New Britain herald., 1925-03-25
Defense Chief Receives Letters From New Britain Residents on Talk With Atwater.
Eleventh Man to Pass on Guilt or Innocence of Prisoner Takes Place in Box.
JURY PANEL GONE,
 COURT ADJOURNS
Special to The Herald)

A~PS~A@A w itAN AASA OiuV
 Hartford, March 25.-Fred- erick J. Groehl, senior counsel in the defense of Gerald Chap man, charged with murdering Policeman James Skelly in New Britain on October 12, 1924, stated to a Herald reporter this afternoon that he had received two letters from New Britain residents in which the writers claimed they had spoken to Po- liceman Alfred Atwater and had been told by him that he did not see the face of the bandit who shot Skelly.
 One of the letters was signed. The other was anonymous. Judge Groehl said he had iden- tified the writer of the signed letter and would subpoena him as a witness if Atwater at tempted to identify Chapman as the man who shot down Skelly in cold blood. Judge Groehl was not complimentary in discussing Atwater and said he could not understand why the policeman should remain behind a counter in the David son & Leventhal store, where the shooting took place, and not fire a single shot even though the gunman had 200 feet to go before reaching the streets.
 Detectives OMara and McCue Of the New Britain police department were spectators at the session of the trial today.
 Eleven jurymen chosen up to late this afternoon are as follows:
 Fred W. Viets, East Granby, farmer.
 Thomas S. Rourke, Pennington; insurance.
 A. W. Burrows. Bloomfield, book keeper.
 Lawrence Klein, Enfield, sales man.
 Walter s. Case. Canton. merchant.
 Emerson E. Olcott, Glastonbury, retired merchant.
 Charles H. Islieb, Marlborough, farmer.
 George G. Hubbard, Bloomfield, | insurance.
 Garvan S. Falow, Wethersfield, retired merchant.
 William J. Crockett, Manchester, engineer.
 Arthur E. Bowers, Manchester rs- tired advertising manager.
 The second panel of jurors was ex- hausted this afternoon at SlO o'clock, making 1t necessary to ad- journ court to tomorrow morning when another panel will be sum- moned.
 Resume Picking Jury The choosing of the remaining seven of the jury which will pass on Chapman's guilt of innocence was resumed this morning shortly after court opened.
 The first venireman called was Thomas D. Harvey Of Windsor. He stated that he was opposed to the death penalty and he was excused by the court. The next was Herbert N. Cotton of East Granby. He was ex- cused because he is convalescinE from an illness.
 The next was Albert E. Goodale who was excused because he has had a personal acquaintance with Chief William c. Hart of the New Britain police force. Floyd E. Rice of New ington was the 18th man to he challenged by the defense. He stat ed he had never before been a juror and knew none Of the Skelly family.
 Arthur A Woodford of Avon wal excused because of illness in hiI family. William R. Lewis of EaA Hartford was excused hecause he said he was opposed 10 the death penalty. Ray II. Morse. B farmer from Berlin was challenged by the defense. He stated he had read of the case in the New Britain Herald and the Hartford papers.
 Glastonbury Man Accepted
 The first man to be accepted this morning and the sixth man 10 be ac- cepted for the jury since yesterday was Emerson F. Olcott Of Glaston. bury. He is a retired workman.
 Sette R, Thomas Of East Hartford was opposed 10 the death penalty. Charles H. RuoT of Glastonbury was opposed 10 the death penalty. Edward J. Stevens Of Rocky Hill was challenged hy the defense. vin- cent !. Niering of Canton had a fixed opinion on the case and he was ex-