The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-23
TRIAL OF NANCY GuILFoRD.
Jury Secured and Testimony For State
Begins.

Jury Secured and Testimony For State
Begins.
Bridgeport, March 22.-The trial of DIR.
Nancy A. Gull ford, the mid wife. on a
charge alleging second degree murder
in causing the death of Emma Gin of
Southington, may now be said to be fairly
tegun. When court opened at ten
o'clock this morning, one juryman was
still lacking. Out of an extra panel of IA
talesmen twelve men were examined be.
fore the jury was completed at IL. 80
O'Clock. The trial proper was then taken
up, after few preliminaries by the in
PRODUCTION OF witnesses by the stats
Nine witnesses in all were examined up
TO the time OF adjournment this after
noon. In the main their testimony was
of a technical character dealing with the
finding of the portions of Emma GINS
body IN the yellow Mill pond ana the
various events connected Herewith.
From the spectators stand point the trial
today WAS very tedious All OF the wit
neses were infinitely examined by coun-
gel for the defense and obliged to go into
great detail Mrs. Guilford seemed much
better today and stood the ordeal of the
trial BETTER than expected. She seemed
very nervous, but her health is evidently
improving rapidly.
The court opened on time at ten o'clock
and DIR. Guilford, the accused was on
hand promptly. Her condition was much
improved over that of yesterday, her faue
showing color and her general appear
ance giving indications of greater
strength. r.
The eleven jurors who We're chosen yes
terday were all on hand and an extra
panel of fourteen taiesmen were present
from which the last juror was TO be
named. Twelve men were examined an d
rejected, but the thirteenth, Benjamin
Squires of Monroe a farmer, was named
as the twelfth member of full jury,
which contains ten farmers, one grain
mar chant and q cal penter. 1t was IL. 80
when Clerk Haviland read the indict-
mont under which the midwife stands
charged. Mrs. Guilford, having pleaded
at the January term of court was not
put to plea today, the jurors were prompt
~ sworn and the trial begun.
State Attorney Fessenden addressed the
Jury and outlined the case of the state.
He said that the state will claim that
Emma GIL, who lived in Southington,
found herself in trouble in August last,
and with her lover she came to Bridge
port and entered the House OF Nancy
for the relief by an operation; that then
and there, all the details were agreed
upon and the money was then paid by
her lover and that subsequently other
amounts were paid. That later Emma
Gill, then in good health, left her home
in SoathiDgton and went to the house OF
Nancy Guilford. where she WAS operated
upon and died The body was dismem-
tered and taken in portions TO the Yellow
Mill pond where they were thrown into
the water.
During Mr. Fessenden s address Mrs.
GuiIford watched him clio sely and seemed
to be very nervous. Her face paled pre-
ceptibly several times and she was in
turn watched narrowly by the trained
nurse, Mrs LOCKER, who evidently feared
the prisoner would collapse. A sister of
kmma Gill the victim, WAS also in court
and was much affected. Il. q. Bats, u
photographer, WAS the first witness called.
de identified and explained photographs
of the bridge near where the body was
&c md, of Nancy Guilford's house and
of the carriage in which the body Is al
legged to have been carried to the Yellow
Mil pond. Attorney Klsin for the de-
fence, cross-examined on the technicali-
ties of photographs with reference to the
different appearance of pictures taken
from different view points. Mr.. Klein
filed in evidence photographs taken by
MS OWN pHouoSfaphor VI Aoho" mill
Pond bridge
The second witness was tsn year old
Stephen Kelley, one of the boys who
found the head and legs of the dismem-
bered body on the mud flats. He told in
detail the story of the finding of the
packages; the discovery OF their contents
and the subsequent notification of the
police.
Henry Delmuth, aged nine years, was
the next witness. He WAS one of the
Kelley boys companions and his testi-
mony was in the nature OF confederation.
He was still on the stand at one O'Clock
when the court took a recess until two
o clock.
Upon the opening of court for the af-
ternoon session the boy Delmuth WAS re-
called and his examination continued.
The next witness was John j. Cal
houn, AN FISHERMAN who livsd near the
bridge in the vicinity of Yellow Mil
pond His testimony had to do solely
with the events proceeding and following
the discovery of the parts of the body
Five more witnesses were examined
before adjournment was taken for the
day They were: William Costello, Will
liam 5. Burr, Walter K. Downs Charles
W. Stanwich and Police Officer Burke
Hazel. The testimony of these five men
was simply in corroboration of Witness
of the portions of the girls body and the
subseq uent events. Policeman Hazel
identified the stones that weighted the
various portions of the body, pieces of the
underclothing in which the head and
limbs were wrapped and the rubber oil
cloth which was found about both nor
lions of the dismem bered body He was
still ON the stand, when at {. % d. M,
the court adjourned until ten O'Clock TO-
m, nv m w uorniny