The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-01-27

AT the opening OF court to-
day the State had used one of
its twenty peremptory chal-
lenges. The defense had used
none.
The eleven already in the box
had surprised all who heard their
answers to questions put to them
yesterday by Jerome Walsh, Kansas
City attorney, leading the fight to
save Hickman from the gallows.
Read Little of Case
The revealed that they had read
little of the case in the newspapers
and had discussed it but casually.
Hickman seemed more sure of
himself as he was brought into court
for today's session.
He did not appear so nervous and
gazed more frequently about the
courtroom while participants were
gathering for the legal struggle.
Mrs. Edith 1. Kreyzer, a young
matron, was called to be examined
for the twelfth place in the jury box.
She appeared unconscious of
the responsibility and responded to
the questions put to her by Walsh.
Mrs. Kreyer, it appeared, had
taken little interest in the case and
never had expressed an opinion as
to Hickmans guilt or innocence.
She was not g radio fan nor had
she heard the affair discussed from
the pulpit.
Defense Challenges
The defense shortly exercised its
fire peremptory challenge by excus-
ing Mrs. Mary Wheeler, who had
been positive that she never had
formed an opinion in the case.
C. N. Shaffer, an aged man, took
her place in the jury box. He
caused the courtroom to burst into
roars of laughted during his ex-
animation.
Among other things, the trial de-
veloped these facts, according to an
swerS of the jurors:
There were certain people in
Southern California during the time
Hickman was at large who read very
little of the case.
No Opinion Formed
There were others who never
formed an opinion as to Hickman's
guilt or innocence, nor his mental
condition at the time of the crime.
There are people who never read
newspaper editorials and husbands
and wives who think little of the
others opinions.
In some families, it appeared from
the statement Of prospective jurors,
there was very little discussion of
California's most atrociouS murder.
These facts were disclosed bv
Walsh as he read from a long list
of questions that encompassed the
following:
l. Have you formed or expressed
an opinion as to what should be
done to Hickman?
2. Have you formed an opinion
as to whether he is sane or insane?
3. Have you read about the case
in the newspapers, and did what
you read influence you to reach a
conclusion about the. case?
4. Do you think Hickman should
be hanged, regardless Of whether he
is insane or Of sound mental statep
5. Do you think he is pleading in
sanity as a Smoke SCREEN" to save
himself from the gallows
6. Were you in the defendants
place, would you be willing to be
tried by juror in the same frame
OF mind as you are in now?
Questioning of the tentative
jurors produced both tragic and
humorous moments.
Frederick Pierce, father of five
children and grandfather, who re-
sides near the spot where the
mutilated body of Marion Parker
was tossed back to her father for
$1,000 ransom, said he had no right
to sit as a juror.
Pierce was excused for cause when
he admitted from the box that he
was prejudiced.
II believe this boy was sane. but
I could not sit in the jury box and
be instrumental in sending him 10
his DEATH" Pierce declared.