Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-31

-NNN IDih MdItIl III. INtIilltut
has been found guilty of murder in the
first degree, for causing the death Of
Dolly Reynolds.
| New York. March 30.-The trial of
| DR. Samuel J. Kennedy. the Staten Is
land dentist. for the murder of Dolly
| Reynolds. at the Grand Hotel in this
| city, on the night of Aug. Is. was con-
| Guided before Judge Williams. tonight
| The jury in the case retired at ll.43,
after Judge Williams had delivered a
| lengthy charge.
! The prosecution did not submit as
much evidence in the case as had been
expected and the defence occupied but
a single day in putting in its testimony
| before the court. This afternoon was
occupied in the summing up by the
counsel.
| Two affecting scenes took place in
| the court, today, the first when the
| prisoners aged mother, after leaving
! the stand. threw her arms around her
sons neck and had to be forcibly taxi
en- out of the court. and the second was
when the prisoners wife repeated the
| performance.
| The evidence submitted by the pros
ecution was in all respects circumstan-
| tial while the efforts of the defence
were directed entirely to proving an al
ibi and in establishing DIR. Kennedy's
good character.
Judge Williams, himself. in charging
the jury devoted his attention to deal
ing with the merits of circumstantial
~ -,,f. "a iSh
ing motive for the crime. He point
ed out that the testimony of experts
on hand writing forming exhibits in
the case was not necessarily conclu-
sive but that these exhibits should be
submitted to the jury themselves so
that they might form their own con-
customs.
The defence noted Il number of eX-
ceptions in the judges charge.
Mrs. Julia Stayton testified that she
had seen DR. Kennedy on a Staten Is
land ferry boat oiIssthe night of the
murder of Dolly Reynolds.
The next witness was Mrs. Margaret
Kennedy. the mother of the accused.
She recalled her sons going away
from New Dorp. on Monday, Aug. 10,
after his father had gone.
When next after that Monday did
you see your SOM Il next saw him
in his bed at 2.35 o'clock. | went to
bed about $50. l heard my son snore.
got up and went to his room and
put the coverlet over him.
Has he ever been home to you
since?"
No" said Mrs. Kennedy. and the
tears came into her eyes.
She was allowed to leave the witness
stand. She threw her arms around her
son. burst into tears and between her
sobbing KEEP, saying: Il can't leave
you: oh. l can't leave you.
Mrs. Marion S. Kennedy, wife of the
prisoner, next took the stand. She
said she had been married three years
and had one child two years old. She
was shown the Dudley Gideon check
and asserted most positively that the
writing in the body of the check and
in the endorsement was not in the
handwriting of her husband. She
made the same assertion regarding the
slip of paper with the words Re. Max
well and wife" on it, which was found
by the dead body of Dolly Reynolds.
The undershirt found in kennedys
office was shown to her. She declared
it was a garment of her own. She had
left it in a bureau drawer in their
house at New Dorp before going on
visit to Salem. Mass. DR.. Kennedy,
she said. had no clean underwear ana
had to put on hers until he bought
some This evidence was abduced FOR
the purpose of showing the reason for
DR.. Kennedy changing his underwear
in his office, as shown by the prosecu-
ton.
Mrs. Kennedy as she left the stand,
attempted to embrace her husband,
but was led away bitterly crying.
When Mrs. Kennedy was quieted. the
defence announced that it rested.
Charles McKelvey, the New Dorp dfus
Kcnnedy's signature on prescriptions
which patients had brought to his store
to be filed. The signatures were admit
ted as evidence.
Police Captain Price was recalled and
testified to a conversation which he said
he had had with defendants father be-
tween 5 and O'Clock on Aug. /, last:
Did you ask Kennedy the elder II ne
did have breakfast with his son, that
morning. Price was asked.
II did. lie said No. ! did not see nm,
this morning. replied the police cap
In his direct examination. DIR. Kennedy.
senior, had testified that his son entered
the dining room in their home at New
Dorp just as he was leaving for the city
on the morning in question.
Policeman Smith, recalled. testified that
Mrs Kennedy. senior, had told him at
New Dorp that she had not risen before
5 on the morning of the murder.
Detective S. Il. Davis was next called
and denied that Laneham, the elevator
boy in the Grand Hotel had said That
is not the man. when asked to identify
Kennedy in his office Detective Davis
said he had called at 14l Pearl street and
failed to find Simmons. to whom Edward
Ifer, the architect, who, yesterday, gave
important evidence for the defence, re-
ferred to as being his employer. 1t de-
veloped that a $3.50 check, given last June,
to tier by Kennedy and endorsed by
Simmons, is in possession of the prose-
cution AT this stage both sides rested
and a recess was taken.
The court room was crowded to its ut
most capacity when the trial was re-
sumed. The accused sat unmoved and
the cynosure of every eye as Mr. House
began his summing up for the defence
The opening of Mr.. Houses address was
devoted to- an appeal to the sentiments
of the Jury and to depicting the alleged
excellent life led by Kennedy and the
affection in which he was held by his