprepared by the expeditions filling
# the jury box and the shortness oil
Judge Swann's opening. did not have
at hand, when the witness was turne
over to him, the notes on which he in
tended TO base his questions.
Police Shut Out Crowds
Long before the case Of the Peopl
agt. Waite was called Captain Han
non and ten policemen from the Eliza
beth Street station were on duty at the
door OF Justice Shearn's courtroom, in
the Criminal Courts Building. They
formed sieve through which the
many hundreds who asked admission
were carefully strained. The result
was that only those entered the room
who were directly interested m the
proceedings talesmen. reporters. law
yers and relatives Of the principals.
Until within a few minutes OF 10
o'clock the bench and the space within
the railing were empty. Then came
four professions from AS many direc-
tions 70 FIJI them. Justice Shearn, at
tended by his bailiffs. came from
chambers; Dir. Swami and couple OF
lis staff from a door behind the jury
box; Assistant District Attorneys
Brothers and Mancuso, accompanied oy
Fercy S. Peck and his wife, son and
taughter-in-law Of the poisoned
couple, through the main door; Dr.
Waite, towering over dimlnutivo, bald
rated deputy. over the Bridge OF signs
and through a rear entrance.
Waite swung along with the gait OF
the athlete he remains even after his
two months Of confinement. His eyes
were on the table where his counsel
sat and he seemed not 10 see his old
father and his brother Frank, who had
chosen obscure seats.
The dentist dropped into chair be
side Joseph Crater, associated with
Nr. Deuel. n the defence. He smiled ,
ouizzical greeting. It was his frs
smile. Turning around, still with a
half smile. he took in the occupants
Of the reporters tables ana the
benches. Already he had fallen in;o the
attitude of the casual looker-on, TO-
the two persons his eyes sought were
rot in the courtroom.
Prisoner GaZe Is Steauy.
Neither his wife, now divorced, nor
Mrs. Margaret Horton, the singer VINO
was his companion in his bedroom
language" studio in the Hotel Plaza,
had seen fit TO attend the opening OF
the trial. II was the Pecks who avoid
ed Yates glance, rather than ne
theirs, as he made his survey.
For a few minutes the court was oc-
cupied with motions in other cases.
william Trayers Jerome appeared in
support of one of them. The one-time
District Attorney remained in the
courtroom through the examination OF
the first couple OF talesmen.
If Waite felt himself an object OF
attention he was as unconcerned as an
actor. He settled his blue-clad form
at ease, with trim, athletic legs
crossed. and murmured q humorous
aside TO Crater. He chatted with a
curious indrawing of the upper lip that
drew his pallid, parchment skin taut
over his cheekbones.
Assistant District Attorney Brothers
made the first move for speed by read
ing to the roomful of talesmen list
of principals in the crime, attorneys
for defence and state and prospective
witnesses among the latter Judge
Swami and Mr. Mancuso.
Percy L. Fisher, of 1903 Wsvcrley
Place, the first talesm-n examined, was
obviously anxious TO escape service
After a sharp questioning by the court
Fisher changed front. But i the mean
time DR.. Waite had been closely OBJ
serving him. The dentist whispered a
suggestion 10 Mr.. Crater which, passed
on to Mr.. Deuel., resulted in a peremp-
tory challenge by the defence.
Brisk Work to Get Jury.
Robert Neill, a mechanical engineer
living at 507 West 13Sth Street, the
third talesman examined, was accepted
bv both sides. A stout. bluff. middle
aged man, he was sworn al seated as
foreman.
Between the time OF Neill's selection
and 1:l5 o'clock, when q recess was
taken for an hour, the other eleven
Jurors were chosen. There were only
thirteen challenges by the people and
six by the defence, and one juror was
chosen in the record time OF four min
utes after his predecessor had stepped
into the box. The eleven who took
their seats with Neill we're:
Peter Hebel, 34l West Fifteenth
Street, cheese commission.
Thsddeus 5. Barlow, 56l West l43d
Street, gas company superintendent
Paul u. Case, 523 West l37th Street,
assistant secretary at lao Cedar Street.