Connecticut western news., 1906-12-06
GILLETTE CONVICTED
8ury Finds Young Man Guilty of WilIfully Murdering His
 Sweetheart.
MURDER IN FIRST DEGREE.

Prisoner Sheds Tears When Prosecutor
 In Fierce Attack Reads Extracts
 From Dead Girls Letters-Counssl
 Alleges Doctors Plot to Convict cIi-
 ent-says Girl Killed Herself.
 Herkimer, N. Y, Dec. 5-The jury in ahe trial of Chester E. Gillette for the murder of his sweetheart, Grace Brown, at Big Moose lake, returned a verdict of guilty in the first degree.
 The spokesman was Marshall Hatch of South Columbia. He was quite calm as he replied, "We find the de fendant guilty of the crime charged in the indictment"
 Counsel to Fight On.
 A discussion followed between judge and counsel as to a date when formal notice of an appeal could be entered. MT. Mills had intimated to his friends that any verdict outside of one of guilty of murder in the first degree would be allowed to stand.
 It was learned that the jury had some difficulty in reaching an agree ment, and six ballots were taken be- fore the twelve men agreed. Up to that time the jury had stood eleven for conviction and one for acquittal.
 Judge Devendorf occupied an hour and fifteen minutes in his charge to the jury. He dealt with the points of law involved and instructed the jurors to consider the evidence from a legal standpoint and not to be influenced by sentiment
 The session until the judges charge had been taken up by District Attor ney Ward and former Senator Mills and Charles Thomas, counsel for the defense, who made many objections to remarks made by the district attorney in his summing up. Their chief ob- jection was to MT. Wards statement:
 "He (meaning Gillette) overcame this girl by force, stifed her cries and left her to her shame"
 Prisoner Bitterly 'Arraigned.
 District Attorney Ward made one of the most bitter arraignments of prisoner ever heard in court in this 
 The prosecutor f1ayed the prisoner mercilessly, and he quailed in his seat under the terrible flashing.
 Gillette appeared on the point of col. lapse several times and shrank into himself as the prosecutor pointed his finger at him as "murderous plot. ter" "a liar," "a wolf," "a fiend" and "a coward" For some time Gillette glared defiant ly at the district attorney, but when the latter read abstracts from the let ters sent Gillette by his sweetheart the prisoner burst into tears and at times throughout the remainder of the ses- sion sobbed convulsively.
 Ex-Senator A. M. Mills in closing dramatically declared that the five physicians who had sworn that there was a blood clot on Grace Browns brain had sworn to a falsehood; that they had got together and agreed upon a common story for the witness stand and deliberately withheld testimony fa- vorable to his client. The charge was indignantly denied by District Attor- ney Ward in his closing address. R Suicide Story Repeated.
 Senator Mills contended that Grace Brown committed suicide and that his client had been unfairly dealt with.
 Gillette stated from the witness stand that he and Grace Brown had been talking about what they would better do. He said he had told the girl that it was not wise to continue as they had and suggested that her folks be appraised of her delicate condition.
 Their ride on the lake, he said, had been a pleasant one up to the moment they began the discussion of what was best to do about telling her folks of her condition. Then, he added, she sim. ply flung herself overheard without final appeal or a farewell word. He admitted that he made no attempt to save her