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WE»iN«trBurlington, Jan 12.— Twelve proviatontl juror* had been elected thi* morning to hear the cam of John K noblock, Coffey county farmer, charged with the murder of hia wife lait Memorial day. ,.After the 12 men had been selected the attorneys started work to weed out ■hose men whom they believed might lack the neces-jary qualitito of open-mind-idnesa and strength of judgmentThis la dona 1y * peculiar challenge, called the peremptory Challenge. . The ordinary chat' lea so for caua* la made -only when a lawyer making It can show some reason to the court why the Juror la disqualified- In the peremptory challenge the lawyer does not hare to give any reason. The. defence la allowed 12 peremptory challenges and the state 13 allowed star. A peremptory challenge automatically. remove* a Juror from service. *Although a pro visional Jury of 12 has been selected, the final Jury is by no means selected. Several or all of the provisional 12 might be thrown off by the peremptory challenges.The first, man to he examined this morning was W. T. Pollock. He passed both the deTense and the state., Owen Bamuel, defense attorney, uskert Pollock If the tact that Knobloek had said that he could, not get a fair trial 1n ■Coffey county had prejudicad him to any way. Pollock answered In the negative as did the other 11 provisional Jurors. Pollock, was passed.The first peremptory challenge was by the state, which removed T. E. Lewis, of Lebo, from tbe jury box., C. Bhotweli was the next Juror called. He said that he lived 12 miles southwest of Burlington, and that he did haTe an opinion on the case but that he did tot have one now. Owen Samuel asked him heatedly If he had any reason for wanting to serve on the jury- and Fred Harris, stats attorney, protested, charging that Bamuel was arguing with the Juryman rather than questioning him; The court sustained Samuel but the questioning was resumed more quietly After it lengthy ova m(nation Shot-well was given a peremptory challenge by the defense.Tho first Juror called from a new panel, ono of men from districts remote from tho vicinity of the murder, was H. U. Christnan, of l.eTloy. Ho wits passed by all.Tho next peremptory challenge was made by the defense against ' V. B'.atr, of Burlington. The next Juror called J, 8. Suts-■tuy, who live* S mile* nmiiheRat. of Burlington. He said he iiad nn opinion and that it would require tho testimony or tbe defendant to change It. He was chat-longed by the defense. John Hark was called next unit after he said he hod nn opinion, tic wus paused by tho defense and tho state.Court then adjourned until I:!.’) o'clock this afternoon.When court adjourned Monday evening, 11 of the dor.en jurors had been selected. They were: K. E. Bnker, of Letloy: J. V. Blair, of Burlington; Rny Cox, of Le-Tloy: M. E. Corbin, of Neosho I own aliip; Frank Decker, of Neo-•ho township: K. W:Ellis, of Lebo: Frank lilies, of Otlnmna; Oliver Kelly, of Ottumwa: U. L. Reaver, of Hnnipion township; T. E. I#Sw-In, of Lebo, and C, W. Strickland, of Burlington.WJt.h the exception of Btatr, hn is a cnrpetiter and contrac-lor. and Lewis, who keeps a ge«-ctal Btoro in Leho. 1t Is a jury of farmers. These 1 i. man were selected out of about SO men *s-nlncd.Tho first man to quaUIv van Frank Hlb s, a fsrmer from : Ottumwa touuship. who apparently understood completely the- legal phraseology in which tiii questions were put. and who returned r and prompt nnswers to them, cross exam Inn linn at IhC hands of tho attorneys was followed with attention by the pros* 'pcciivc jurors, who had Mot been ■examined, and his clear answers | n ml ou lit a d!y helped them to grtittp i the questions when they wore put !to them., Hllen testified that he lind not italked with any of the witnesses, 'and could giro Knobloek an im-: partial hearing, uid would assume | his Innocence until he was proven iguilty. He also said that he un-! demood that in coses whore the ! evidence of the state was entirely ! circumstantial, the burden of ! proof was upon tho stato to eatah-J Hah beyond reasonable doubt each jlink In the chain of evidence, j The next three Jurors, profiting i by HUea’ answers, were passed in I quick succession. Hay Cox. a 'i (armor living near LeRoy, testified ;thnt he knew the Moxtngoa. relatives of the murdered woman, and beard ncraoo* Ul^rnns the ! murder case, hut (said that he had ' formed no opinion, and that If he j was not convinced beyond ill rca-• con a tile doubt, he would hold out, icvon though all the 11 other jurors disagreed with him.I Frank Decker, who lives five i miles southeast of Burlington, j testified that be also knew the Mo-ulngos. having become acquainted j frith John Moringo when be was ■ working on the road. 1T« wo? passed by attorneys for the state ! and for the defense.E, W. Kill*, who lives west Of (Burlington, ~a* passed by the• state and by the defense after ‘a lengthy examination by 0%lt;n iSamnti to ascertain tf he were related to any of the principal! ina iMk tirtr. MtMd HI at Mi Um to M MU u itlito tot m'm #*on toto «• tto cam mi.Ha waa ctattoMpd hr 4af*BM law-yara haeaaaa to tod toe* lt;U«-c bare ad for ml—ondnat aa a Juror in a ynytoto triaL. O. W, Huff a waa a itslal juror, rfa- taatlBatl that, bo had to« it the Kaoblock farm the Sunday aft-•r tit murder, from boon “until about. chore' time/' end when naked If he had. heard *s opinion oa tha cake, said be would “Ilk* to see the man who.hadn’t, psqrd nt K.‘*. H* Bhowed a ftrokfr tendency to volunteer more In formation than the lawyers wanted and was admonish«d for it ■ once by the court. He. finally waa challenged UJid relieved Of Jury duty.J. C. Johnson, 'bf .Leltoy. also wa* promptly relieved from Jury service when tb« first few question# of the defense attorneys un-covered.fTstrong bias on hie part against circumstantial evidence.August Lowe, who Jlvec-three miles oonth of Alleertlle, atated that he did not know- any of the Knobloek or Moziuge families and never Jiad talked to any of the witnesses. He was ' ‘ challenged, however, by the defame wften it developed that he had at one time held an opinion bnt lator had aban-doutd it. The Judge did not sustain the challenge until it. was Khown that he hai^^dlcregarde't certain inatructions' teal led to him when i;7 was notified he had bcsn' drawn t»ir- Jury service,'by disclosing. the case after receiving tte instructions. 'At this juncture the defense lawyers asked all witnesses. previously passed if they find any objection. to accepting “bloodhound evidence. All of thom answered In tho negative and none was Challenged.Oliver Kelly, who Hve^six miles north of Burlington, said ha had an opinion on tbe case last sum-mtr but had abandoned It when he learned of the attitude of John Moilngo toward the'case. He was passed by’both sides,E. JS. Baker, who. lltst; near Agricola, was passoc) after a short examination.Roy H. Baker, who lives two and one-half miles south of Le-Roy, waa excused when he said lie had formed an opinion on the case, which woilld require evidence -to remove.Of all the msn examined, JSii* geno-Keevcr was most glib in his answers, appurenMv understanding all qneBtiom the first time they were put to him. He said that he had heard many opinions, that they were all one way, but that ho bad no fixed opinion on the cage himself, lie salt! that members of bis family held decided opinions, but that bo had not discussed tho matter with them, since lie bad been drawn for Jury service. He was pnsacd after an extended examination.G. Z- Blair, of Burlington, who gave lils occupation as a decorator. was passed after he stated that he bad not discussed tho case with nnyoue in a position to knoiv the facts.J. A. Draper, a barber at Grlrt-ley, stated he had formed and expressed an opinion which would require evidence to remove. He Mid, however, that bo thought he could serve as a juryman, an opinion not shared by the attorney for the defense, who promptly challenged him.T. IS, Lewis, who keeps a general Btoro at Lebo, said he had at one time held an opinion hut had none now. having decid'd thst most of what he had heard was. rumor. He was passed.^O. C, Applegate, of Stfhwn, confessed to an opinion ninde. he fiald, entirely on rumor. His hesitation before answering the questions as to whether he hud *■ prejudice ngainst circumstantial evidence probably was. responsible for his dismissal from jury service.John M. Mattox, a farmer who lives near Burlington, waa bothered by tho moaning of the phrase “reasonable doubt/' His difficulty to understand the question pat to him, led to the challenge by tbe ttorncys and the court.H. H. Prior, of Ottumwa, said ho had attended the preliminary hearing and had formed an opinion. lie was promptly challenged.D. IV. Strickland, who lives scuMiwcst of Burlir.'rton, admitted that he had discussed the c**e with his family and said he h«d no opinloifon it. HC said ho knew of no reason why he should not serve as a juryman, aoido from th« fact that ho was slightly deaf-He was passed unchallenged and promised a front seat in the Jury box.Ghnrlcs Atkinson, who lives cart of Lclio, said ho had nn opinion, gathered largely from reading newspaper accounts of the case, which ho thought would ylidd to f;viilrncc. When he said, linwever, tlmt ho would in si ft on hoar mg tho testimony of the defendant, hi wns challenged and excused trom duty.Jt was almost 6 o'clock when court adjourned. Tho amount of time taken to select n jury was much shorter than hail been estimated. From the nature of the questions asked the jurors, two facts concerning the trial art fairly well established. The first fact. Is that attorneys* for the defense probably will not allow* their client to testify, Tho second fact Is that tho state's case probably has not changed fundament ally rlt;tncn tho preliminary hearing, November S. The evidence at that time wns circumstantial. Tho lawyers practically admitted Monday that the evidence they now have against Knobloek s purely circumstantial. Lawyers for the defense were much inoro painstaking in their exanvnntion of jurors than were the Mate's lawyers This was necessary because of their belief that a prejudice exists in Coffey county ogains) their cl Ion t, which tiny Mated wltcn they asked for « change of venue several weeks ago. Examination of Jurors was left almost entirely in ihe hands of Joe Ralston, of Burlington, for the stale and Owen Samuel for the defense.Tto uiievtet to*mtided betveea HsUkk,Grid 1*7 Light, wto v« ***** 1 a bj«k Md whit# cheeked gad Jokt Knobloek, wtoee tontUr trimmed heir, etoefsUy KWH clothes e*d well-tailored Wrtrt easily would need him lt;Wan assistant lnttmetor of ecotoo-let at a . aslfsslt?,1Burlington it doing t* hsrt voportionately for He ftnwto inti ts Day ton, Tenn., did for its evolution trial. The mayor hit not yet hung out liege along R«o-oho street, bat there etlll ie unglc time. The coart lobby it feetOonsd vflth neatly p: bated eigns, redding: “When in Doubt, Ash a BnM-Iff.’*''.There are four of them,, O. B. Richardson, of (Iridley; •** G.. Wllllama ahd Wilae Barrel of Burliugtoti, and Tib Horrell/ of Strnwn. Tbeee officials lejolee in broad silk ribbons stretching from the Bterasm to the cep ter OftB* abdomen reading, BAILIFF/* -.The hotels of BhrlUiftoB ) comfortably filled with attorn*y« and witness*#. .Thq farmers and townspeople tiummoned for jury service were highly itnpreeeed with the pomp and ceremony of the occasion and the high mooting talk of lawyer*. All the proapective Jurorsshowed up with fr«*h haircuts and retrained from spitting as muchhb possible,..This unusual countenance was not due to any lack of forethought qn the'part of officials of Coffey county.. During dull moments of the trial, hettlng ran high at the press table, aa to which' of the prospective Jury Mien would spit'next.The W. R. C. of Burlington served a pinto lunch during the noon recess Monday.One LeRoy woman wrote to Bay Plerton, county attorney wanting to buy a reaervM seat at the trial.No report of a murder trial Is complete without an. account, of tbe.behavior of the accused man. John Kaoblock | was apparently as much bored us everxona els*. Heblinked nervously all through thetrial, but as he. has beeiL blinking hcrvoualy for the tait Sf years, it is hard to construe this as an indication of Innocence or gullt.-W. L. W.Present Garbage Fctltlon.Emporla’a garbage situation hss become, so acute that restaurant men say they are afraid to do anything for fear they w.U' bo-arrested.Under the city ordinances they cannot have thelf own garbage removed because the city ha* a contract with Charles Evans, garbage collector, who gets all of the garbage after he carries it away. But the restaurant tnen say that EVans docs not carry It away properly. The city also requires thkt all garbage must be carried away and Tf It Is not properly clcanert up and taken away from near cafes and hotels, the proprietors arc subject to reprimand by the state hotel commission^ according to the restaurant men.A petition, asking that they he allowed to take care of their own nnrhnge troubles, was submitted JO the cily commission Tuesday afternoon by a committee of restaurant men, following a meeting of tholr association Monday night. C. L. Woody of the Broadview hotel. Carl Dabbs of the Mlt-Wny hotel, and Gust Pagertss, of tho Topic cate, presented the petition. ‘.At the suggestion of Mayor J. B Hawkins, the commission took Lhe petition for-conslderntion, to give the catc men nn answer next Tuesday.Several weeks ago the commissioners decided to bring suit,In lho district court pgnlnst O. A. Klrkcnrtal). Harry iSwltser. Lot erett Fitts and Charles Evan*, who took the garbage contract Inst spring,’ hut the suit has not heen filed. The garbage company has disbanded and Evans has taken over the contract, hut hi? work hns not been satisfactory, eont mission era have said. Bids were received for a new contract but none'has been let.Many Arc Dellnqnrat.: Now motorcar licenses were due January 1 but at noon Wednesday more than 5,600 motorcar owners had not made application tor tho tatjs. The total-number of applications received at the county treasurer's office at noon w«#::fiS, Three hundred forty-eight licenses wcro for pleasure cars, lb for tvnekh and one for a dealer. Licenses for now car* issued Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning went to: .H. Re ilok or, Olpc, Chrysler sedan.Forest Huff,- Bushotig, Chevrolet touring.Will Finley, 82S Union Fbrd roadster.F. O. Shoemaker, 740 Lincoln, Chrysler coupe.'n,K. Sullivan, Emporia, Chevrolet coupe.I.lr. E’ E. Edwards, Allen. Ford coupe.Clifton Hosterman, - Route 7. Ford touring.James Brown, 1312 Market. Ford roadster.Carl DoLong, rural route, Hudson coach.Support .Ministers’ Attitude.Tho Review club at its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon passed a resolution supporting the attitude of tho Etuporia Ministerial association toward the enforcement of the pool hall ordinance The r.iecilng was held at the homo of Mrs. L, A. Lowthcr, *617 Exv Change,The Ministerial association adopted a resolution Monday favoring the enforcement of the ordinance.Charles Bunion, of Darlington,The Trial Notebook,At the press I able at the trlai weiWthrep men; John Redman owner and special correspondent Of the BurlingtcKTRcpuhlicau; Leoirttorre for Vemn *1 Verna Thompson has bwn granted a divcrre In district coart by Judge I. T. T tardso* from fiiigh Thomp- Itef . ■aider name was resto. „ to her.
Newspaper Details
Emporia Weekly Gazette
Emporia, Kansas, US
Thu, Jan 14, 1926
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Paula W.
CA, USA 05 Mar 2025
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