Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-01
DELAY IN PICKING
Jury inks JUDGE
Five More Remain to Be
Chosen for Gastonia
Murder Trial.
BY the Associated Press.


CHARLOTTE, N. c., August 81
Seven men tonight were prepared to try
the case of 16 men and women accused
of murder in connection with the death
Of o. F. Aderholt, Gastonia chief of
police, but with the prospect that the
hearing Of evidence in the case may be
days distant.
Three days and a half of effort by a
score Of attorneys were necessary to
get the seven jurors in the box at the
close Of week of the special session of
Mecklenburg Superior Court, called to
try the case after a change of venue
had been granted the defendants from
CASTOR County. How long it will take
to get the other five needed Is a queS-
ton.
There are IS men accused of first
degree murder and three women
charged with second-degree murder.
All of them are members and officials
of the National Textile Workers Union,
which organized strike at the Loray
mill in Gastonia, or workers and off,
Gals Of allied communistic organiza-
lions.
Judge Becomes Impatient.
Today 81 taleSmen were questioned
without giving any indication that the
end of the jury selection stage might
be near. The defense still had 106
peremptory challenges and the State
80. The peremptory challenges made by
both sides just about equaled the num-
Der of talesmen excused by Judge M.
V. Barnhill, presiding, when they de-
clared their convictions would not per-
nit them to give the defendants a fair
trial
Judge Barnhill today gave indications
OF becoming impatient with the lengthy
examinations through which many of
the talesmen are being put. He warned
defense attorneys that there were GER
tain rules as to what could be asked
to establish the competency of jurors,
adding that he wanted Ito give you
all OF the rope have, but will tighten
the rules If you keep on stretching out
the questioning"
Today was the sixth of the trial
since 1t reopened in Charlotte after
being transferred from Gastonia The
first two days were taken up with ar
guing motions and drawing a special
venire of 200 men. This venire was ex-
hausted yesterday morning and sec
ond special panel of 800 was drawn.
The men defendants, Fred Erwin
Beal, Clarence Miller, K. o. Byers,
Robert Allen. William McGinnis, George
Carter Louis Mclaughlin, K. Y. Hend-
ricks, Joseph Harrison, j. G. Heffner,
Russell Knight, N. F. Gibson and Del
mar Hampton, are charged with first
degree murder, and three women, Amy
Schechter, Vera Buch and Sophie Mel
win, are charged with second degree
murder. The men are held without
bail and the women are free on bonds
of $4,000 each. They are charged with
having been engaged in a conspiracy
which resulted in the fatal shooting of
Aderholt when he and four other
policemen went to the Loray Mill tent
colony at GaStonia on the night of
June z. 1t IS on the allegation Of IL
legal conspiracy that the state has
charged the sixteen with murder.
Evidence to Be CircumstantiaL
There never has been any statement
as to who is believed to have fired the
fatal shots which also wounded Arthur
Roach and Thomas Gilbert, policemen,
and Joseph Harrison, one of the de-
PENDANTS. The evidence is expected to
be circumStantial and the State in
quizzing taleSmen has made this plain.
The defense has not stated the exact
line it will take in combating the States
charges, but questioning of prospective
jurors has indicated that self-defenSe
will be the plea. Each talesman is asked
If he believes man has a right to de-
fend himself and his property and if
he thinks an officer not armed with
warrant or proper legal authority has a
right to invade private property.
The great majority of those brought
into court as possible jurors express
prejudice against one or another of the
defendants or the belief that they are
guilty. The greater number name Fred
Erwin Beal. union organizer. as the
man they hold responsible for the shoot
ing, while others say everybody on the
ing should be held guilty.