Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-18
THE ARGUMENTS
In the Bosschieter Murder
Trial at Paterson, N. J.
Defence Makes Strong Plea for Me-
AIister, Death and Campbell.
State Will Close. Today, and Case Will Go TO
Jury. This Afternoon.

the jennie BOSScnieter murder tl1al IL
Paterson, N. j., today, appealed to the
jury. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Ralph Shaw began the summing up for
the state. He claimed that the state
had proven its case and that its every
contention had been sustained. He de-
nounced the accused who, he said, had
taken the girl out to her death like a
dog. He demanded that the jury rem
der such n verdict as the law and evil
dence demanded, one of guilty in the
highest degree.
Then ex-Judge Francis Scott lead in
the summing up for the defense He
was followed by City Counsel Michael
Dunn. Their addresses We're very
similar. They declared that no case
had been made out. They ridiculed the
expert testimony and branded the
hacl1man. Sculthrope. as a man OF the
lowest type and of the basest motives.
EX-Judge Hoffman Will conclude for
the defense, tomorrow, and Prescott
ing Attorney Emley will then conclude
for the state. 1t is probable that Judge
Dixon will give the case to the jury in
the latter part of the afternoon.
As soon as court opened, Assistant
Prosecutor Ralph Shaw began his sd
dress to the jury. He said that a death
caused in the preparation of felony
constituted murder in the first degree.
I'VE have learned" he continued
that Jennie Bosscheter was not quite
IS years old, and is entitled to the pre-
sumption that she was a virtuouS. hon
est and upright girl. There is no evil
denCe to the contrary. She was indus
trious and healthy. Her physical condi-
ton was such that she must have been
able to take two or three drinks with
out bad effects. We have her in that
condition on oct. is. On the evening of
that day she came down town from
her home at $50 o'clock and was seen
talking to Campbell. one of the de-
PENDANTS. on Main street. She seemed
to be excited. and was heard to say,
No no. in answer to some solicita-
ton or request of Campbells. She went
to Saal's saloon. There she and Camp
bell We're joined by Death.
They had a cocktail. a glass of cider
and glass of beer. There is no Ger
tainty as to which of these the girl
drank. but none of them would have
been likely to cause the death of n
girl like the dead one. Then McAlls-
ter came into the saloon. Was that an
accident with no object in view? Then
there was another round of drinks.
one of the drinks being n pony of
q bsinthe.
Then McAllster joined the three in
the back room and champagne was
served. Then McAllister poured chlora!
hydrate into Jennies glass three times.
She became unconscious and was car
red from the saloon to a hack. Kerr
and Campbell, so as not to attract at
tention. walked up Governor street and
entered the hack near Paterson street.
Then they started with the dying
girl for the lonesome drive along the
Collie road and Rock road, Arriving
at the open place in the roadside, the
girl was lifted from the hack taken
to the blanket on the ground and as
saulted while drugged. so that she
could make no resistance. The details
are too horrible to repeat. The humble
hackman with some sense of decency
refused to participate in the assault.
Those men had no regard for woman
/
was the meanest and lowest type of
assault.
Then the girl was taken back to the
hack. Never a murmur. only n slight
Sroan. Then to the brook where the
girl in her last gasp fell daed. Then
they started for DR.. Wiley's for their
own protection. Then they sought DR.
Townsend. and when he pronounced
the girl dead the hackman wanted to
take her body to her home. The de-
PENDANTS said NO" and ordered him
to drive out again to the place where
they left the body and where it was
found. They laid it down like a dead
dog on the rocks. Those good samari-
tans took her out there to show their
philanthrophy. Then came the exam
ination of the girls body and the find
ing of the choral by DR.. Witthaus.
All the defendants said Mr. Shaw,
We're equally guilty as principals in this
crime. The stories told by defendants
on the witness stand proved a misera-
BILE failure as a defence. Such q de-
fence is worthy of no consideration. 1t
was never told before in court. You.
gentlemen, would never have acted as
they did. Their story is to be weighed
by what they had said before, no mat
ter under what circumstances they told
it. With these facts presented the
state is compelled to ask you, putting
aside all sympathy. in the name of JUS
tice for q verdict of murder in the first
degree
Judge Francis Scott then began the
opening address for the defence. He
said:
The trouble with the states case is
that it is not supported by legal proof
There have been presented some facts
and good deal of fiction. The state is
charging an impossible vrime. From
the moment the accusation was made
it was believed by everybody. No voice
was raised to ask whether we should
not look into it with the eyes of rea-
son: whether we should not look into
the fact. The prisoners mouths were
closed. We must now see whether
these fearful accusations are true. 1t
is an impossibility that you should
have gone to the jury box without pre-
JUDGE and we had to overcome that
prejudice. A man is entitled to be con-
Sldered innocent until he shall have
been proven guilty. Each is entitled to
separate trial. You cannot convict
these men on untrue differences, but on
legal proof. Are these young men
monsters? one would suppose So from
the virulence with which they have