BECAUSE DEFENDANT IS NEGRO.
Two Jurymen Declare They Could Not
Give Him a Fair Trial.
The state's attorneys had secured a jury of twelve in the criminal court yesterday to try Charles McKenzie for the murder of Everett Washington only after much difficulty. Ten of the panel of fifty-seven were excused because they had scruples against the infliction of the death penalty, and two because they said they were prejudiced against McKenzie because he is a negro.
"I have been reading so much about crimes of negroes recently," said one of the two, Alvis H. Gonnelly, a lumberman, "that I am much prejudiced against them. It will take a lot of evidence, I fear, to prove to me that a negro was not guilty."
