Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-11
BASSETT DAINTY
Chicken is Served Him Instead of
 Regular Jail Fare.

It is now stated by most reliable
 authority that neither Leonard nor Ce-
 nesky will plead guilty to the murder
 In the second degree of old man Lock
 wood at his home on the Middlebury
 road on the afternoon of February 2,
 notwithstanding that they have made I confessions and it was generally un-
 derstood that they would accept a life
 penalty rather than risk the extreme | penalty. Some of the attorneys for
 the defense of these men have said ! that it would be impossible to convict | them unless they testified against each l other and their evidence was support
 ed by Bassett's testimony, as the un- rorroborated evidence of an accom- plice is not sufficient to bring in q
 verdict of guilty. There have been all kinds of reports concerning Leonard and Cenesky afioat about the court and this is the latest. It was first heard Saturday afternoon and coming from the source that it does, it is given some credence.
 While everybody admits that the men cannot lose anything by this course, they wonder at the same time what they can gain in view of their own testimony against Bassett. But as no one is compelled to testify against himself, it is not easy to see where the evidence against these men would come from unless it be strongly circumstantial. in which case it must come from others. As Preston was not in town when the crime was com mitted, he can have no admissible tes- timony as to what took place on the afternoon of Februars 27 at Lock woods house. No one, so far as the testimony shows up to the present. saw either Leonard or Cenesky strike the old man. But while that may save them the utmost penalty of the law, it could not save them from imprison> ment for the rest of their natural lives, for they are as guilty of the murder of the old man as if they had dealt kim as many blows as they have tes- tified Bassett dealt.
 In cases as serious as those hanging over this trio. what course to follow < generally left to the men themselves And in fact Cenesky has already fes- flied in response to Attorney Rus sells questions that his going on tl:" stand to testify against Basseft WIS voluntary on his part altogether, ano his desire to make a clean breast or the whole terrible transaction. Whib, a rumor may be well founded to-day, it may be at sea tomorrow. The fact that Cenesky and Leonard have noth- ing to lose and perhaps good deal to gain, it is probable that after all they will plead not guilty.
 Bassett continues in as good health as can be expected, but for time he was a great bother to the jail hospital keepers. He refused to eat the hospl' tai food and the keepers were wonde,- ing what to do with him when they found the key to the situation.
 One day a fellow prisoner receiveo from his friends outside cooked chicken. This mans appetite was del kate and on this day he could not look at food. Bassett asked him if he could have 1t and gladly the man pushed it toward him. A keeper. saw the occurrence and determined how to treat Bassett in future. At the nexf meal he was given the usual jail hos pital food and as before he turned up bis nose at it. A fine cooked chicken was instantly put before him with ail that goes with it and Bassett asaed if there were any more of that birds brood when he was through. Since then he has been living on the fat or the land, so to speak, for the jail ofti- cials are determined to give him no cause for not satisfying his eplcurean palate.
 The double door on the jury room, suggested by rather sensational iIi- cldent at the close of the tr.f of Capo- bianco. who has been sentenced to De hanged on February 27 for the mur- der of Angelo Solomita on July S. has fulfilled all that was expected Of it. Not sound can be heard from the fury room when the double SJor is closed. The door of the court room is kept locked and there Is no possible chance taken of a repetition of the oe. currence that marked the close or Capobianco's trial.
 At the hearing Friday last man who feel asleep startled the whole court room. It is not difficult to drop Into doze. the room IS so close gen orally. This man was having good srooze when his head fell back on hs chair and he gave a snort that rang like bugle call through the court, startling everybody, even immovable Bassett.
 The trial was the means of bringing together all the crack stenographers or tho state. As the court allowed the defence to be supplied with q copy of the evidence every day. it was tue suty of Court Stenographer Walrb to surround himself with the best Of ais kind i'm the whole state. He Is the leader of them all. himself. and q was tilat that prompted him to maEe the selections he did. They are Miss Hel- gn Hayden. court stenocr1pher Tor windham county: Leonard Coggsweli. court stenographer for Litchfield eour- ty: and Charles F. Roberts. stenogra- nher to the judiciary committee Of tho legislature, all stars. The. court day