Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-11
DEN|SON LIQUOR
TRIAL OPENS WITH
SELECT|ONO OF JURY
As Minutes Required to Sc
Iect Panel of 8 Men and
4 Women.
DEFENSE CHALLENGES 3,
PROSECUTION ONLY ONE;
Leahy Enters Objection After
Judge 0Verrules Motion for
Exclusion Of Gin.

A jury was chosen in District Su.
preme Court today to try former Rep
resentative Edward Z. Denison Of ni-
nois on charge of violating the ma
tional prohibition act.
Denison, who was defeated in the
last election while serving his eighth
term in Congress, was in the court
room ss the trial opened.
Less than As minutes was required
for completion of the jury. AZ finally
constituted it was composed of eight
men and four women. All we're cues
toned concerning their possible AMI
iation with organizations either favoring
or opposing the eighteenth amendment,
Defense Challenges Three.
The defense challenger three yenire-
men including one who said he had
contributed TO an organization interested
In enforcement of the prohibition Law.
The Government exercised but one
peremptory challenge, dismissing from
the jury box q man who said he had
aided an association sponsoring . PRO-
posal for repeal Of the eighteenth
amendment. The prosecution failed,
however, to challenge another member
OF the panel who said he had con-
tributed to an organization advocating
modification of the eighteenth amend
ment.
William E. Leahy. chief OF defense
counsel, entered an exception after
Justice Peyton Gordon .oyerruled .
motion for exclusion from the bill OF
particulars of 3 charge that the alco-
holic beverages contained in . trunk
sliced in the office Of Denison in the
Houes Once Building included six bot
ties OF gin. The defense lawyer had
argued the indictment charged posses
sion of nothing but whisky.
Prosecution Opens Case.
In his opening statement to the jury,
Irving Goldstein, an assistant United
States attorney, said he would prove
DeniSon had received trunk from Pam
anna January 10, 1929, which contained
10 bottles Of whisky and six bottles OF
GIN. He explained the contraband had
been discovered after suit case, adj
dressed to the former secretary Of Dem
ison, had been found In q leaking cone
dition in the Union Station.
Everett w. Sanders, former secretary
Of President Coolidge and member OF
defense counsel, told the jury In an
opening statement the trunk involved
was not the property of Deniscn. He
said the trunk apparently had been in
adYeEtently switched with trunk full
of dishes Denison had sent TO bis Of
flee while visiting in Panama IS
member Of the Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee Of the House.
The defense attorney explained Deni-
son owned I4-rOom home in Marion.
Ill. He said his client frequently had
purchased dishes in Panama for this
home and the residences of his rela-
ttveS and friends, because they could
be obtained much cheaper there than
In this country.
Express Agents Testify.
Patrick J. Lynch, an express agent.
was the first witness. The prosecution
sought to question him concerning the
leaking SUIT case, but Justice Gordon
excluded such testimony on the grounds
that the suit case had not been mem
toned in the bin of particulars.
Daniel A. Connors, another express
company employe, told Of delivering
the trunk to the House Once Build
ing. Defense counsel drew from Con-
nors . statement that Denison's name
had been traced over on O waybill in
troduced in evidence. Defense attor-
neyS failed to indicate, however. what
they expected to prove by such evil
dence.
Basil N. Quinn, q prohibition agent
from New York, testified he was present
when the trunk was forced open in
Denison's ONCE. He was unable to
positively identify the numerous bottles
Of whisky which Government counsel
sought to introduce in evidence.
Personnel of Jury.
The personnel of the jury is: Cyril
e. Albrecht Of 1710 B street northeast,
insurance agent; Samuel B. Allen of
140l Columbia road, shipping clerk;
Dorsey B. Beane of 1908 Alton place,
manager: Howard Haynes, 100 Law
renee street northeast, no occupation
listed; Mrs. Anna Penn, 1853 Irving
street, housewife: j. Charles Callahan.
4507 Fifteenth street, jeweler; George
T. Collins, 4124 Fessenden street,
manager: Frank S. Goldman, 1911 Law
renee street. clerk: Mrs Cecilia Fitz-
gerald, SCOT P street, housewife: Mrs.
Anna Cannon, ITO Alabama avenue
southeast, housewife: Miss Margaret A.
Graham, 6l9 Webster street, bookkeep-
er, and Andrew w. Kimmell, 14fS Web
Ster street q secretary