the
Criminal Court building at an early hour on the morning of Friday,
October 25th. It was the opening day of the great trial. Men and women
were wedged together in a compact mass. They were packed solid on the
iron steps leading down from the entrance onto the sidewalk, and out in
the road to the other side of the street. Special instructions had been
given to the bailiffs to maintain order, as well as to eject all
suspicious persons. They made a bold fight for awhile, but when the
doors had been opened they were overwhelmed by numbers. Within a few
minutes every seat in the court room was occupied, and hundreds were
fighting for places to stand. The crowd below pressed upward and it
began to look as though the building would be taken by storm.
Reinforced in numbers, however, the bailiffs made another rally against
the crowd, and finally succeeded in closing the doors. Only those
presenting special orders were admitted for the rest of the day.

THE SCENE IN COURT.

The clock in the court room was striking ten when the prisoners filed in
through the door communicating with the iron corridor that led to the
jail. Ex-Senior Warden Beggs led the procession. Behind him came
Coughlin, O'Sullivan, Burke and Kunze, in the order named. A big bailiff
walked shoulder to shoulder with each prisoner. For a moment the five
men who were about to be placed on trial for their lives appeared
paralyzed as they contemplated the immense throng that had gathered to
gaze at them, and to listen to the opening address in behalf of the
State. Beggs was as white as a sheet, Burke's face crimsoned, while the
faces of the other prisoners turned pale and red by turn. Close after
them came the attorneys for the defense, then those for the prosecution,
then Judge McConnell, and lastly the jurors.

[Illustration: THE JURY.]

[Illustration: THE JURY.]

Each of the twelve good men and true rose in his place and answered as
his name was called. This was the roster:

John Culver, age 43; born in Illinois; father, American; mother, Scotch;
married; real estate business; Methodist Episcopal.

James A. Pierson, 54; born in New York State; parents, American;
married; farmer; no religion.

Charles C. Dix, 33; born in Chicago; American parents; bachelor;
insurance business; Episcopalian.

John L. Hall, 29; born in Illinois; American parents; married;
architectural draughtsman; Methodist Episcopal.

Henry D. Walker, 58; born in Massachusetts