The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-11
HUGE CROWD Fights
FOR ADMlTTANCE TO
CHICAGO COURTROOM
State Asks Death Penalty for
Woman Physician II She
Is Convicted
DEFENDANT Is COMPOSED
Face Blanches at Talk Of Moose
But Shows no Expires.
sion Of Fear
DEFENDANT is COMPOSED

Criminal Courts Building, Chicago,
Jan. l1.-(P)-The celebrated Wyne-
koop murder mystery went to trial
Thursday with the prosecution ask
ing the death penalty for 62-year-old
DR.. Alice Lindsay Wynekoop, for the
death Of her daughter-in-law, Rheta,
%.
Her features composed but her face
CHASTITY white, Dr.. Wynekoop sat
calmly at her counsel's table. Her
expression did not change when As
sistant States Attorney Charles
Dougherty asked the first prospective
Juror whether he had any scruples
against inflicting the death penalty
If the woman physician were found
guilty.
Nor did she show any expression
except one of intense interest when
Dougherty recounted the charges in
the indictment against .. her. The
prosecutor said the state would prove
that Rheta, talented young yiolinist,
came to her death at the hands Of
her mother -in-law.
Dougherty recounted how Rheta's
body was found In the basement sur
gical room Of the Wynekoop home
last Nov. q. He said he would prove
Rheta died from q bullet wound
through her heart, from an overdose
OF chloroform, or from q combination
Of both.
Near Riot Occurs
A near riot preceded by q few min-
utes the opening Of the trial. The
crowd Of 1000 or more which jammed
stairways and corridors became un-
ruly-pushing and shouting as men
and women battled for preferred po-
sition in line. Finally James E. Ca
briel, chief bailiff. mounted q table
and demanded order.
dissatisfied with the response, he
ordered the building cleared, and
some who had stood in line since Z
a. m. were forced to descend to lower
floors. Gabriel then permitted the
line to reform.
In his questioning Of Edwin j.
Healy, bookkeeper. the first Of the
veniremen, Prosecutor Dougherty re-
vealed the line of attack he planned
to follow In his part OF the jury selec-
ton.
rs there any reason why you
would hesitate to approve death
penalty If the facts warranted it?"
Dougherty asked. The prospective
juror said there wasn't.
Another outbreak Of rioting among
women jammed in the corridors
caused Judge David to shout an order
for the building to be cleared. Extra
deputies again were called and began
evicting court fans, who now num-
bered several thousand.
Building ID Cleared
A court recess was taken until the
building could be cleared, which re-
quired some minutes.
DR.. Wynekoop was 50 weak from
several weeks Of illness that she had
to be carried In a chair to the Grim.
inal courts building from the adja-
cent county jail. However, she walked
into Judge Davids court room, the
Judge having ruled that prospective
jurors might be influenced by seeing
her carried.
Her daughter, Catherine. also q
physician, accompanied her on the
last stage Of the walk to the courts
building.
Exhaustive questioning Of venire-
men by Dougherty indicated 1t might
require several days to complete the
jury.
Each venireman was required to
say whether he might be influenced
by the prospect Of the death penalty,
the age Of the defendant, the rela-
ton Of the defendant and the victim,
DR.. Wynekoops age, her profession,
the appearance OF policemen g Wit.
nesses. or . dozen other phases Of
the case.
Only about las Of tho crowd that
jammed the corridors and filled q
gstairway for three flights Of stairs
were allowed to enter the court. The
afemainder Of the space, about half
Of the high-ceilinged, dark-paneled
court, was filled with veniremen.
II want to get II over WITH" the
A1rail. ailing defendant told Dr.. Fran
cis w. McNamara, physician ct the
county jail where she has been kept
prisoner since making Q confession
which she later repudiated. II am not
afraid"