Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-12-04
Gillette TEST|F|ES
IN HIS own DEFENSE
ALLEGED SLAYER OF GRACE
BROWN SWEARS THAT GIRL
JUMPED OVERHEARD.
SAYS BOAT UPSET IN
EFFORT TO SAVE HER
Defendant Takes Stand with Care
Free Attitude-Prosecutio Rests
Case-Motion to Discharge Pris-
oner Overruled.

Herlimer, N. Y, Nov. Chichester
E. Gillette, charged with numbering
his supposed tiancee, Grace Brown, of
South Otselic, Wednesday took the
witness stand in his own behalf. He
testified that Grace Brown jumped
overheard. He was sitting in the stern
of the boat and when he tried to reach
Miss Brown the boat upset.
The prosecution rested its case at
lO:4O in the morning A motion to
discharge Gillette was made by the
prisoners counsel, but denied by the
court.
Tells Story of Trip.
With face somewhat drawn, but at
titude as care free as the most unim-
portant witness in the entire case, Gil
lette crossed his legs, gazed at the
jury and began to tell the story of the
Inflated trip that he and Grace Brown
took on Big Moose lake. In response
to the queries of his senior counsel,
Gillette began his rehearsal of the
tragic story that other witnesses have
endeavored to piece together, gradual.
| ly leading up to the time of hiring the
| rowboat
| I'VE started along the south shore
and moved along slowly. We saw a
ruItic bridge, open camp and boat
house and then we went to South bay"
South bay is where Grace Browns
death occurred.
1--WE went out to pick some pond
lilies and foated around, reading.
had magazine. About ten o'clock we
went to the south shore to get in the
shade, as the sun was hot We went
| to point about opposite Punkey bay,
and went on shore. l pulled the boat
up and we sat down. l asked her if
she was not hungry and she said she
got the suit case and used it to sit on
because the ground was damp. She
sat on it and put my coat behind her
We were on the shore about an hour
! had my camera out also.
when we got in the boat we went
out on the lake. l had left my suit
case, camera and two coats on the
| >
point. About half way along the beach
we got out on the shore again, and
in little time we saw man trying
to land in a boat l talked with him
We left in the boat and rowed out in
the bay shortly afterwards. At an
other place on the beach we landed
again"
To illustrate this narrative Gillette
left his chair and indicated points or
the lake and shore as shown on a
map. He spoke of little incidents
such as finding spring, meeting PEG
pie in boat, and, finally, took his
story to point where Grace Browns
body and the boat were found
Declares She Jumped Overheard.
1--WE talked about what we ought
to do" he said, "and said we ought
not to keep on as we had. | finally
said l thought her father and mother
ought to know of what had occurred
She said she could not tell her mother
and cried. told her she would have
to- She said, You don't know my
father; you can't tell him. We talked
a little more, then she got up anf
jumped in the water, just jumped in
l was in the other end leaning back
When l started to get up the boa
turned over. When l came up,
caught hold of the boat"
did you see her?" asked Mr.. Mills
Il couldn't; after couple of min
utes when l couldn't see her, swan
to the shore. went off through thu
woods with my STUFF. 1 had Landed
near it, My hat was in the water,
guess"
Gillette swore that it was on Grace
Browns suggestion that they left Tup
per lake, and that because she kney
of a friend who had been at Bis
Moose, and liked it, she wanted to g
there.
That's why we got off the train,
he said.