The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-21

emotion when accused OF the crime, nor
| did he exhibit any signs OF weakness
when confronted with the blood stained
| garments OF his victim. II was some hours
after Gilbert's arrest when the body was
found in Its gruesome grave In the barn
| cellar. The disclosure OF the bloody APP
parel of the little girl In his dressing
| case was the first direct warning that the
| officers received of the commission OF a
heinous crime, though all had strongly
| suspected that murder had been COM
mitted.
The finding of the clothing convinced
the police that the body was concealed
somewhere on the premises. After ran
| sacking the upper portion OF the harm the
searchers proceeded to the cellar, Gilbert
accompanying them. One OF the Officers
| noticed a fresh spot OF earth In the corner
near the dungheap and he proceeded to
| apply his spade. A few turns OF the soft
earth revealed the tiny feet OF the muir
dered child. Gilbert did not finch when
brought face to face with the body OF his
victim. lie put on a hold front and de-
MED in toto that he had anything In COM
mon with the murder of Alice Sterling.
AS he gazed on the pallid face OF his VIC
tim his face never once lost color, while
his feelings seemed compressed in the de-
claration: - am Innocent
The celebrity with which the govern
ment pushed the case from this time on
was remarkable. On April 10 Gilbert
committed the awful crime, on the 18th
he was arrested, on the 10th he was ar
raigned in the local court and two days
later the grand jury, by special sitting,
returned an indictment OF three counts
OF murder against him. His trial began
in the superior criminal court on June
| "a and was pushed with consideration
from the very start. He was adJudged
guilty Of murder in the first degree on
the Friday of the week OF his trial. He
4 a -
ed his fate after a little more than an
hours deliberation.
Lawyer w. w. Doherty, counsel for
Gilbert, filed exceptions, and tho case
was taken before the full bench of the
Supreme Court. Mr.. Dohertv's claim for
a new trial was based on the denunciatory
exclamations of Mrs. Sterling on the wit
ness stand, and insanity on the part of
Gilbert at the time OF the commission OF
the crime. The Supreme Court, after
a careful survey OF the questions raised by
Mr.. Doherty, sustained the verdict OF the
jury and the seal of doom was stamped
deeper upon the murderer. The common
wealth during the trial attacked the in
sanity plea SO thoroughly that Giibert's
clearness of mind was established beyond
a doubt the third Gay OF the trial, and
the defense found itself practically with
out footing. Insanity alone was the
plea.upon which the defence depended
gree. Mr.. Doherty introduced evidence
to show that this dreaded malady existed
| among Gilbert's ancestors, but this testi-
mony, 1t would seem, made no impress
sion on the jury.
The day following his arrest, Gilbert
| told the authorities that he found the
| body at the foot of the cellar stairs, ana,
| fearing arrest, in connection with the
| murder, he dug q grave and buried 1t.
| This was not the act of an innocent man.
| The commonwealth argued that il inno'
cent Of the crime Gilbert would have inn
mediately notified the authorities of his
| discovery. Never was such composure
| displayed by a criminal as that exhibited
By Gilbert throughout the ordeal of his
| trial. His utter disregard for his fate, as
shown by his department., seemed to
strengthen the claim that he was not in
possession OF sound reason. He was the
| same calm, cool Gilbert from the begin
ming of his trial until the officers led him
| from the court room that Friday after
noon, when sentenced, with the hang
| mans seal upon him. Even when the
sentence OF death was pronounced he never
faltered or lost color.
| Gilbert's prison life was exemplary.
From the first until the last day of his
incarceration he never lost heart, but ap-
| parently bore his situation in resignation.
| The doomed mans pluck and for bear
ance throughout his confinement touched
the hearts of all the officials of the
| county jail. He was never heard to COM
| plain, except once when he found fault
with pair of new shoes which pinched
| bis feet. Sheriff O'Brien took It upon
himself to equip the murderer with an
other pair. 1t is said that murderer sell
| dom sleeps. Gilbert was an exception to
this rule, for his slumbets were undis-
turbed and he ate as heartily as any man.
The major portion Of his life in prison
was devoted to the study of literature and
| to reading the Bible and newspapers. He
was never happier than when perusing
the work Of some popular author. His
cell, 81, overlooked the prison yard, and
favored him with sweeping view of the
Charles river and adjoining country. His
sister and his brother visited him as often
as the rules permitted, and his face
frightened and his spirits appeared to
grow light every time they called upon
| him. In q word, Gilbert was model
| pfisoner.