Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-20
BASSETT'S CASE Given to Jury at Two
 O'clock. .'.., ATTORNEYS ARGUE
The Young Man Apparently the Coolest Person in the Court Room Despite the Evidence
 Given by His Pals.

Every seat in the superior court room was occupied to-day, the last one of the trial of Charles Bassett for the murder of Thomas c. Lockwood. when Judge Robinson took his seat on the bench. MT Kellogg began lbs argument without any delay. He said the occasion was most solemn one, solemn to the jury, solemn to the court and solemn to the people Of the state of Connecticut. Counsel for ac- cused, he said, asked the jury to De fair with him and he pointed out mat the state envelopes every accused Wlth a mantle of innocence until he is prov en guilty. The state left nothing un- done for Bassett. he said. It engaged for him a good lawyer, went to great expense to get his witnesses and medical experts. Still the state be- liever, notwithstanding all this, that in Bassett it had the man who killed Lockwood. Basset was charged on three counts with murder and rob- bery and even if he did not touch the old man he was as guilty of the mur- der and robbery as though he had for he was an onlooker and party to the awful deed.
 According to all the witnesses Pres ton was the instigator of the deed. He himself admitted it but eventually he ! said he "got out of it." But did he get out of it? Did he not say that he would take half the money Cenesky would get and did he not say again that he would take it all because Gen. esky was "a young fellow and would get drunk with the money" Yet this l is the man whom counsel for defense said he gloried in and was honest. believe that only for Preston, Lock- wood, whom all the children of the neighborhood loved would be alive and we'll and happy in the love of the children who loved him.
 Instead of Preston having every thing to gain by telling different story he had, in fact, gained nothing by doing so. He had everything to gain by withholding the truth and he did withhold it, and it Is upon his evi- dence that Bassett solely relied. Only for Preston Lockwood would not be in his grave to-day.
 Mir Kellogg laid great stress on Bas- setts presence on the stand, saying that he was a voluntary witness and he refused to answer some questions on the ground that they would tend 10 disgrace and degrade him. Bantler' $ recognition of the photo of Bassett was a strong link in the chain of evil dence. Bantler said the man he saw with Leonard and Cenesky on the Middlebury road wore an unusually high derby hat and Mir Kellogg here showed the photo to the jury and drew attention to the high crowned derby hat he then wore. There was no chance of collision between Bant- Ter and Cenesky, Leonard and the wit nesses who identified Bassett, for when he identified the picture before | the coroner he was living in Meriden. | As to the minor differences in the stories told by Leonard and Cenesky Mir Kellogg said that 1t was almost impossible for any two spectators of certain event to tell the same story. He told the jury that even on the greatest event in the history of the world, the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary, his own dis. ciples differed. If the jury would look 1t up they would find that Mat. thew, Mark, Luke and John. each gave a different account to mankind about what took place on the cross.
 Regarding Bassett's attempted alibi there was the evidence of nine wit. nesses against his own statement showing that he was in town on Feb. ruary 26 and 27, and as for the medi cal testimony on the effects of the blows dealt Lockwood. Mir Kellogg thought the evidence of Dr Frost. who attended him. ought to have more weight than evidence of the experts for the defense.
 Judge Robinson began his charge tc the jury at 11:10 and continued speak ing until 12;30 when the jury retired to consider the case. At 1 o'clock a recess was taken for dinner and at 2 | o'alnpty thn fttfx- o cafn y.attr,T