JURY MUST BELIEVE
IN DEATH PENALTY.
MEN WITH CONSCIENTIOUS
SCRUPLES ARE EXCUSED.
Panel of Forty-Seven From Which
to Select Jurors to Try James
Sharp Secured -- Trial
Begins Tomorrow.
James Sharp, the Adam God of the religious fanatics' riot in front of the city hall December 8 last year, will go to trial Friday morning in the criminal court on the charge of murder in the first degree for the killing of Michael Mullane, a patrolman. There were killed, or died from wounds inflicted in the street battle at Fourth and Main streets, Policeman Mullane and A. O. Dalbow; A. J. Selsor, a bystander; Louis Pratt, a member of the Sharp band, and Lena Pratt, 15-year-old daughter of Louis Pratt, who was shot and killed in the raid by the police on the houseboat in the Missouri river where the fanatics lived, shortly after the slaughter in the streets.
Sharp, though wounded in both hands, gained the open country and was captured on a farm between Kansas City and Olathe, Kas. Although informations charged him with the death of Dalbow and Selsor also have been filed against him, his trial if for the killing of Mullane.
MUST APPROVE DEATH PENALTY.
It was nearly 6 o'clock last night before the last of the forty-seven jurors had been selected. Of these the defense will strike off twenty and the state fifteen. The remaining twelve will compose the jury. Eighty-six on the panel were examined before the requisite number was secured. In fact, so fearful was Judge Ralph S. Latshaw there would not be enough jurors that he had more names drawn from the wheel Tuesday. The men last named were summoned Tuesday night and yesterday morning. They were excused until next Monday as soon as the Sharp panel had been completed.
Four jurors who said they had conscientious scruples against the inflictions of the death penalty were excused by Judge Latshaw, who cited a recent decision of the Missouri supreme court in support of this stand.
ADAM WRITES TO LATSHAW.
Deprived of the companionship of his wife, Adam God, as he styles himself, sat quietly in court yesterday. He alone is on trial. Facing the east windows, unaccustomed to anything but the dim light of his cell, Sharp time after time pressed his handkerchief to his smarting eyes. Twitching eyelids betrayed his nervousness. Whenever an attempt was made to start a conversation with him, he quoted scripture and spoke of revelations he had or of revelations that were to come. He did not offer to interrupt his attorneys.
Nevertheless, Sharp apparently believes he should take a hand in the proceedings. At the noon recess he handed Judge Latshaw this note, which, spelling and all, is here reproduced:
"Judge, y our honor, I pray you when it comes my time to testify for myself I pray you pleas hear my umble testimony with patoins. Amen. JAMES SHARP."
"You shall be heard at the proper time, Mr. Sharp," said the court.
