Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-27
MEANS AND STATE !
READY FOR TRIAL
Case Adjourned Until This Morn
ing to Allow Summoning
of $50 Venirernen.
CALL CAPT. BINGHAM'S SON
Fathre of Man Who May Serve
on Jury Nearby When Mrs.
Maude A. King Was Killed.
rBy Associated rrcss.

| Trial of CASTOR r. Means in Cabarrus
county Court got no farther on the
opening day than summonins Of spe-
cial vcnirc Of l50 men. The jury is cx-
pectcd to be selected from them and
from thirteen of the regular panel to
decide whether or not Means shot and
killed Mrs. Maudc \. King. Tonight
state and defense were concentrating
their attention on the list Of vcnire-
men, and it was expected that one or
moro days would be given over to Sc
lccting the jury.
After court opened to-day three
hours were taken up with formalities
Of charging the grand jury and with
the lengthy process OF drawing the l50
names from the jury list. Under
North Carolina Law. the names must be
drawn by a child unable to read A
little boy in blue jumpers solcmnly
picked out the printed slips one by one
and court official clerk read off the
names. The ven!remcn are scattered
throughout Cabarrus County. farmers
and residents of various towns Some
thirty OF them reside at kannapolis,
II was said.
Mrs. King. wealthy New York
widow. was little known to Cabarrus
County people. but Means. her business
agent, was born here. and hundreds of
his acquaintances were present when
court opened. Presiding Judge Cline
however, limited the spectators to the
seating space.
Meanss trial drew a crowd that filled
the courtroom seats. The defendant
came in after the formality of drawing
and charging the grand jury called at
the special term o. court had been con-
cluded. He smiled as he entered and
seemed in an even more cheerful mood
than he showed at his preliminary
hearing. His wife Joined him soon
afterwards.
Mrs. Anna l.. Robinson. OF Ashcville,
mother of Mrs. King, who did not ap-
pear at the first hearing. will be In
court and will take the stand. ac-
cordinE.to4 p. c. AIcDuhie, of Atlanta, an
attorney Who has represented her. Mrs.
'Robfnson's Feeble health, partly due to
her age, would be the only bar TO her
appearance, the attorney said.
Mrs. Mary c. Melvin. sister of Mrs
King. who attended the preliminary
hearing. did not make her appearance
a
the preliminary hearing. and il was ex-
pected that she would appear with
them later. Attorney p. Z. McDurie,
1t was announced to-day, will take an
active part in the prosecution. He was
admitted to the bar in North Carolina,
leaving here later for Atlanta
After court opened much time wa.
taken up with the formality Of draw.
n q md u i'm, lNn
at the same time the special term was
ordered, Judge T.. B. Cline. presiding.
told the grand jury that probably no
bills would DC presented to them.
BOTH SIDES AGREE TO
NENIRE OF $50 MEN
BY agreement of both sides a special
venire OF $50 men were drawn. Sclec-
tion OF grand jury of eighteen men
took half of the thirty-six summoned
for the special term. The names OF the
$50 were drawn in open court Among
them was w II. Bingham, son Of Cap
tain W. s. Bingham. who was nearby
when Mrs. King was killed.
The State previously had lost its nIea
for change of venue. and both sides
set themselves to day to the task or
selecting a jury with the expectation
T.
fair and the special panel of thirty-sis
men automatically summoned with the
calling Of the special term of court for
the trial would bc exhausted before
twelve men had been agreed upon
The long residence here Of the Mc,ns
family and the publicity given the
death OF the woman. whose fortune il
has been contendcd Means sought,
served to attract the attention of tho
entire county to-day and spectators
again went over the details Of the
woman's death near here last summer.
where the defense contcnded at the in
quest she accidentally shot herself.
The State also will be aided i'm its
evidence by Assistant District Attorney
Swami, OF New York and other Wit
nesses from New York and Chicago. II
vas in tho latter city that the invcsti-
CATION first started. which resulted I'm
Means's indictment, the body of the
woman being examined there. where IL
was taken for burial. The result Of
the investigation was n claim by the
coroner's physician that it would have
been physically impossible for the
coroncr's jury decided.
New York officials also have asserted
they found evidence in Means's apart
mcnt there to connect him with Ger.
man propaganda. and while the gov
ernment's interest in the case has ncvcr
been disclosed, the Federal Department,
of Justice was represented at the trial
again to-day.
ANOTHER APPEAL TO WOMEN