Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-04


haps in the history of Herkimer county
murder trial been characterized by
such bitter attacks of counsel as de-
velOped i'll the summing up of the Gil
lette case today. replete as the trial
has been with surprises and no
one was prepared for the sharp
exchange with which the day
closed. Judge Devendorf had ex-
pected to give the case TO the jury
Ward had spoken 50 minutes. court was
adjourned until tomorrow.
The prosecutor will conclude and the
judges charge will be made during to-
morrow.
Former Senator \. NJ. Mills, close
personal and political friend of the
prose rutor. made the last appeal to the
jury to aQuit Chester T. Gillette of the
murder of Grace Brown. his sweet
heart, at Fig Moose lake, July II. He
had occupied nearly the whole of the
session and it was late in the day when
he dramatically declared that five ply
siciaiS who had sworn that there was
Il blood clot on Grace Browns brain and
sworn to Il falsch0Od; that they had
gotten together and agreed upon a
common story for the witness stand
ard deliberately withheld testimony ia
vorable to his client. Intimating that
the physicians were improperly influ-
onccd. he added:
"If there is an investigation of graft,
some Of these liv" doctors may figure
in it. They were paid large fees to give
evidence which it was thought was 50
prepared that il would convict this
| boy. | charge here and noW-and
| knew personally each of the Physicians
tina: they did not bring in all the
facts They did not report some things
| favorable" to this boy. Each of these
dr"tors knew that fraud was being
lpcrrotrated. You can't pick out five
! reputable physicians IN the county who
would do such q thing as these doctors
| did"
AS Senator Mills concluded. District
! Attorney Ward jumped To his feet ana
| intcrrurtiIC III" Judge. who had dccil-
81 uron IN adjournment. launching in
| to = ScIthinG dcHunciation of senator
Mills ard the Methods he had taken to
sway IN" jury oyci 10 the defence. AS
| he spoke. the "utstrctChCd and trcm-
| bling hand Uf the prosecutor shook in
| the fac" Of III" counsel for the defence
when Mr.. Mills stands here AMI tells
you as Ii" just has" he said "lhpt
thos" tivr %, tors, rcputahl" men Of
Herkcinrr county. ANA your friends.
| who enter yoUr homes. Perhaps. every
day. are liars ana burglars he SAYS
that which Is not true. He doesn't cx-
| rcct w that address, 20 reach the in
| fol it,rx 10 i,,I-
that there r?"! u" Il rogue among them.
You know sometimes men get IN iUr-
| les who have debts Of grd;itud" 80 pay
| from away back years ago and they
pay them Iy violating the rules and
rendering a verdict not in accordance
with the tviicncr. That is What il
called a ,CGu" on a jury. ana he hoped
| there might ~ !; -ogu" among YOU.
that then thcy also sock 10 get 4 weak
and unintclligcnt man on the jury who
won't be able t. put an act in one
town with an act in another town. and
so connect the evidence. They hoped
that there might be a man of this kind
on this jury and they would try to
reach him ana thus affect q miscarriage
Of justice"
In this strain. 50 excited at times
| that the big audience fairly gasped,
Mr.. Ward brought to a spectacular
close day Of steady speechmaking
Senator Mills contended that Grace
Brown committed suicide ana his client
! had been unfairly dealt with. Gillette.
he said. had been pitted against the
, united powers of n persistent district
attorney department. an INSCRIPTIONS
sheriff's department and a biased and
unfair public press. The district at
| torney had failed to show any plausi-
| BE motive for the terrible murder laid
at Gillette's door. he had failed to pro-
duce an eye witness. he was expected
| to produce on the strength Of his Open
| ing address and he failed to prove that
Gillette had any sweetheart other than
| Grace Brown as he promised to do.
Mr.. Mills declared that every bit Of cyl
| dcnce introduced by the district attor-
| ney was ovrr!rawn and that nothing an
| thentic had been presented to the i,,,-,-
| that was inconsistent with the course ,nv
Young man and Young woman in similar
| trouble would have taken in seeking re-