The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-10
SIX JURORS CHOSEN
FOR WILKINS TRIAL
Youngest Is 40 Years Old
and All Are Hus-
bands.
MAY SLEEP AT HOME
Conscience Clear, Says Ac-
cused, Wearing Same Suit
as on Murder Night.

Both sides called It a satisfactory
days work at Mineola court house YES
terdsy when by half past 8 o'clock in
the afternoon six OF the jurymen who
are to try DR.. Walter X. wilkins for the
murder OF his wife had been sworn and
taken their places in the box.
DIR. wilkins is accused Of killing his
wife with a hammer at a cottage they
owned at Long Beach, L. I. She was
murdered there on the evening of Feb
ruary ~ OF this year within half an
hour after she and her husband had ar
rived at the place after passing the day
in Manhattan.
He declared that she was beaten to
death by burglars whom he and she sur
prised looting the house. He appeared
at the house Of a neighbor and told this
story while she lay dying in the front
yard Of the cottage. and the story went
uncontradicted for several weeks Then
an investigation was begun; the doctor
was indicted and fed to Baltimore. He
returned within two days and was at
Mineola to give himself up, when he was
arrested.
He Is 81 years old and for twenty
years before his wife's death affected
white side whiskers OF the kind TO which
middle aged gentlemen were partial
when Victoria was England's Queen. He
had them shorn in Baltimore. He
appeared in court yesterday with a full
white beard.
He wore also black coat of the type
which supplied Prince Albert, Victorla's
consort, with his principal claim on the
notice of posterity. and a pair OF dark
trousers with a hair line stripe. He has
stated that he had on the same outfit
the night his wife was killed
Justice David S. Manning OF the SUI
preme Court. who il presiding. an
| nounced he would permit the jury tc
sleep at home. Justice Manning also
was lenient with all talesmen who could
show they were farmers and that their
crops would suffer IL they were detained
by a long trial. Out OF a panel of forty.
| eight he excused ten because they could
not be spared from their fields
The prejudice against capital punish
ment, which is familiar in the examina
| ton of talesmen in all capital cases. ard
| the opinion formed In advance which Il
would take evidence to remove servet
| to excuse about a dozen of the panel
and Of the remainder who failed to quail
! ify nearly all were excused because they
had been drawn from the neighborhoot
where Carman Plant, Nassau's county
| detective. has his domicile and knew
| him Plant will be a witness for tn,
prosecution.
It would appear that the trial will /,
| considerably protracted. from the state
ment of District Attorney Weeks, wht
told the court yesterday that he hat
sixty-four witnesses under subpoena art
expected to call about fifty Of them
Charles y. Wysong. counsel for DR.
wilkins, thinks that he will have to cal
| about thirty witnesses to make his cas-
complete.
The six jurymen selected yesterday ar
all married and all mature. the youngcs
of them being As. They are. Oscar w
Parties, SO. a retired farmer OF Contra
Park: Richard H. Soper. Sc. a harnes
maker Of Oceanside; Daniel d. Smith
l63, a retired electrical engineer OF Oyste
Bay: Edward s. Deuhert. Sc. wire G.,
aminer at the Curtiss airplane plant a
Garden City and living in Bellmore
William ]. Barton, 90. OF Freeport. al
engineer at the Curtiss plant. and VIII
lam Van Velson, As. a dealer in antique
at Hampstead.
/ Dr. wilkins left his counsel FIRE
hand in the acceptance or rejection @
talesmen and gave out this signe
statement
ct have gained in weight during m
enforced confinement I have a clea
conscience and faith IN God and ar
in excellent health"
! His appearance seemed TO bear hi
atatement out