Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-29
Declares Grace Brown
Jumped Into the
Lake
Tried to Reach the Girl,
Whereupon Boat
Capsized
Defendants Counsel Moves for Pris-
oner's Discharge Because State,
Failed to Produce Eye
Witnesses
BY Associated Press.

iHERKIMER, N. Y, Nov. 28.
With heavy head and unsteady
gait and with eyes that were
bleared and weary, Chester E.
Gillette presented a spectacle of
physical and mental exhaustion
when he stepped from the wit
ness stand at 8 o'clock tonight.
He was the star witness in his
own behalf on the charge of hav-
ing murdered his sweetheart,
Grace Brown.
When Gillette today took the wit
ness stand in his own behalf his face
was somewhat drawn, but his attitude
was as care-free as the most unimpor-
tant witness in the entire case.
After going over his youthful career,
which carried him through the west,
Gillette said that he had been In the
employ of his uncle. N. II. Gillette of
Courtland. since March, 1905.
In response to the queries of his
senior counsel Gillette then began his
rehearsal of the tragic story that other
witnesses have endeavored to piece to-
gether.
The July Trip
81 left Cortland on Saturday, July
s." he began. Yes, I had been ac-
quainted with Grace Brown for some
time l went to De Ruyter from Cort-
land and remained there one night.
/ met Grace Brown. The next day we
went to Utica. staying at the Hotel
Martin that night"
Did you have any talk with Grace
Brown at the hotel ~ asked Mr.. Mills
Of. counsel for the defense.
Gillette made an affirmative reply,
but on objection of the district attor-
ney the conversation that was alleged
to have passed between the Brown girl
and Gillette was not allowed to enter
upon the minutes.
Gillette then continued with the mar
rative of his trip into the Adirondacks.
He testified that he went to Utica
laundry before starting onward.
I'VE reached the Upper lake at 5
o'clock on Monday evening" said Gill
lette. when we got to the hotel we
started out for a walk. Returning we
told the proprietor that we did not care
much for the place and he told us of
morning train we could get out on.
We took that train
Why to Big Moose?
In his opening address Attorney
Thomas for the defense said he would
show that Grace Brown was the one
who suggested that they go off and
spend the day at Big Moose, but when
the witness reached the point in his
story he made no allusion to what
inspired them to get off at Big Moose
after their trunks had been shipped
through to Old Forge,
I'VE went to the Glenmore hotel in
carriage" said Gillette. Grace sat
down on the veranda. / went in and
talked with the younger Mr.. Morrison.
fnId mo xxroc hos fYt1
sights on the lake and that If / wanted
to see all the sights l had better take
a row boat.
1--WE went to the dock and secured
rowboat," said Gillette. "We started
along the south shore. We saw
rustic bridge. open camp and boat
house and then we went to South Bay"
(South Bay is where Grace Browns
death occurred)
t Shows Points on Map
To illustrate his narrative Gillette
left his chair and indicated points on
the lake and shore as shown on
map. He spoke of little incidents, such
as finding a spring. meeting people in
boats and finally took his story to the
point where Grace Browns body and
the rowboat were found.
1--WE talked about what we ought to
do" he said. land / said we ought not
TO keep OH as we Hdu. lndlly Sdlu
| thought her father and mother ought
to know what had occurred. She said
she could not tell her mother and
father. | told her she would have to.
"She said: You don't know my
father you can't tell him.
1--WE talked little more, 5hen she
flew up and Jumped in the water, just
Jumped in. | was in the other end
of the boat leaning back When 1
eta ,-ted IN get I'm the boat turned over
When l came up l caught hold of the
boat"
"Did you see her?" asked Mr.. Mills,
81 could not after a couple of min
utes when | could not see swan to
the shore. | went off through the
woods with my stuff. l had landed
near It, My hat was in the water,
| guess"
He told of going through the forest
! and of striking road, meeting two
men i'm one place and third farther
| on. About the tennis racquet he said
that il was In the way II had my
suit case" Gillette said, and decided
to put the racquet away. / put 1t un-
der a log in the woods little way
! from the road"
.'Chester, did you strike Grace Brown
blow or do anything wilfully to
cause her death?" asked Mr. Mills.
mo, sir" said Gillette.
Mr.. Mills, for the defense. In moving
! for the prisoners discharge claimed
| that the district attorney had failed TO
| produce the eyewitnesses he said he
would, that he had produced no wit
ness TO the tragedy at all, hat he had
not produced preponderance of evil
dence that II had not been shown that
Grace Brown and Gillette were en-
,aa,ad ~ he married and that A had