Arizona republican., 1921-04-26
MEX|CANS WILL PLEAD FEAR IF VILLA. FORCED
 COLUMBUS RAID
IRepubIican A. p. Leased WIrel


 DENYING, N. NJ, April 25.-Six men were tentatively accepted in the dis trict court this afternoon on the jury that will decide the fate of the 16 alleged Villa raiders charged with murder in connection with the raid on Columbus. New Mexico. in March 1916
 Thirty-f five were examined for jury service and 15 were disqualified by the court. The state exercised seven peremptory challenges and the defense eight.
 Attorneys in the case expect to complete the selection of the jury be- fore tomorrow afternoon, despite the fact that but one of the last fourteen men examined was accepted.
 The nature of the states course, as indicated by District Attorney Forrest Fielder in his examination of jurors. will be to show that W. T. Richie, one of the victims of the raid. was killed by an unknown person and that the Is defendants were present and par ticipated in the raid.
 All jurors were asked whether un- der these circumstances they would return a verdict of first degree mur- der carrying the penalty of death by hanging. Several who said they would not bring in such a verdict unless the state could show the al legged Villistas actually fired the fatal shot, were disqualified by the court. Disqualification of jurors who had conscientious objections to the in- friction of the death penalty and the exercise of peremptory challenges by both the state and defense exhausted the first panel at three o'clock this afternoon and the court took recess while a special venire was drawn.
 Of the first twenty men called only five were tentatively accepted. Mayor R. F. Hamilton, of Demfng. ap- pointed by the court to defend the 16 Mexicans, intimated that he may raise the question of prior jeopardy, whether the men can be tried again on a complaint growing out of the raid for which they have been once convicted.
 He intends to put on no witnesses except the defendants, he said. They are expected to plead ignorance of being on American soil at the time of the raid and that they were driven by fear of death to carry out the command of Villa.
 Spectators in the court room com- mented on the improved appearance of the prisoners and the contrast they present to their former appear ance in court here. shortly after their capture in Mexico by General Persh- ing's punitive expedition. Then they were dirty, haggard and lean.
 Deming is apathetic over the fate of the followers of Villa whose troops killed nine civilians including one wo- man, and eight American soldiers during the Columbus raid.
 At the hour the trial was set to begin only a few prospective jurors and a trio of newspapermen were in the court room.
 Five years ago six companions of the men on trial today were hanged. two by two.Sin the Deming jail yard. following trials at which the crowds pushed and showed for places in the court room.
 Time has assuaged the feeling of the people, said MT. Hamilton, the Nillista attorney. Most of us would like to forget the Columbus raid" The average citizen registers indifference. It would be a good solution. many say, to take the Villistas 35 miles south to the MeM- can border and head them south" When the Villistas were in jail here following the Columbus raid, the citi- zens of the town had formed a com pany of vigilantes to guard them. They would not even trust the United States soldiers sent here with the guarding of the men. so intense was the feeling. Today Sheriff P. L. Smyer has only a regular force of deputies. The Villistas have been model prisoners, he says.