The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-12-11
GILLETTE GUILTY or
FIRST DEGREE NURDER
Doomed to Death Chair at HerM.
mer For Killing Grace Brown.
JURY OUT FOR FIVE HOURS

OUc juror DtOOu Out fASslhSo NAO
Other Eleven Until the Fifth
Ballot, When He Made Conyic-
ton Unanimous,
Herkimer, N. Y. Chester e. Gill
lette was convicted of murder in the
first degree for having slain his
sweetheart, Billy Brown.
The twelve men who rendered the
verdict, which meant Gillette must
be sentenced to death by electrocu-
ton, deliberated three minutes less
than 1--WE hours before they reached
their verdict.
Five ballots were taken. -Four re-
suited in eleven for conviction and
one for acquittal.
Two hours elapsed between the
fourth and the fifth ballots, and dur
ing that time the men who felt sure
of Gillette's guilt argued and worked
upon the one man standing against
them.
Hard words were passed, and the
obdurate Juror was told if he per-
sisted in his determination to hang
the jury that the temper Of the peo-
pie of Herkimer County would not
let him stay within it's borders.
Then came the fifth ballot, which
decided Gillette's fate.
Marshall Hatch, farmer of South
Columbia, who was foreman of the
jury, started for the door as soon
as he was sure of verdict of MUIR
der in the first degree. Before he
could give the signal that the jury
was ready to report the man who
had voted for acquittal four times
caught him by the arm.
He foresaw the poslMon in which
he would stand in the eyes of the
community should his course in the
jury room get out. He begged Hatch
piteously not to render the verdict
until every man there had sworn not
to reveal his identity. He acknowl-
edged that he had been wrong. He
admitted that perhaps his mind had
been prejudiced by political hatreds.
Hatch turned on his fellow jurors
and asked them If they would pledge
their word of honor never to reveal
what had taken place in the jury
room after it's door was closed upon
them in the afternoon. They swore
they would not.
Justice Devendorf was waiting at
the Palmer House, in other parts of
which were also District Attorney
Ward and the two lawyers for the
defense, Charles D. Thomas and for
mer Senator Albert M. Mills.
AS these men hurried out of the
hotel word went through the throng
that the jury had agreed. A crowd
followed on the heels of the Justice
and the lawyers, and there was no
one to turn them back when they
pushed through the doors of the
court house.
Herkimer Colnty's officer wanted
no trouble. 1t was decided to admit
to the court house every one who
sought access and then keep all there
lntil the verdict had been entered
and Gillette got back to his CELL The
plan worked perfectly, but there was
no necessity for it. The verdict was
what the people wanted.
Before Justice Devendorf was noti-
fed, or word got to the crowd, Gill
lette was hustled out of the county
Jail and into the court house.
There was pallor on Gillette's
face greater than that of confinement.
He strove hard to control the ner-
vousness which appeared in his hands
and the shallow lids of his small,
green eyes.
1t was lila o'clock p. m. when the
jury filed in. They dropped into
benches just outside the jury room
door. When they had been polled
there came the question:
Gentlemen" Clerk Burney said,
have you arrived at true verdict
and chosen one of your number to
speak for your
The first man in the front row of
the two solemn lines of jurors got to
his feet. Marshall Hatch's voice was
firmer than that of Clerk Burney.
We have" he said. 1--WE find the
defendant guilty as charged in the
indictment"
Gillette. who had been closely
watching the foreman, did not move
a muscle at the words He sat with
his face in his hands, but was ap-
parently in hurry to get out, for
twice during his counsels speech ask
ing postponement of judgment he
got to his feet and started toward
the door with an under sheriff after
him. After he had to sit down twice
the Court finally allowed him to go,
When he got to the jail any sign
of fear had entirely vanished. That's
a pretty verdict, he said to his jailer,
and didn't expect it. | didn't have
any witnesses, but / did think the
jury would disagree,
Well, + guess Ill turn in now, he
added, and undressed and went to
bed.