The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-09
MRS.L. f. ALEXANDER'S DOOM
sr,rrvcrD 10 4 FELON'S CELL ron
IIIEON 1 TERDTCT or MURDER

...nd Deuree. Tor 0nptt'ltN ~ tN Rll-
-, s,uttrrtur Snch-. UrniVatic Speo-
-. I'm ,n, Court Room IN bridgeport.
y,.,,,,vporr Conn. Nov. s.-Whcn Lorcna
alexander took her seat in tho court room
a.. morning her immobilc features wore palc
sn1 passionless in expression. Her brown
',T was wrapped about her white straw hat
,ph the rel rose upon 1t. She let her faded
S,,b shawl fall from her shoulders. disclosing
ok sacque which set over black alpaca
j-.s. Her case looked gloomy but her senior
sunset had yet to speak before 1t went to the
an All OF the seats in the room were occu-
red by men and women eager to watch her
during the last day Of the trial. and to listen. II
rmight be-, 10 the verdict Tho women wore in
the majority. Beside Mrs. Alexander on her
left sat her mother. 65 years OF age. and dressed
in mourning. On her right sat her daughter.
Mrs hartman Of East Haddam. Mrs. hartman
held in her arms an infant one year old. 1t was
seroup comprising four generations
Mr. Thompson Il n slow. careful, unimpas-
stoned speaker. He reasoned through the case
from beginning TO end forgetting nothing. and
making his meaning clear al every point. He
apparently felt that the Jury were not with him.
With brief in hand he began by admitting that
the body found was that Of Suffering JACK. al
though he maintained that there was no posi-
H.
story there was no proof that he came to his
death through criminal agency. Tho state had
not he said. made out its case outside Of her
confession. Her only proven ass stance In the
crime was her handing 60 Basscit the bottle Of
ebloroform which he poured upon the sponge
held under jacks nose. That action 81 hers
WIS not denied. but 1t was an action performed
under coercion. She stood in abjcct fear Of
him. She said he looked liIo a wild beast. IA
we'll he might. The person who committed chat
crime must have looked like u demon. What
woman could have stood by and looked at him
and not have been alarmedY II was all well
enough for the States Attorney Mr.. Olmstead)
tostaul In court and critcise her action. She
SAYS she was wild and crazy. There stood Bas-
set. throwing the body about and cursing. II
she had wanted to conceal any part OF her
action from sense IL guilt. what need
was there that she should tell that she hand
eli him the bottle? The disclosure OF the
crime was made in an agony Of mind. The
man she had loved had entered her house in
her absence aud had sold of her household
furniture. She was enraged. and could no
longer hold within her bosom the hOrrid secret
thaI had SO lonE oe'h struSkuhE WIN ncr NOR
RI fear Of Bassett TO make itsclt known. Her
fret and only demand mnde OF the officers was
that they should protect her against him. That
There she Sits to-day" continued Mr..
Thompson. poor. weak woman. whom all
the detective aud prosecuting machinery Of the
great State o. Connecticut. aided 10y the Outcry
In the public press. had combined to crush.
she had %, friend; not one to give her even II
At this point Mrs. Alexander's -composure
gave way, and she began TO sob. Mer mother
aud daughter also shed tears.
There was no evidence. tho speaker con-
tnued, Of reconciliation on her part. The first
thing she said on entering the room whore the
murder was committed was. Frank. what are
sou DOING Beyond this. how was It known
.Ret Tie man was net dead before she entered
gwen that choroform will Kill "a man IN from
night WI be. TINT Jack was dead before she
& b baf bo 'e P9oF SssSnSS nj n@d
bad She committed; When Bassctt bought the
| ehloroiorm Jack was away on cruising voyage
How could they know that he wuu'l return and
fail In their clutches 10 DE murdered! When
tae man had become apparently dead, hnsscil
searched ms pockets aud exclaimed: Well
didn't g't much for this job any way - Did
thM show premedtation Perhaps he meant
tostup,iy him in order to rob him,
Next Mr. Thompson inverted e. the letters In
which she had begged FOR an interview. Thus
IN th" speaker lad avoided all effort nj cloru-
tiers. one 20 C.ty Attorney Holt. ono To- state At
torncy Olmstead, and one To- her mother, hi,
voice WAS carefully modulai"d. uui ndaptrd q
Tue sentiments expressed. Tue reading oi thes'
letters WINS fine stroke for the defense. Nearll
every woman in The court room shed tears ~,
affected. and even Judge Benrdslcy was, appa
r-nty. not unmOved. Tho prisoner herself 81
calm and motionless with her eyes cast on tn,
l0or Under date Of October she had WRITER
10 the state Attorney.
D uoed ;r. come &C. YOU for Justice Ifyou fear God
Is Prank Bas.et has always hat more control over 90,
uan ay other man living before because both ,care,
hm and loved hiil Now what want /, ms. want &,
~ and WA with Frank Bassettu you wall only let me
llay hm on my knees to tell the truth, tha
Lis own hands stnuIej the mans br' ath-n0i mine
~ ~. ieu,h ~. i'aft aii he VIII oW that am
tdFmlN tod "a heaven heip me o. clear my.el
ne a, lga Tsl 10 have mercy shown 10 'oursslf Of
Bc,aa.e lived Viii Frank Bas.ti nv ri.ni. lei me-
t4 am not .gt I" prove my in1oeener my wiioN ed
SAiw tlank bi,eu name ami all the rect that prevent
ts I,H gg'tns w{ innsSsll,e LSt mr pave M, own
tuN I'VE "tl llral iqr ~. anu De- Viii tel the truth
you leime 80 Frank B.sscit before witnesses. ra
I5P's n,s.I trth,' wtYnsed DO let ne. aud tlen
Pep - Oh how haye urayei with Frank uuul
,ni lonorSI tat failed hi. cruel Of Frank Ba,.ctl
w VIZ. ne a9d thsn cast me- into prison. alter nave
hust and mother turned him uut Of hors On
tms lance 10 ltoVe my lunocence. Its wicked
S,s3at "''' A''s' All "' 'u"''''' d" mat fraud
ne letter to the City Attorney aud the letter
81 ns i Iiig'Her lGr' adf published IN IHE Sun
n - similar ia character.
Ihe speaker said lnHr Mrs Aleyander's visit
nDr. Sanford. on which The State had derand-
II $40 prove that she had prrmed.at,al murder
indicated that she had become possessed of q
h,'el lltni and nothing more. Her letters Ia
Ht sanford had nothing 10 DO with her visit.
Ihe{ referred 10 another idea aud one that
III hss uoih III woman brain. This was shown
c y, the A9gHage But even admitting that she
wheelVsc the contents rs well rs wrote them
uTT{ dld not prove a conspiracy 10 do murder
II ine argument lasted until o'clock. and then
III eierss q one hOur WIS taken.
III hM20GlGck the progress Of the case having
o 0Hen nhis known throughout tie city. the
T W. room was drnsey packed and the stair
II Swps lreulhg 10 II were thronged with those
II ny nul no. Yet given up hopes Of gaining
Il tyGog tEroT. ILr Jury had not yet entered and