San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-17
RANGER
TRIAL IS
UNDER WAY
State Asks Prospective
Jurors About Khan
Membership.
M UNE ADMllS III
State RACER Charged With
Assaulting Bexar
County Man.
BITTER FIGHT SEEN
BITTER FIGHT SEEN
Assistant County Attorney
Believes Khan Brought
Rangers Here.

Despite vigorous objections by de-
Tense attorneys, Assistant County At
torney Louis Schlessinger Monday
morning was allowed to ask prospective
jurors being Intercepted for service
in the trial of c. E. Miller, state ram
ger, whether they were members Of
inc Ku Klux Kan and whether they
had attended church services and
heard ministers "endorse and applaud
the presence of rangers here. The
1Arulp;t differences had been made, tie
assistant courty attorney said the
state, believed by ministers who are
in sympathy with the khan. Mr.
,ochlcssinger seii also that tie state
is of the opinion that the khan was
instrumental in bringing the-rangers
TO San Antonio, pointing out that no
request had been Iuade for them by
city or county officials. ,.s
Miller went TO trial in the Bexar
county, criminal court Mondag, after
his case had Lsen passed at ieast four
times. He is cnarsed by complaint
with aggravateil assault which he is
alleged to have committed on Albert
Tessman, a farmer at whose place a
ranger detachment headed by Miller.
made a raid. .i'essman alleges that
Miller attacked him and struck him
over the head.
Report Khan Brought Rangers.
A stir ran through the large crowd
in the county criminal court room
when Mr.. Schlessinger asked tt, first
prospective juror il he was or eve- had
been a member CT the ku kluX Elan.
The man questioned was Hal Waller,
and be answered the question in the
negative. ]. f. Onion Jr.. and Wayne
Davis. who with W. S. Peyton are at
torneys for Miller, objected on the
ground that the question was highly
prejudicial and intended to inflame
the minds of the jurors. The jury wac
withdrawn while attorneys argued tine
point.
"The state intends to ask prospec-
tive jurors whether they are men,
bers Of the klan." Mr.. Schlessinger
said. "There have been utterancts
| from ministers, considered to be in
sympathy with the ranger movement
and in sympathy with the khan. where
they have laltled the bringing of the
rangers here. We feel that the Or
| ganization known as the khan was in
LSrested in bringing the rangers here
| as no county or city officers asked for
/ them. If the khan has sponsored tie
ranger movement, it would be unfair
TO the state to select jurors who are
members"
No Klansmen Yet Found.
Mr.. Onion and Mr.. Davis argued
that such questions were highly prciu-
dicial and inflammatory, declaring
| that they were not backed up by proof.
asserting that no statements made by
| the assistant county attorney were
susceptible of proof and that he was
"going into the realm of speculation.
What the ministers of San Antonio or
Adjutant General Barton had said,
Mr.. Davis insisted, would not be bind
ing upon Miller.
Judge Nelson Lytle overruled the
objection of defense attorneys. 10
which they took exceptions, and the
irrespective jurors were recalled. Al
Though a dozen men had been inter
rogated up to noon, none had admitted
THAT he was n member of the khan al
Though one man. member of the
Travis Park Methodist church, said
that he had heard his pastor endorse
1.-The ranger activity in San Antonio.
Although the Miller case is of minor
importance. considering the charge. in
lications were Monday that it will be
a bitter legal fight. Leonard Brown
is assisting Assistant County Attorney
Schlessenger and Bat Corrigan in tie
prosecution. Prospects are that it will
require the entire day to select the
bury Of six men. the number required
for a trial in the county criminal