The Mena weekly star., 1921-10-27
KOLB MURDER CASE
 OPENED FOR TRIAL.
Nost of Wednesday Occupied in the Selection of Jury-Continuance De- nied by Court-Self Defense Will
 Be the Plea.

who has had previous SAPcAiSh1% Forty men were examined in the Cir cuit court Wednesday morning in an affort to get twelve good men and true in the murder case against Dr. t Fl. j. Kolb of Dierks and only five of the forty had been juror in similar case before.
 The selection of the jury started after Judge Steel had decided 1t was not necessary to continue the case because of the absence of material .witnnesses for the defense. Attach n1ents were issued and the needed Witnesses are expected to be in Mena Thursday.
 Self defense will be the plea of the dafendant, and the state will ask Tor the inAiction of the death penalty up on the Howard county doctor, charged with causing the death of P. E. Bo- land. a well known resident of that county.
 After a squabble among attorneys over the question of continuance had been ended, Clerk w. l.. Parker called all the regular panel of petit jurors to the box and the lengthy examinations began. Prosecuting Attorney George s. Steel conducted the examination, assisted by Judge w. F. Feazel of Nashville, c. c. Billings of De Queen, Judge Wright Pricket of Mena. Judge ]. I. Alley of Mena did most of the questioning for the defense, and was Assisted by Minor Pipkin of Mena and Nudge J. s. Lake of De Queen, T w. w. Townsend was the first man Examined and was excused by the de- fense. Lee Thompson was the second man to be questioned and the first to De accepted. The regular list of jur- ors was quickly run thru and re- course was had to the special venire called late Wednesday by Sheriff J. A. ' Thornton.
 At noon time in addition to Mr Thompson there had been accented j. 0. Gates of Hatfield, c. M. Edwards of Ink, B. P Lichlyter of Vandervoort, Hey Hudgins of Mena, Jim Nations of Vandervoort, Dr. C. l.. Baker of Mena, Robert Hunter of Cove, W. L. Nichols of Hatfield, Henry Christy of Mena, w. A. Wilson of Mena and Walsh Martin of Hatfield.
 With twelve men selected it looked like the afternoon session would start off with the arguments of attorneys, | but at the last moment before ad-
 
 Nudge Steel administered the oath to the remaining II and the afternoon < session opened with the jury short one man.
 Last Juror Selected. Court was Teconvened at 1:30 when Deputy Sheriff Amos Musgrave brought the II jurors accepted back from dinner. W. I. Green was the { next man called for examination and he was accepted by both sides. There being no further challenges, both state and defense apparently being satisfied with the F chosen, they were again sworn in and formally seated in the jury box.
 Prof. Kolb was not excluded from the court room at the formal request of his attorneys. The state called it's hst of witnesses numbering 40, and after being sworn they were also ex- cluded.
 Presentation of arguments followed. Judge W. P. Feazel opened for the prosecution. He first read the formal Indictment rendered by the grand jury at the Howard county circuit court. which charges Dr. Kolb with murder in the first degree The indictment z recites that on May 21, 1921, at Dierks, Ark, F. E. Roland came to his death by gunshot wounds inflicted by the defendant. The attorney of Tered map of the principal street of pierks, where the shooting took place 1 between 3 and o'clock in the after noon, and called the jurors attention 70 the location of various buildings on the street, which he said, were impor- tant in determining the value of testi- Mony given.
 Judge Feazel stated MT. Roland was shot down without warning. and l that three of the four shots entered his back. He said the shooting was witnessed by possibly 50 or 60 per < sons. The attorney stated his belief that the killing was done deliberately. and called attention to the fact that Roland had brought suit against pr. holb for alienation of his wife's af- H fections. The attorney also called attention to the fact that such suits do not survive the death of the plain tiff. and expressed belief Dr. Kolbs 9ctlon was influenced by such know ledge. Counsel for the state also de- nied there was any provocation on boiand's part for the murder, but ad mitted revolver had been found on " NNau iidfi buuy aIIer the fatal shooting.
 Judge J. s. Lake of De Queen open- |sed for the defense, and immediately called attention to what he classed as the "irreconciliable conflict of testi- mony" that would be presented. He asked the jurymen to consider care z4ully the various conflicting state ments. He called attention to the 9amage suit brought against pr. Kolb py Roland; also the suit of Roland against his wife for divorce, charpinc her with adultery with Dr. Kolb' @udge Lake stated t1S charge against zkne woman was not Fsained. tho she vas granted divorce by Judge Shaw
 The De Queen attorney also stat Sd that Roland had demanded sf 900 From pr. kolb for a fancied w-onc md had bothered the physician with VHers to settle their troubles bv 'money or blood" These matters Were intended to show how Dr. Kolb "sd been abused before the fatal at. < was made, in which he was forced <P XII Roland in self defense. Judge Lake also paid his respects to Dr ' saggett, one of the witnesses for~fhe
 tate, and charged him with undue
 ''sity m the prosecution. also with
 sContinued on Page Four)