The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-12-20
GILLETTE TO Be EXECUTED
Grace Browns Slayer Sentenced
to Death at Herkimer, N. Y.
Mrs. Gillette "Covers'' For News
paper Incidents of Sons Progress.
to the Electric Chair.

Eerkimor, II. chester Gillette
was sentenced to death in the electric
chair at Auburn Prison during the
week of January 2S for the murder
OF Grace Brown.
Mrs. Louise NJ. Gillette sat in court
and reported for a Denver newspaper
the sentencing OF her own son to
death.
A curious crowd filed the court
room. Mrs. Gillette had arrived I'M
e~peatedly in Herkimer during the
night. she caused surprise when she
said she came from Denver to report
what was left OF the trial. Regarded
Al frs ASIAN impostor. she proved
her identity by her handwriting, Of
feTlnS it TO" COMPARISON with letters
Gillette mad received from her.
She did not go to see Gillette until
morning. He was beinS shaved and
rs the baTnsr worked the mother in
tecviewed her 0 for the public.
pTess. It was this newspaper work,
she explained, that made it possible
for ner TO come 20 Ferkimer.
In court, when Gillette was sem
fenced, his mother wrote a bulletin
10 her paper in a business-like man
neT, and shaking the telegram in the
2ir, seemed much annoyed because
there was not a messenger boy in
signi.
Chester Gillette's nerve of s}eeI re-
mains with him. After his LAWYER
had moved unsuccessfully to have the
verdict set aside. the youth respond
ed to the Judges call and marched
forward for sentence.
When Judge Devendorf asked him
# ne had anything to say why judg-
ment should not be passed. Gillette
astounded his auditors by addressing
the court in q firm voice, declaring:
II am innocent of the crime as
charged IL the Indictment and there
foTo.I Think it Should not be passed"
Have you anything else to say?"
the Court inquired.
Gillette hesitated, then said: "No,
1 t1ink that's all"
The Judge drew a deep breath as
though he was about to perform a
duty mat panied him. Then be
rassed the sentence. Gillette did not
so much as Change color.
Mrs. Gillette sat near him. He
looked TT her and n smile crossed his
hns. She returned the smile, but
said nothing. Then Gillette was TAX
en- back TO Jail.
The condemned youth wheeled
ahout as he arose to the
under sheriff, and remarked that the
was rushing out. He showed
some fear. Lock those doors!''
shouted the Official. and the crowd
was held back until Gillette was in
his cell. Once there the prisoner
stripped of his cOa3 and began to
play cards with his guard.
1t was stated by the Jail keepers
that Mrs. Gillette pleaded with her
son to confess If he was guilty.
Make q clean breast OF it to me. my
she said. But the son clung to
plea OF innocence.
Mrs. Gillette referred to Grace
Browns letters as sweet" but
they should not have been
in evidence. She believes
they did more than anything else to
her son.
Gillette gave out an interview. He
said: 4 am very hopeful of getting a
trial. My mother is here, and 1
am more than glad to see her, but
not through the bars of q cell.
People thought J vas hard heart
ed because I did not SHOW emotion in
/ tell you [ felt very much
and l had a hard time to
myself. l did it, though. 1t
makes no particular difference wheth-
I stay in Jail here or at Auburn, I
suppose, although l an used finely