The Washington times., 1895-03-14
He MURDERED LENA GROSS
James Travers Will Claim That
He Was Insane.
JURY HEARS THE EVIDENCE
They Went Into the Woods Together-He
Knocked Her Down with Club and Left
Her Lying on the Ground-Hearing Her
Groan He Returned and Cut Her Throat
to End Her Suferings.

An imaginary black dog and two photo
graphs of the murdered woman as she lay
at the morgue were features in the trial OF
James L. Travers for the murder of Lena
Gross, which began before Judge Cole
yesterday. The dog is likely to reappear
as hallucination of Trsvers' and proof
of unsound mind, for insanity, it is under
stood, VIII be the defense
The government is represented by District
Attorney Birney and Assistant Attorney
Jeffords.
Ex-Congressman Alonzo Hart, of Ohio,
and Mr.. Alex. Wolf, appointed by the
court, appeared for the defendant.
Mr.. Birney briefly stated the circum-
stances OF the finding OF the body of Lena
Gross in Cronin's woods, back of the Rob-
inson place, near Brightwood, on Noyem-
ber 10 last, and the facts showing that
she was killed by Trayers, with whom she
had been living. The defense reserved
their opening address to the jury.
Eighteen witnesses were examined yes
terday for the government, and the case was
practically closed for that side, though
one or two more witnesses may be called
this morning. Deputy Coroner L. W.
Glazebrook may be recalled. The de-
fenSe objected yesterday 10 his testimony
as TO a confession by Travers, but, il
needed, his testimony may be admitted.
HOW THE BODY WAS FOUND.
The first witnesses, Henry and John
Darling, testified that they found the body
Police Ambulance Driver j. II. Oliver said
he brought the body to the morgue. All
three testified that they saw bloody
wound filled with leaves on the wOman's
neck and a pool of blood on the ground
Dr. Glazebrook testified that he was
called to perform the autopsy on No
vember 90, and before he began had pho
graph of the woman taken as she had been
laid out by the police. When he fin
ished the autopsy he had taken another
photograph of the body.
These photographs were offered in evil
dence but the defense objected. Mr..
Birney did not press their admission
but said if he needed them he would ask a
bearing on their admissibility. Sue pho
tographs have rarely been offered in muir
der cases here
A. NJ. Matthews testified that he saw
Travers and the woman going along the
road towards Mrs Robinson's about a.
N. on November 19.
Charlie Mattingly, a bright boy, twelve
years old, said he went at half past seven
that morning to LOOK at two box traps
he had set in Cronin's wood He met
TTavers who came out of the thcket
from tue Objection of the groans which he
had previously heard Travers said
Mrs. Robinson had sent him 10 cut some
poles, but he Couldn't find any. Travers
had nothing to cut poles with.
They came together to the road in
front of Mrs Robinsons. TTaveTs call
ed his attention to big black dog, but he
didn't see any dog When he left TTav-
ers he walked up the road
NO." he said quickly, Il ran
COULD SEE NO DOG.
Policemen speare, Brown, Montgomery,
and Kenny testified as to the capture of
Travers and his confession that he had
quarreIed withthe W womanw he n nshefollowed
him into the wood and asked him for money.
She had a razor and abused him. He said:
Yes, you've killed one man; now l sup
pose you'll kill me-"
He knocked her down with club and left
her lying on the ground groaning. When he
had gone a little way he could not bear TO
think of her suffering, and went back,
found her razor, and cut her throat He
told how lie had hid the razor. her hat, his
clothing, etc. and they went with him
next day and found the things as stated
Sarah BRYAN and James Bryan testified
that Travers had said to them that when
he got through with Lena nobody would
want her. He could not leave her because
he couldn't live without her. He would kill
her and himself. Ada and Peter Branson,
with whom Trayers and the woman lived,
said they had never quarreled much.
Mrs Robinson testified that she en-
ployed Travers, and Robert Savoy that
Trayers had borrowed his hone to sharpen
a razor