Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1916-03-10
JURY CHARGED ON
SEVERAL COUNTS
Judge Hatchett Lays Especial En-
phasis on Murder of Pauline Am
sci, and Instructs Grand Jury to
Spare No Offense.

\ tragedies recently enacted in this
county.
Probably the most interesting fea-
ture of the instructions was that per-
tanning to the horrible murder in
october, 1914, of Pauline Amsel,
the 14-year-old daughter OF Mr. and
Mrs. Jake Amsel; and the courts in
struction in this matter was as fol-
lows:
Something over a year ago Paul
inc Amsel was murdered in the city
of Durant. There isn't any question
but that she was murdered and IL
was crime as dastardly as any that
you can read about in fiction. or see
stories about In the newspapers. No
body has ever been brought to the
bar of justice; at least not in this
world, for having committed the
murder. A community was wholly
shocked. ] never in my life saw a
community get case of nerves, as
this community did over that killing.
Brave, strong men were so shocked
they were afraid to go out at night;
extra locks were bought; doors were
barred; all kinds of modern weapons
were purchased, loaded and kept in
convenient places. People who did
not live here, didn't know the eondi-
tion of the public mind after that
killing. Somebody ought to be
be brought to justice, or everybody
ought to know 1t is impossible to find
him. There must not be thing left
undone that any officer can think OF
doing toward bringing the guilty par
ty to justice. l want you oinvesti-
gate that crime and / don't want you
to care about the cost. Dollars and
cents do not cut any figure in a case
like this. Bring before you every
witness you think can give you any
information, and when you have
fully investigated this matter be able
to stand before this court and in the
presence of your God and say you
have done the utmost in your power
toward bringing the murderer to JUS
tice. 1 don't want you to indict any
special person, but want you to mar
shall the evidence altogether; put the
|
end and see whether or not the evil
dence points to the guilt of anybody;
and. If you have sufficient evidence,
indict whoever that evidence indi-
Gates is guilty, whoever it may be,
and If the evidence doesn't point to
the guilt of anybody, report that fact
back to the court and let it be so
that you and the county attorney and
shall know that this court has done
all and everything that can be done
toward finding the party who MUIR
dered the little Jewish girl l would
suggest that you have all the wit
nesses up before you, have the par
German girl there; have her before
you. / am informed that detectives
were employed and worked upon the
case that likely live out of the State,
but l suggest that you communicate
with the detective agency with which
they were employed and see if they
won't come to you and give you any
information that they may have OBJ
tanned If they are worthy the name
they will come and give you any in
formation their search and investi-
cation disclosed to them. Try to
get them. If they won't come, you
can't compel them, if they are be-
yond the bounds of this State, as pro-
cess of this court only reaches to the
State line; but If they are the char
acter of men they ought to be. if they
are really searching for facts and
the truth, they will be glad to give
you the benefit of their researches" "
Instructions were also given at
length upon the killing last fall by
a sheriff's posse on Washita river
Of Willard and Homer Jones, while
they were fugitives from justice, and
said to have been resisting arrest.
Homer was killed almost instantly,
and willard, mortally woundsd, died
day later.
The other matters upon which the
jury was instructed were Gambling
selling of cigarettes or "makings" to
minors, selling of morphine, cocaine
etc. contrary to law, jail breaking,
and investigating the condition of the
county jail.
The grand jury is composed of the
following;
r. L. Crudup, foreman, Durant;
H. NJ. Tayler, Durant; W. j. Wealth,
cred, Durant; Robert F. Story, Du,
rant; H. G.. Huffman, Caddo; ]. w
Gentry, Calera; C. d. Robinson, Cad,
/ do. s w Maytubby. Caddo. 4 TT
Ellis, Bennington; l.. e. Batcheler
Bennington; Jess Moreland, Bokchi
to; d. b. Williams, Caddo
Trndar tho diraction 10 tba Imnar