Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
CALMLY GILLETTE
DISCUSSES CRIME
He Tells a Tragic Story of
Grace Browns Death.
HOW THE BOAT UPSET
Declares That She Jumped Before He
Could Reach Her.
MOVED PRISONERS DISCHARGE
Defense Claimed Government Had Not
Made Out It's Contention-over-
ruled by the Court.
MOVED PRISONERS DISCHARGE

For the first time during the trial
Tor his life, Chester Gillette took the
stand at Herkimer today. He was
put on by the defense as the only
witness who had actually seen the
drowning of Grace Brown and the
only person who by direct testimony
could contradict the mass of circum-
stantial evidence against him. He
declared that he had not killed the
girl, but that she had jumped over
board, and he had upset the boat
going to her rescue.
HERKIMER, November os.-cbes,ar y
Gillette charged with numbering his sup
poseo nancee, Grace Brown Of South OF
sei1c' today took the witness stand in his
own behalf With face somewhat drawn
but attitude as carefree rs the most unim.
portant witness in the entire case. Gillette
| crossed his legs, gazed at the Jury and he.
| gan to tell the story of the Inflated trim
that he and Grace Brown took on Big
Moose lake, After going over his youth
fui career, which carried him through the
! west, Gillette said he had been in the EN-.
pioy OF his uncle, N H. Gillette of Cort
| iand,' since March. 1905 In response to the
queries Of his senior counsel Gillette then
I began his rehearsal of the tragic story
i that other witnesses have endeayored ia
piece together. ~
\ left Portlandson Sunday. July g." he
| began. Yes, had been acquainted with
grace Brown for some time. I went to
Deruyter from Cortland 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 NJ
counsel for the defense
Gillette made affirmative reply buf
| on objection of the district attorney the
| conversation that was alleged to have
passed between the Brown girl and Gillette
was not allowed to enter upon the min
| utes
! Then Gillette continued with tho mar.
rative of his trip into the Adirondacks He
| testified that he went to Utica laundry
| before starting northward.
| I'VE reached Upper lake at s o'clock
| Monday evening" Gillette said 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"
OF to the Lake.
| In his opening Mr.. Thomas said he would
show that Grace Brown was the one who
| suggested that they get off and spend the
| day at Big Moose, but when the witness
! reached that point in his story he made
| no allusion to what inspired them to get
! off at Big Moose. after the girls trunk had
| been shipped through to Old Forge.
| I'VE went to the Glenmore Hotel in
| bus, said Gillette. Grace sat down on the
veranda. l went In and talked with the
! younger Mr.. Morrison. He told me there
were some beautiful sights on the lake and
when I inquired about steamer ride he
told me to so and tell the engineer that I
| wanted to go with him. This 1 did"
What did the engineer say?" asked Mr..
| Mills.
He said he would blow the whistle for us
| when he was ready to START said Gillette.
"Then," he continued, II went back to the
| hotel, and Mr.. Morrison told me If 1 wanted
| to see all the sights on the lake I'd better
| take a rowboat l asked Grace which she
would rather do and she said There
was objection to conversation with the girl
row dead, and it was sustained
we went down 10 the dock ana nired q
| rowboat," Gillette went on. Before leav-
| ing the hotel l went in and got my things
and hung up Grace's hat"
What things had you there?" asked Mr..
Mills.
"A suit case. a camera and a coat"
What was strapped to the suit caseT'
"A tennis racquet in case and an um-
brella."
In the Fatal Bay.
When the word that Gillette had taken
the stand reached the street the court
room began to fill. Hundreds went with
out dinner they might retain seats Sc
cured at great effort. When the afternoon
session opened the room was filled to it's
capacity.
Gillette again took up the story OF the
trip with Grace Brown on Big Moose lake.
I'VE started along the south shore and
moved along slowly" he said, looking for
places that Mr.. Morrison spoke of. We
saw a rustic bridge. open camp and a
boat house. and then we went to South
South bay is where Grace Browns death
occurred.
1--WE went out to pick some pond lilies
and fioated around, reading. I had a mag
azine. About 10 o'clock we went to the
south shore to get in the shade, as the sun
was hot We went to point about op-
posite Punkey bay and went on shore.
pulled the boat UP and we sat down. I
asked her If Z she was not hungry,
and she said she was not well and
was not hungry. | 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. l had my camera out also.
when we got in the boat we went out
on the lake. had left my suit case. camera
and two coats on the bank. We went to-
ward Coveys Point. About half way along
the beach we got out on the shore again.
and in little time we saw man trying
to land"
Jumped From the Boat.
To illustrate his narrative Gillette left his
chair and indicated points on the lake and
shore a. shown ON q map. He spoke Of hit