The morning call., 1893-10-05
HELD FOR MURDER
DR.. Vests Examination
Is Concluded.
THE ADMISSION ADMITTED.
Annie Staley-West Not Allowed by
Her Husband to Testify-NO
Defense Offered.


charge OF numbering Ada r. Gilmour came
TO an abrupt conclusion yesterday before
Judge Conlan in Police Court 2.
After eliclting all which the prosecution
had to bring against the defendant, the de-
fense offered no testimony aud moved to
dismiss the charge. This was denied and
the prisoner was then formally held to an
swer the charge of murder before the Su-
perior Court.
The principal features of the hearing
were the introduction Of the famous "con-
fession" by Dr. West, the statements of
Mr.. Brown in regard TO two mysterious
visitors who called upon Miss GilmOur at
the Elmer House and lastly, the failure on
the part of the prose ecution to adduce the
testimony of Annie West (nee Staley) on
the ground that her husband objected to
the testimony of his wife at this period.
There was the usual array of legal talent
and sghtseers in the courtroom when the
case was called.
The first witness was Thomas Brown of
214 Bush street, the keeper of the Elmer
House. He testified that Ada X. Gilmour
left his house on the I'd ult.
Under cross-eXamination the witness
said some of her letters came addressed to
Miss Regent Gilmour. On one occasion
young man came in in great hurry. be-
tween and o'clock in the morning OF the
I'd ult. He claimed to be brother OF
Miss Gilmour. He was about % or 80 years
of age, and had reddish blonde mustache.
He gave no name and the witness dld not
know who he was. He evidently knew
Miss GiImour's room and called there. re-
naming half an hour. He said lie was
going to "catch a boat" A second time
he came, saying he had missed his BOAT,
ard remained an indefinite period. Ihe
witness did not think he would recogn lze
this man; His .overcoat collar was turned
up, which partially obscured his features
He was FIVE feet eight inches, or there
abouts. and slightly roundshouldered. The
hall where he was was dark.
The witness could not say it was Medical
Student Plymire. He had not heard Of
this visitor since.
Miss Gllmour had been little sick In
her room on one day, and had asked the
chambermaid to send down some lea.
That was about two days before she left.
Anna Danielson. chambermaid OF 314
Bush street, testified that she saw Miss
Gilmour freoently between August 2 and
September %. She was sick one day and
complained of her head. only eating once,
and then taking tea and toast. On the day
she I6JL SIG Stculcu Qultc we'll ObC
seemed sick most of the time she was
there, complaining of headache.
The witness had seen two gentlemen
visitors. They came to see Miss Gilmour
separately. Miss Gilmour said the first,
who was dark-complexioned man, was a
friend of hers; the other was light On
one occasion, about week before Miss
Gilmour left, she and The light-com-
plexioned man came in together. He was
not addressed or referred to as ''the young
DOCTOR"
Miss Gilmour ba ad gone out every day.
but not to work, as she went out at the
wrong time to go to work. She had eX-
planned her headache by saving she had
caught cold. The counsel tried to make
the witness tell how often Miss Gilmour
had complained with the evident purpose
of showing that she was sick from an
operation before she went TO Dr. VESTS
house, but the witness was not clear on
this point.
Witness Brown was recalled TO testify
to the dates of Miss Gilmour's soiourn at
the Elmer House from the register of the
house. The defense desired to ascertain
whether Miss GiimOur stayed at the house
previous To August this year, especially in
the months of March and April The
examination of the books consumed long
time and finally the witness announced
that he could fnd no entries Of Miss Gill
0uf D name during LuOSc Two uOHlUs.
When Mrs. Austin WAS recalled Attorney
Wilson arose and made a statement re-
garding the alleged confession" Hs
said since the prosecuting attorney had
stated this was not confession" but an
admission he withdrew his objection to its
Introduction.
Mrs. Austin was then invited to state all
that occurred on the 18TH nlt. at DR.. Vests
Office. She said Mr.. GilmOur had been
present and begged the doctor TO tell what
had become of Miss Gilmour. assuring him
that he would not hurt him.
The doctor said. "She is dead"
"Mr. Gilmour asked, where is the
body?'
'Dr West said, that was her head found
at Lime Point
"Mr. Gilmour said, where is the rest of
the body?'
DR.. West said, I gave it to two medica
students. am glad l told you; 1 have
been almost insane about this matter; /
could not eat or Sleep"
The doctor had not offered any reason
for his having given the body to medical
students.
Under cross-examination or the witness was
certain DR.. West Sad said that that was
positively Miss Glmour's head which had
been found at Lime Point; he had not said
that is probably" or possibly" the head.
John Gimour, Miss GImour's father,
was recalled and corroDorated the testi-
moDy Of the last witness AS to DIR. Vests
confession or admission. The witness was
overcome with his painful recollectionS.
DR.. West had told him Miss Gilmour had
died in the room adjoining his Office on
September 9 of spinal meningitis. The
doctor said he had not crushed in the skull.
That had been done by the head being bat
tered on the rocks. The witness said the
doctor had declared he had burned Miss
GiImour's trunk and burned her hair that
the rings had gone with the body. He had
disposed of these things in order that the
matter might not be traced. He had given
no reason for giving the body to medical
students. He did not say who the medical
students were.
In answer to the defense the witness
said DIR. West had not declared the head at
Lime Point might probably" or "pos-
sibly" be Miss Glnour's head. The doc
tor had positively asserted that was her
head. The doctor had said that he had
been very careful to destroy every possible
clew to Miss Glmour's identity.
Prosecuting Attorney O'Keefe then
called for 'Miss Annie Staley" For a
long time Mrs. DR.. West refused to move
and finally on being pointed out ascende ed
the witness stand and gave her name as
HAnua West -