The clerk then read the indictment, which was in the usual form.  It charged Laura Hawkins, in effect, with the premeditated murder of George Selby, by shooting him with a pistol, with a revolver, shotgun, rifle, repeater, breech-loader, cannon, six-shooter, with a gun, or some other, weapon; with killing him with a slung-shot, a bludgeon, carving knife, bowie knife, pen knife, rolling pin, car, hook, dagger, hair pin, with a hammer, with a screw-driver; with a nail, and with all other weapons and utensils whatsoever, at the Southern hotel and in all other hotels and places wheresoever, on the thirteenth day of March and all other days of the Christian era wheresoever.

Laura stood while the long indictment was read; and at the end, in response to the inquiry, of the judge, she said in a clear, low voice; “Not guilty.”  She sat down and the court proceeded to impanel a jury.

The first man called was Michael Lanigan, saloon keeper.

“Have you formed or expressed any opinion on this case, and do you know any of the parties?”

“Not any,” said Mr. Lanigan.

“Have you any conscientious objections to capital punishment?”

“No, sir, not to my knowledge.”

“Have you read anything about this case?”

“To be sure, I read the papers, y’r Honor.”

Objected to by Mr. Braham, for cause, and discharged.

Patrick Coughlin.

“What is your business?”

“Well—­I haven’t got any particular business.”

“Haven’t any particular business, eh?  Well, what’s your general business?  What do you do for a living?”

“I own some terriers, sir.”

“Own some terriers, eh?  Keep a rat pit?”

“Gentlemen comes there to have a little sport.  I never fit ’em, sir.”

“Oh, I see—­you are probably the amusement committee of the city council.  Have you ever heard of this case?”

“Not till this morning, sir.”

“Can you read?”

“Not fine print, y’r Honor.”

The man was about to be sworn, when Mr. Braham asked,

“Could your father read?”

“The old gentleman was mighty handy at that, sir.”

Mr. Braham submitted that the man was disqualified Judge thought not. 
Point argued.  Challenged peremptorily, and set aside.

Ethan Dobb, cart-driver.

“Can you read?”

“Yes, but haven’t a habit of it.”

“Have you heard of this case?”

“I think so—­but it might be another.  I have no opinion about it.”

Dist.  A.  “Tha—­tha—­there!  Hold on a bit?  Did anybody tell you to say you had no opinion about it?”

“N—­n—­o, sir.”

Take care now, take care.  Then what suggested it to you to volunteer that remark?”

“They’ve always asked that, when I was on juries.”

All right, then.  Have you any conscientious scruples about capital punishment?”