Omaha daily bee., 1917-09-11
MAYC0MPLE'TE
JURY IN KELLY.
CASE BYN|GHT
Eighty veniremen Have Been
Examined and TWenty-Four
More Ordered for Today;
Addresses Wednesday.
BY EDWARD BLACK.
(Staff Correspondent for Tho Bee,)

gram.S--Completion Tuesday of
the jury that is to hear the trial Of the
Rey Lynn George ]. Kelly, charged
with the murder of one of the eight
persons slain with an AK at Villisca,
Ia, in 1912, was expected when ad-
journment was taken late Monday.
If every peremptry challenge Is
used, six more jurors must be passed
for cause if the final jury is deter
mined, and with ffty-four of the spe-
cial venire of seventy-five already ex-
arnined, Judge w. D. Boise, presid-
ing, ordered an extra VENUE of twen-
ty-six drawn for tomorrow.
Eighty already have been called
and Of that number sexenty-six have
been examined. One was absent and
three were excused because of inirm-
tiles or age.
With the addition jurors sum.
moned, there viii have been 1870
Montgomery county citizens on hand
from which to select the jury.
Better headway was made today
than on any previous day in the pass
ing OF prospective jurors. Twenty
nine were called during the day and
seven of those were passed.
VENIREMEN ARE EXAMINED.
James Edwards, IS years Of age,
farmer, thirty-two years In Mont
gomery county, was one of the first
who aferred he had no opinion on the
case, Nor had he expressed any opin-
ion to any one. He declared his mind
was quite free of bais OF any kind, an
unusual statement during this long
grind of jury selection. Edwards was
born in Wales.
Hal Hausen OF Viilisca, director of
Villisca National bank, of which
former State Senator F. F. Jones is
the head frankly admitted he did not
consider himself an acceptable can
didate for jury service. He did not
think he would be the kind Of juror
he would wish were he in Kelly's
place. He was excused in short order.
2 L. E. Wolfe said his sitter is the
wife Of w. H.. .Finlayson. cashier of
the Villisca National bank, and for
obvious reasons,4hk too, was excused.
Jurors are examined closely by the
defense regarding. any possible as
sociation with r F. Jones, or his
son, Albert, both of whom figure
prominently In the local situation. d
Opening Address Wednesday.
Helmer Walgrean of Frankfort
township, 26 years old, farmer, plead
ed that he would rather be home
where he belonged, than serve on
the jury. He has crops which need
attention, but he was SO frank in
his statements that both sides passed
him without much questioning. He
admitted he had an opinion, but de-
clared that his opinion would yield
readily to any evidence which might
discredit that opinion.
When the final twelve men are Sc
1ected they will be sworn in imme-
diately, but If the jury is not COM
pleted until late Tuesday, it is likely
adjournment will be taken and the |
opening statements of counsel will be-
gin as soon as the opening addresses
are made.
Interest throughout the county has
become increased over the probability
of the opening statements in the case !
being made as early as Wednesday
morning, with a possibility of the
real beginning of the case being made
Tuesday afternoon. Attorney Hess
for the state and Attorney Mitchell
for the defense, are expected tofnake
openig statements, but that is not
definite.
Who Are Men Of Mystery.
Attorney Sutton frequently referred
to men of mystery" He explained
that he had suspicion that state
agents not generally known might
be at work, but there seemed to be
nothing to prove jury interference
from that source.
c. E. Peterson and c. /. Miller, Of
ficers of the Kelly defense committee,
reeivd postal cards from Kelly SYM
pathizers. : The cards are addressed to
them as Industrial Workers OF the
World members aud, they were asked
foolish questions, evidently intended
to be satirical references of the 100
questions, which have loomed up dur
ing the last week. te
Attorney Sutton received letters
from persons who have ideals and who
believe they have theories. One letter
from an Omaha medium who does
not sign his or her name, stated that
voiced can be heard;" that perhaps
he might save an innocent mans life;
that he has received spiritual mani
festations, and that these wer def
nite." He hints that if Kelly did
commit the Villisca crime he may
have been guided by an evil spirit,
or even may have been guided by |
an evil spirit to confess to crime |
which he did not commit. This al
legged medium wants to come to Red
Oak and demonstrate in the court |
room by means of piano just how
its possible to hear spirit manifesto
tions. t@ @ ss5