Evening star., 1944-04-25
|SixJurorsSeafed
Tentatively al
|Sedition Trial
Justice Eieher Denies
Winrod's Motion for
Chunge Of Venue
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

ny OARA EN 0nOOhE SVNE0s
Six jurors were seated tenta.
lively In the jury box today at
the mass sedition trial In District
Court, each still subject to dis
nissal from the case without
stated cause on preemptory
challenge by either side.
These jurors answered satisfac.
torily general questions put by
Chief Justice Edward G. Eicher
which led to the elimination of
more than so talismen on chal.
lenges for cause, mostly for ex-
pressed prejudice.
The long process of selecting a
jury was resumed after the court
denied a motion by Gerald B. VIM
rod, Wichita (Kans) publisher and
evangelist, for change Of venue on
the ground that he and the other 10
defendants could not obtain fair
trial in Washington.
Roosevelt Asked TO Halt Trial.
Winrod's attorneys, Z. Hilton
jackson and John w. jackson, had
cited in the written motion 'sthe
record in the proceedings here and
a newspaper clipping OF today play
ing up letter from another defense
attorney, James ]. Laughlin, asking
President Roosevelt to stop the trial
in the interest Of racial and class
harmony.
The motion sought as alternatives
Ia separate trial for winrod or q
stay Of the proceedings until after
the war.
With a large number Of prespec-
tive jurors in court, Justice Eicher
oyerruled the petition without de-
scribing 1t.
Albert Dilling, attorney for De-
fendant Elizabeth Dilling, asked
that the motion be read or at least
outlined. The court refused. A copy
Of the motion was passed around the
defense tables.
"a Survive Inquiries.
Twenty-four jurors who had sur
vived preliminary inquiries then
were asked series of general ques-
tions concerning their possible re-
lationship or acquaintance with de-
PENDANTS and attorneys and the
reading of books and periodicals
which may figure In the trial.
The "a were all that remained
of SO. who were asked yesterday
whether what they had read and
heard about the case had left them
with an opinion which it would
require evidence to remove. Nearly
SO veniremen expressed such opin-
ions and were excused yesterday
afternoon.
ColonePs Wife Qnestioned.
The first OF the ve,ire to be ques-
toned closely by Justice Eicher was
Mrs. Emma Ravens Case, 5442 Broad
Branch road NV, wife OF q colonel
on the Army general stan.
Mrs. Case explained she was q
substitute teacher Of physical train
ling in the District schools, Sunday
school teacher and q Methodist.
She Is a graduate Of the University
of Michigan. She said she was not
a member of any secret society or
affiliated with any political organi-
zation. She said she had never
voted.
"Are you a partisan OF the present
national administrations" Justice
Eicher asked.
mo, think not" Mrs. Case said.
When Mrs. Case admitted she
might have a degree of prejudice
in the case because of her hus-
bands position, several defense at
torneys challenged for cause. The
court denied the challenge after
developing from Mrs. Case that she
could decide the case solely from
the evidence. .....-
Efforts to Disqualify Her Fail.
Defense counsel made determined
efforts to disqualify Mrs. Case, and
the court questioned her more
closely.
81 do not know whether the de-
PENDANTS are guilty or innocent, :"
she said finally II am not familiar
with the evidence. I believe could
decide 1t on that evidence"
| She was the first juror to be
seated, but still is subject to per-
emptory challenges.
George c. Draper. a parking lot
owner of 511 F street NV, became
the second juror so seated, although
he said he would rather not serve
on the jury" He expressed no
prejudice.
Justice Eicher refusd to disqualify
another juror, Charles A. Gartner,
1905 Quesada street NV, employed
by the Interstate Commerce Com.
(See SEDITTON, Page A-6.)
hlIioe Mouinn Tvonne