New Britain herald., 1925-03-26
Fourth Panel of Pros- pective Jurors Ex- hausted In Vain Effort To Get l2th Man.
Third Panel Gives Out During Morning Session and Candidates From Hartford Are Called.
SECURING STREETS
 FOR NEW TALESMEN
Special to The Herald)


 Hartford, March 26.-When Sheriff Edward Dewey of Hart ford county rapped with the gavel for the reopening of su- perior court at 2 o'clock this afternoon, the selection of the 18th man to serve on the jury which will hear the evidence in the case of Gerald Chapman, charged with the murder of Policeman James Sicily in New Britain, was the principal business.
 An unlocked for delay oc- cured this morning when the second panel of prospective jurors was exhausted. It had been expected that the 18th man would be chosen from re- maining veniremen but this hope .dimmed with the passing around of the hands of the clock as man after man was excused by Judge Newell Jen- nings or stepped down after being challenged by States At. Iforney Hugh N. Alcorn or Frederick J. Groehl, chief of the defense counsel.
 Ready To Take Men On Street
 At 11:so o'clock. Judge Jennings declared a recess. The last avail able man in the panel had passed out on his way back home or to business, as the case might have been, and the sheriff was directed to get 20 Hartford men and have them present when the hearing was re- stunned at o'clock this afternoon. From these 20, 1t was hoped to complete the jury.
 Judge Jennings remarked that if no success met the efforts of the court officials. it would be necessary to go out on the streets and bring i'll anyone they could find.
 At 3 o'clock this afternoon the panel was exhausted. Deputy sher- riffs are now securing the streets Of Hartford for new talesmen. If the jury is not secured from these, court will probably adjourn until tomor- row.
 Including the first regular panel of 150 veniremen, 270 talesmen had been called to supply twelve judges of the spectacular Chapman's guilt or innocence. From this number, but II men were selected. The third special panel summoned today brought the total number Of venire- men to 290.
 Preparing Basis For Appeal
 The first positive information con- cerning the possibility of an appeal was given to the Herald this after noon by Attorney Murphy of counsel for the defense. MT. Murphy said that people are overlooking the many exceptions being made by the defense lawyers. we are not mak- ing those exceptions for the fun Of it." he declared. "They will be used as basis for an appeal to the su- preme court Of errors in case the verdict unfavorable to our client"
 Exceptions have been taken to the denial of the petition for change of venue. to the request that the original panel be changed to include residents of larger communities and to rulings of the judge on the ques tioning of prospective jurors.
 AIcorn Calls In Atwater
 A significant incident occurred this morning shortly before court opened. The New Britain witnesse, were seated in their accustsomct places when County Detective Ed ward ]. Hickey summoned Police man Alfred Atwater of New Britail to the office of States Attorney Al corn. What transpired there is no known. Atwater was with Police man Skelly when the latter was sho down in the department store U Davidson & Leventhal. He is sai' to have made the statement sine, then that he did not see the gun mans face. It is understood that great dependence was to have beeI placed on his testimony as he va the only person who had a chanc' to see the face of the man who kill cd SiIelly.
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