Evening star., 1925-05-26
GROVE REPEATS
TAMPER|NG CHARGE
Shepherd Case Prosecutor
Says Men Evidence Should
Be PrObed at Once.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, MAY 26.-The discharge
of a juror, breaking the first panel
obtained in the trial of William d.
Shepherd, charged with murder, and
renewed jury tamperins charges
brought double sensation in Judge
Thomas Lynch's court today.
We have information that should
be investigated before Il jury is
sworn in this case" States Attorney
Robert L. Grove. declared in answer
ing W. s. Stewart, chief defense
counsel, who demanded that Mr..
Grove be stopped from further in
quiry as to possible jury tampering.
Harold Pillar, 90, Youngest juror
and member of the first panel of
four, the only jurors sworn in. broke
the panel when he declared he had
an opinion in the case and was op-
posed to capital punishment.
When examined. Pillar had not said
he would not subscribe to capital
punishment, but apparently conScien-
tious scruples led him over night to
divulge his belief
In appealing to Judge Lynch to call
a halt on the jury -tamperinS inquiry
Attorney Stewart referred to the
prominence being given by newspa-
pers to the tamperiug charges, de-
he virtually impossible to obtain a
jury. He asserted Mr.. Grove was
conducting q newspaper campaign as
an aid to his political ambitions.
Judge Lynch agreed with the State 8
attorney that the court was not being
interfered with by the action of the
States attorneys men in questioning
veniremen who had been excused.
Two Under Scrutiny.
II previously had been announced
that Stewart and w. W. O'Brien,
associate defenders of Shepherd. who
is on trial for the murder OF William
\. McClintock, have been put under
investigation by States Attorney
Grove to determine II there have been
attempts to fix" prospective jurors.
An inquiry into all cases conducted
by Shepherds lawyers in the past six
months was ordered by the prosecu-
tor after receipt of a letter from Rob
ert White, missing witness, which
contained charges that he had been
forced by defense attorneys to make
an affidavit in behalf of Shepherd.
White, claimed by both defense and
State as an important witness, wrote
from Philadelphia that he had been
forced to flee from Chicago for fear
of his life. A detective was sent to
the Pennsylvania city last night to
return White.
Jurors to Be Called
The States attorney said he would
call for questioning on the basis of
Whites letter. every man who has
served on a jury during the last half
year in any case defended by Stew
art and OBrien, Mr.. Grove said he
was particularly interested in one
case in which Stewart accepted the
last four jurors rendered without
questioning. The attorney made a
similar offer in the Shepherd case a
few days ago.
Charge Is Resented.
Attorneys Stewart and O'Brien ex-
pressed resentment as to Mr.. Groves
plan.
I'VE welcome any investigation"
Stewart said. 1T is no hardship
upon US, but ii is a hardship on hon
est jurors who returned the verdicts."
He added that the investigation
was ordered only to "intimidate the
jurors in the present case" because
the State realized it had no case
against his client.
Mr.. Stewart also asserted White
had signed the affidavit in question
of his own volition. The affidavit
declared the case against Shepherd
was a frame-up.
Today's program for the trial prop
er was continuation of the weary task
of getting a jury. Four jurors had
been sworn in yesterday and one
venireman tentatively passed by both
sides.