The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-25
Lawyers Very Particular in Sc
lection of Talesmen.
ONE WOMAN IS ON JURY
She Says Garyer's Looks VIII
Not Influence Her.
McKeever Determined To Have
Ed dresser on the Stand.


posing attorneys of talesmen in max
ing up the jury this morning indicat-
ed an intensive legal battle in the sec
ond trial of j. c. Clarke dresser,
| charged with the embezzlement of
| $1,000 from the Citizens State bank
| in North Topeka E. D. McKeever,
F., leading attorney for the defense, also
| indicated that the issue between the
, defendant and the latter's brother, Ed
A. GreSSer, cashier of the bank,
would be revived strongly. MeKeever
| asked the majority of the talesmen
who were acquainted with the broth
| ers If the acquaintance would preju-
dice them should such a condition
arise.
! The entire morning was spent in an
| attempt to obtain jury. This after
| noon when examination of talesmen
was resumed the state had exhaust
had two left. This assured a full jury
| in short time and the introduction
| OF testimony this afternoon.
Included in the panel, when the de-
| tense had the two remaining chal-
| lengeS, were several men who had met
both Ed and Clarke Gresser and 9TH
er officials at the bank in a business
way. Two brothers, B. NJ. and A. G.
| Hook, both depositors at the institu-
| ton were still in the panel without yet
| having been challenged. Joe Birn-
/ banner, a son of one of the banks
stockholders, was challenged by Robt.
Carver, county attorney. One wo-
man, Mrs. ]. A. Bostick. was also in
the panel.
Mckeever Very Particular.
Carver conducted his investigation
of talesmen rapidly, combining his
! questions to haIf-dozen or dozen
! to each man. Mckeever, however,
/ went into more detail. He assured
I IL - I
any prejudices in the case, and that
none were too closely connected with
the bank. In questioning Mrs Bos-
| tick, he used more detail.
Would you arrive at a decision in
| this case, just to please these men,"
McKeever asked among other ques-
tons. -
NO. SIR
Would the fact that Mr.. Carver,
! the county attorney, is a handsome
man, have any effect on your Verdict?'
mo, sir
Attorneys for both the prosecution
and the defense say they have evil
/ dence in addition to that introduced
at the first trial. 1t is asserted that
j. D. NJ. Crockett, an expert account
| ant of Kansas City, who has exam
/ ined the banks books from 1913 to
| 1917, will be one of the first witnesses
| for the state. NJ. F. Southwick, ex-
pected to have been the first state
witness, was reported confined to his
/ home this morning on account Of ILL
ness.
Force Ed Gresser to Testify?
Whether not Ed. A. Gresser will
| trial was a matter of conjecture in
! the court room today. Carver said
that the placing of Ed. on the stand
! depended upon developments. Nc
keever intimated that he would force
Eds presence if the state didn't call
| him.
Would you expect US to put on
Hamlet show without a Hamlet"
| asked McKeever.
| j. c. Gresser, the defendant, sat in
the court room. this morning with his
| wife and friends. Several of his rela-
| tives were present but Ed. was absent
| The case is being tried before Judge
! Whitcomb in the second division of
assisting McKeever in the defense and
Hugh Fisher is assisting Carver. The
case against Gresser was started with
the issuance of the information by the
county attorney, Augusr 30, 1917.
Gresser waived preliminary hearing
and the evidence was checked direct
to a jury in the district court October
Y. The jury failed to agree.
Brewster Joins Prosecution
Robert D. Carver, county attorney,
announced this afternoon that S. NJ
Brewster, attorney general, would as
slst~ him in the prosecution of Gresser
AT the same time he made the an
nouncement Carver asked for a con-
tinuance until tomorrow morning
awaiting the return of Brewster to
Topeka Brewster has Joined Carver,
in the prosecution at the request of
Walter f. Wilson; state bank commits
sioner. and Carver.
| The jurymen were selected at 2
O'Clock when Carver asked for the
continuance. Mrs. J. A. Bostic will
be a member of the jury The others
are: Dam Hook, a. f. Sisco, NJ. W.
Cunningham, E. w. Sheard. o. F.
Olmstead, c. A. Keeton, r. r. Dennis
]. A. Meyer. n. w. Newly, A G.
Hook and U. S. Boutwell,