The Washington times., 1936-12-09
MAXWELL GIRL
CONFIDENT AS
TRIAL OPENS
CONTINUED from Page u

OF ClG QSI1al Oh LLllS 1uLludLlCIGoA
right, Miss Laughlin argued.
Women are branded with in
feriority" by Virginia law, Miss
Laughlin asserted, and held that
the Supreme Court ruling that
colored persons should be placed
on jury lists made it mandatory
that women also be called for jury
service.
The commemorative attorney
said the court of appeals already
has ruled there is no merit" in
this argument.
Overruled Again
Declaring he had listened to her
argument with interest" Judge
Carter declared that following the
letter and the spirit of the law"
he must overrule the motion.
Following this, the jury panel Of
70 men from the mountain sec
tionS of the county, close to the
Kentucky border, was called into
the courtroom, and the task of
selecting jury started.
The courtroom was packed to
capacity, with scores of persons
standing around the walls.
The young teacher arrived here
late last night from Richmond,
where she has been staying since
abe was released on $4,000 bond,
and went to the home of relatives
where she will stay during the
trial.
Miss Maxwell Confident
Declaring she is confident that
this second trial will bring her
Vindication, she said:
"If there is justice 1 will be
acquitted. l am innocent of this
charge, and / have faith that l
will be freed"
But a hard legal battle looms
before her. commemorative At
torney Fred Greear who directed
the court fight that convicted
her a year ago has summoned
= number of new witnesses.
And in his second attempt to
send the teacher to prison he
will be assisted by two other
attorneys engaged by members
Of the Maxwell family.
Lee Skeen, who married a
sister of the slain man. and
other members of the family, en-
gagged the two Wise attorneys, O.
M. Wears and Louis Mccormick.
Skeen is former sheriff of the
county and now deputy United
States marshal.
In the ranks of defense coun-
sci is a new face, Charles Henry
Smith, washington and Alexan-
dria attorney who will direct the
fight to win freedom for Edith.
But among the mountain folk
in this lonely mining region, close
to the Kentucky border, there is
feeling that the Importation of
q "city lawyer" is not a good
move. There is resentment in
some quarters about the coming
Of a foreigner" to these parts.
New Judge on Bench
On the bench as court opened
was also a new face. Judge H. A.
w. Skeen, who presided at the
first trial, disqualified himself on
the ground he is a distant rela-
tion of the Maxwell family.
Governor Peery then named
Judge Ezra T. Carter, veteran
jurist from Scott County, to pre-
side. His first action in this case
came several weeks ago when he
denied a motion for change of
venue.
Smith argued that it would be
impossible for Edith to obtain a
fair and impartial trial in this
section, but the judge ruled
otherwise.
It was believed, however. there
might be difficulty in obtaining
q jury, so high is the feeling over
the case, and if this panel is ex
hauSted the sheriff will have to
go into adjoining counties in
search of jurymen.
Edith herself will again take the
witness stand, Smith announced
and tell the jury her simple story
how she struck her father with
her slipper when he attacked her
after she had returned from a
dance to which he had forbidden
her to go.
Many Witnesses
The defense has summoned
close to 40 witnesses. but will de-
pend on her story and the cor
roboration of her mother, Mrs
Anna Maxwell. under indictment
as an accessory, and her 13-year
old sister, Mary Catherine.
In presenting his case, Greea1
has summoned 40 witnesses, anc
1t is believed the case may &C
over into next week.
Wise, normally a quiet little
mountain mining community
was crowded with visitors as the
case opened this morning. The
English crisis was forgotten here
with the Maxwell trial of para
mount Importance.
In front of the court house
were parked automobiles of an
Cient vintage, buggies and wagons
as the curious flocked to hear the
second trial of the most senSa
tional case in this part of th(
world in many years.
The trial has resulted almost
In a family feud.
The MaxWells are crying fol
vengeance while the DotSonS-MrS
Maxwell was a DotSon-are sup
porting Edith and have rallied tt
her defense.