Page:The World's Most Famous Court Trial - 1925.djvu/16

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12
TENNESSEE EVOLUTION TRIAL

A—Well, not directly, I don't believe.

Q—Well, you have an opinion now, at this time, I believe you said?

A—No, sir.

Q—You have an opinion as to how this case should be decided at this time? I believe you said you did have? Did you?

A—I don't believe I did.

Q—Well, I might have misunderstood you. But you haven't, now, any opinion, one way or another?

A—Well, really, I haven't, no, sir.

Q—You haven't?

A—I haven't, no, sir.

Q—You don’t know Mr. Scopes?

A—Do not. Outside of I have seen him here about town.

Q—You have never expressed an opinion as to what you thought ought to be done in this case, now?

A—I have not.

Q—You have a family, I suppose?

A—I have a family.

Q—Are your children going to school?

A—They go to school during school time.

Q—And at this time you haven't any idea about evolution at all?

A—No, sir, I have not.

Q—You don't know what it is, do you?

A—Well, I—I think I know what it is.

Q—Well, have you any prejudice against it?

A—Well, I don’t believe I am competent to say. I understand it well enough; to say I have any prejudice either way—

Q—Well, you know your own mind, and we are entitled to a fair trial, by men who can be perfectly fair. You could tell whether you could be or not, couldn't you?

A—I think I would be fair, yes, sir.

Q—And you would give this man a fair trial, would you?

A—Yes, sir, I would.

Mr. Darrow—Have a seat.


Jim Riley, sworn by the court and examined on his voire dire:

Questions by the court:

Q—Mr. Riley, are you a householder or a freeholder in Rhea county?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—Are you related by blood or marriage to Walter White, the prosecutor, or to John T. Scopes, the defendant, in this case?

A—No, sir.

Q—Have you formed or expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant?

A—No.

Q—And you have no definite opinion about it?

A—No, not anything about the facts at all; no, sir—not only just what I heard.

Q—Just rumor talk?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—You did not talk to any witness that undertook to tell you what the facts were?

A—No, sir.

Q—And you can go into the jury box and try the case wholly on the law and the evidence, disregarding any impression or opinion that you might have and render a fair and impartial verdict to both sides?

A—Yes, sir.

Court—Competent juror.

Mr. McKenzie—Pass him to you, colonel.

Questions by Mr. Darrow:

Q—Mr. Riley, you are a farmer?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—How far from Dayton do you live?

A—Just at the lower edge of town.

Q—You have lived in Dayton—you have lived here in this county for many years?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—Do you know Mr. Scopes?

A—I just know him—I just saw him once—just one time.

Q—Are you a member of any church?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—What one?

A—Baptist.

Q—You have been a member of the Baptist church for a long while?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—Do you know anything about evolution?

A—No, not particularly.

Q—Heard about it?