The sun., 1902-02-20
BELIEVES BROOKS A SUICIDE.
DIR. WESTON, AS THE RESULT OF
HIS AUTOPSY, WILL so TESTIFY.
Case Against Florence Burns weakening.
Though Brooks's once hoy Tells That
She showed Emotion when lie Told
Moro Delay I'm Getting q Hear
Ing for the GIri-Justice Mayer Now
TO Take the Case on Saturday.

fDg for the Giri-Justlce Mayer Now
10 Take the Case on Saturday.
District Attorney Jerome and Foster l..
Backus. counsel for Florence Burns, who
Is accused of the murder of Walter Brooks
In the Glen Island Hotel last Friday night.
had a conference yesterday. As a result,
they went before Magistrate Cornell and
asked him TO allow them TO transfer tho
case TO Justice Mayer of the Special Ses-
sions, who will have the time to give 1t his
undivided attention. The Magistrate con-
sented and the case will be taken up on
Saturday morning, though IL IL legal
holiday.
It was learned last night that there will
be one witness at this hearing whose testi-
mony may put a new complexion on the
entire case This witness will be Dr:
Weston, the Coroner's physician, who
performed the autopsy on young Brooks's
| body DR.. Weston will go on the stand
and will give testimony tending 70 show
that the man killed himself, Nobody has
believed up to the present that this out
come was likely.
District Attorney Jerome made his first
personal appearance In the case when 1t
| was called For examination In the police
! court Yesterday, Florence DuTnS, a. tooi
and self-possessed as ever, was brought
| over from the Tombs, but did not appear
| In court During the hearing she stayed
| In the Magistrates chambers. Mr.. jerome
| said:
This IS a very peculiar and 2 very serious Li,s
n and we deSs SI 70 not wn
to ind this girl guilty Of this crime. but 10
find just who is guilty OF 1t. .,,. ,r,,,o
In order TO do this We are quito wllng. 70
| placa all the machinery Of the District At
| torney's office at the disposal OF the counsel
for this girl n be thinks that he can clear
The evidence we have before vs. at present
would undoubtedly. II presented 70 crane
| the same time our evidence Is OF suCh
nature that certain thing may he, explalhco
Vfor one shall be very glad IL he IA able 10
| In view OF this II seems only fair that We
should go ahead with an examination OF TINS
our evidence to the Grand Jury until after
There has been considerable criticism Of
| the conduct OF one OF my assistants in thls
| case and so much has been said on the SUI
ject that thou ght 4 only proper that ! should
| We have had a talk and he agrees with me
| that the reports OF these matters have oeeh
due to misunderstanding Of the SaSe, Sa,,sd ana 10
| that no improper practice was lndulsea III
by any one connected with this onice
| IL is clear that suggestions In this case eee
must, come from me and that the counsel iSn Or
| the defence can act on them or not. AS ne
pieases. But want to say that II is the
o lei. N2 oof = sSS
| IL is az much my duty TO show the innocence
| Of an accused person, II that person is inno-
Ssns as and + nave 40 sSss sssued sf my
hearty cooperation IN any line that VIII tehd
| to show that the accused girl Is innocent OF
| crime.
Then on Mr.. Jerome's motion the case
| was transferred TO Justice Mayer. Mr..
Bacllls said that many things tending TO
| show the innocence OF his client had como
to his attention In the last few days and
that while he didn't think those things
should be brought out in preliminary
hearing he would be glad TO produce them
when the case comes up for examination.
! He declined positively 20 state what new
evidence he had discoyered He would
not disclose his hand until the examination,
| he said and he might not disclose IL then.
! This was taken TO mean that IL is the in
| tention of the lawyer 10 ask for the dis
| charge Of Miss Burns without putting In any
! evidence for her at all. Mr.. Backus has
not believed at any time that the case
against the girl was strong enough 10 war
| rant any Magistrate in holding her after
| hearing the testimony.
| Florence Burns did not see her father
and mother yesterday, but an aunt called
! on her, and che also had a long talk with
| MIR. Backus. She went back to the Tombs
after the hearing in court.
| The examination by Assistant District
| Attorneys Schurman and Krotel Of persons
| who have been associates of Brooks and
| tho Burns girl went on all day yesterday,
| but as far as could be learned nothing TO
siren gthen the case against the girl was
| discovered,
John Earl, the clerk Of the Glen Island
Hotel, George Washington, the hallboy who
| identified Florence Burns as the girl who
went 10 the hotel with Brooks on Friday
night and several other employees Of the
! hotel were examined. The register was
also taken down TO the District Attorneys
Office and the signature Wilson and wife
was compared with some business lettors
written by Brooks. The writing appeared
! to be the same.
| Young Cohen, who was Brooks's partner,
said that the name Wilson was undo doubtedy
written by Brooks as he had a peculiar way
! of making w. and this popularity ap-
pears in the name on the register.
| Joseph Cribbens, a boy who worked in
Brooks s Office was examined. He told how
Miss Burns became excited when he men
toned TO her on Friday that number Of
other women called on Brooks.
The gilded Harry Casey, with several other
| hoys OF the same class, also underwent e1-
animation again, but nothing new was got
out Of them. Casey has been willing enough
| M brsg Of the 'conquests' Of himself and
Brooks, but he has persistently refused 10
give any information TO the District At
| torney's Office.
An effort 20 scare Casey was made yes
terday by telling him that he WAS 20 be sent
| 10 the House of Detention. He was also
told that he would have 10 account for his
| own movements on Friday night. After
much argument he agreed 70 DO this. lie
went away with a county detective, ostensi-
bly, 10 60 over the route he travelled last
| Friday night.
Mr., and Mrs Brooks were both at the
| District Attorneys office and made depo-
sitions and signed them. They declined
10 make any statement to reporters, Coro-
I W.t- ' II. Ia A.aVaE.