Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-05-22


of this city, the well known insurance
and real estate agent, on the charge
of assault with intent to kill and muir
der Captain James Lennon of 40 Bos-
well avenue on the night of December
is at the captains home was begun on
Wednesday morning in the criminal
court at New London before Judge
William S. Case, of Hartford and a
jury.
Ten of the twelve men needed for
the jury had been selected in two
hour session of the court, starting at
1880 Wednesday morning, when the
panel was exhausted, although 40 ex-
ira talesmen had been summoned in
Selection of the jury made a flying
start when Robert ]. Henderson of
Ledyard, the first man drawn. was
the first man selected, but thereafter it
went slower and Judge Case once in
dictated a feeling of impotence when
he remarked that some of the excuses
offered seemed made to order.
The following were the ten men Sc
cured in order:
Robert ]. Henderson. farmer, Led
yard.
Reginald NJ. Rowland, insurance and
real estate, New London.
CORTLAND c. Potter, bridgetender, Of
Mystic.
John S. Hall, merchant, Lyme.
Fred W. Harvey, farmer, East Lyme.
Byron J. Peckham, carpenter, Ston-
| ington.
Richard ]. Beach, retired, Mantle.
Elisha J. Ashley, jobber, Blackhall.
| Dan D. Home. town clerk and judge
of probate, Montville.
James Bond. farmer, East Lyme.
Nf oit
and Attorney Arthur NJ. Brown again
appeared as counsel for Mr. Holmes.
as they had in the first trial in this
city last January and for this trial had
| associated with them Attorney John
| c, Geary, Of New London. States At
torney Hadlai A. Hull, who represented
| the state had Attorney Warren n.
| Burrows assisting him as he did in the
| previous trial.
Mr.. Holmes sat in court with his
attorneys and his two brother-in- laws,
| John r Tarrant, and Richard L. Tar
| rant.
Witnesses for the state who were
at the court house included Captain
Lennon, Police Captain D. J. Twomey,
| Sergeant Allen c. Matthews, Sergeant
John A Kane. Officer Michael Car
roll. James Boland. Mrs. James Bo-
| land, Miss Dora Crumb, Leonard P
| Church, John Donovan and Civil En-
| gineer George E Pitcher. all Of Nor
| wich.
In contrast to the court rule in the
| former trial when the general pub
| lie was excluded from the court room
on the ground of danger from the
! Spanish influenza. which was the pre-
! valent, there was no barring of the
| public from the court room this time
| Of
| ney Brown addressed the Judge. re-
questing permission to poll the jury
that is, to put each man on the stand
and examine him as to his qualiflca-
| tons to serve. He said he understood
this could be done. under the statute
! in civil cases, but only by permits
sion of the court in criminal cases.
Judge Case granted the permission
and directed Sheriff Sidney A. Brown
| to have all the taleynen removed
from the court room. They were al
assembled outside in the hall from
which they were called in, one at 9
time, and examined on the stand, first
by States Attorney Hull and then by
| Attorney Brown. as the selection pro-
| crossed.
! On the entire panel there were IS
names, of whom thirteen had been ex-
| cused BY the time the list had beer
| gone over. counsel for the defense ha6
used up all eight challenges to which
| they were entitled, but the states at
| torney had used only five challenges.
/ The selection of the jury proceeded
as follows, with Major Hull explain
| ing to each man what the case to b.
| tried was and asking him if he were
| related to either Captain Lennon OF
| Mr. Holmes whether he had ha6
! h
1 neys in the case or had formed ar
! opinion which would prevent him from
fairly trying the case on the evi
| dence presented:
Robert J. Henderson, Ledyard, {
i farmer formerly a New York news
| paper man, accepted as juror No. 1.
Lawrence S. Cook. New London, {
clerk, had followed case closely anC
I! had strong opinions on case, excused
I by Judge Case.
George J.. Baldwin, Stonington, car
1 penter had read the papers, some tim
ago in reports of the case. somewha
deaf, excused by Judge Case.
i Louis G. Pollard. New London, ship
i ping clerk, had read the paper and hat
i formed strong opinion, excused by TIN
i judge.
Eugene Riley, Waterford, chippe
and caulker. had fixed opinion from
reading papers, excused by judge.
Il Reginald NJ. Rowland. New London
\ insurance and real estate had real
papers but formed no opinion tina
would prevent him from weighing tn
evidence. Accepted as Juror No. 2.
Merritt r. Ryan. New London. ma
ehinist formerly locomotive engineer
challenged by the state.
Albert F. Hewitt, Groton, coal an
grain dealer accepted by the state. T
!, Attorney Brown Mr.. Hewitt said tina
he was selectman of the town and hai
4 been judge of the town court whel
Attorney Burrows was connected wit
the court. The juror was challenge
by the defense.
| Herbert D. Utlev. New London
stated he was on the jury list Of tw
Z towns, New London and Waterford
/; He now lives in Waterford and ha
been drawn from New London. Excus
ed by the judge.
| CORTLAND c. Potter. Mystic, bridg
| tender, had read the papers but too
no particular interest in the case, &C
cepted by the state To Attorne
Brown the prospective juror said h
had probably seen Captain Lenno
three times in his life. Accepted a
Juror No. 3.
John S. Hall, Lyme. merchant, &C
eepted as Juror No a.
Lincoln @. Smith, East Lyme, car
: prnter had fixed opinion from readin
reports of case, excused by judge.
: Fred w. Harvey. East Lyme, farm
er. accepted as Juror No. 5.
l George o. Miner. Groton, farmer
had formed something Of an opinio
and discussed the case some wit
others, and felt he had a bias in tn
case Excused by the judge.
Frank G. Denison. Mystic, retired
had read of the case at the time an
formed something of an opinion an