Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1923-01-10

Judge Kelley to ''be good boys" Guc-
ing the duration Of the trial and COM
municate with no one on the case.
Picture shows to aid them in passing
away their time outside the court
room were promised by the judge
who assured them every comfort pos
sible. The jury is being lodged in
the court house where preparations
have been made 10 accommodate them.
Up to the recess yesterday after
noon, when three women were still
on the tentative panel Of jurymen.
it was thought possible that a wo-
man might be included on the final
jury but challenges during the fore
part of the afternoon dismissed them
when the list Of those still held was
read before the recess. No addition
al women were called among the six
examined after the recess, leaving
the trial jury entirely a male affair.
Eleven Of its twelve members are
farmers, one being retired. The
twelfth member, the only one resid-
ing in Charles City, is a blacksmith.
Roy Palmer and Lewis Logan, %,
are the youngest members while the
oldest, John T. Jenn, is SO.
The Charles City Daily Press gives
the following news about the opening
day of the case, last Wednesday.
With the court room crowded and
many more spectators arriving to lis
ten in on the Kneeskern murder re-
trial, the principal in the case, B. f.
Kneekern, his wife and their six
year old baby boy, Jack, walked int
the room at the stroke of one and
took their seats. There was much
craning of neckS and whispering
among those who had gathered 20
witness the case as the party be-
came known. He was easily re-
cognized from the pictures that have
appeared in the Press.
Mrs. Allen of Mason City, sister
of Mr.. Kneeskern, IS also v4th the
Kneeskern party. Ole -Ellingson for
mer sheriff of Winneshiek county is
sitting with the Kreeskerns and con-
versing with them Occasionally they
were seen 70 laugh Eliingson was
criticized while sheriff for being
friendly with kneeskern and allow
ing him TO vote at the November
election.
Shortly after his arrival Judge kel-
lev opened court and the first mat
ter taken up was the reading of the
new cases on the calender which took
up about fifteen minutes following
which the Kneeskern case was call
ed.
The attorneys, five to a side, were
grouped about their tables and were
ready TO proceed. The list OF the
veniremen were called ana a. called
each answered present. A dozen pr
so had been previously excused ana
that many more appealed to the
Judge to be relieved of jury service.
Those whom the court thought had
sufficient reason for not serving
were released but the others were
held.
The case is of state wide interesc
and will be followed closely from day
to day The legal talent present IS
among the best in the state and o
battle royal will be the result.
Kneeskern, his wife and little boy,
Jack, age about six, are making their
home at the Gilbert hotel. He was in
conference this morning with his at
torneyS.
AttSffheys for he defense and
state arrived in the city last e.ening.
A formidable array of legal talent
has been retained by each side. The
defense Is represented by Attorney
ID. u. Murphy Of Elkader. William
S. Hart Of Waukon, w. NJ. Allen Of
Ossian and E. W. Cutting, of De-
corah. and J. c. Campbell of this
city while the state is represented
BY County Attorney J. A. Nelson
Z. p. Acres Of DEBORAH. Attorneys
F. A. O'Connor and F. ). Smith Of
Dgbuque and the firm Of +. ana r.
NJ. Linnell Of this city.
A little diversion occurred In the
forepart of the afternoon when F.
A. OConror, ar attorney for the
state. asked if hneeskern were In
court. D. D. Murphy, an attorney
for the defendant replied that he
was and O'Counor demanded that ne
come forward which ne did and took
seat between Campbell and Muir
ply. Murphy also demanded that
everything taking place in court De
put in the record
Linnell in questioning the pros.
pective jurors asked whether they
had read an account of the first
trial in the Dubuque papers.
At three o'clock this afternoon the
sixth prospective iuryman was be-
ing questioned by F. NJ. Linnell, for
the state out of so venieremen four
teen were excused, four of them wO-
men leaving four women who may
have to serve.
The court room was filed 20 the
doors at 100 Thursday afternoon
at one-thirty Thursday afternoon
when court was again convened fol-
lowing the noon recess. John Breaky
of Rock Groce was the first venire-
man called. He was examined by
Attorneys LinneIl and Murphy and
passed for cause.
J. P. Lynch, Charles City, was the
next 20 be examined. The first bi.
of humor of the days proceedings
followed when Attorney LinhelPS
questions brought out the statement
by Lynch that two casual opinions
on the case heard by him were eX-
actly opposite as to their bearing
ON the guilt Of the defendant.
Oh, ,,t1,r q ftar two o'clock q phone