The Washington herald., 1906-12-11
BIDS GILLETTE TALK
Mother of Condemned Man
Wants Him TO Tell All.
DIES IN WEEK OF JANUARY 2s
Attorney Springs Surprise, Alleging
Court without Jurisdiction to Try
Case-Mrs. Gillette Takes Employ
ment to Raise Money to Get New
Trial for Her Convicted Son.

Herkimer, n Y. Dec 10.-The bravado
of unshaken nerve which Chester Gillette
has exhibited throughout his whole trial
was not changed to-day, when he stood
up to hear Judge Devendorf sentence him
10 death by the chair some time in the
week commencing January Is
Chester Gillette, come forward and be
sworn. said the clerk of the court. after
the judge and counsel had taken their
seats at the opening Of court this morn
ing. The condemned man stepped for
ward and stood nstlessly by the clerks
desk. He took the oath in a firm voice.
Takes Sentence COoIIy.
Then he gave his pedigree to the clerk.
In reply 70 the question whether there IS
any reason who he should not receive the
sentence Of the court, he said:
4 am innocent OF this crime as
charged in the indictment, and therefore
think sentence should not be passed
Have you any more TO say?" asked the
judge
No. I guess not now. replied the pris-
oner
Thereupon the judge pronounced the
death sentence Not 4 muscle of Gillette's
face twitched while the judge spoke.
When he had finished. the man con-
demned 10 die turned shortly on his heel
and went back 10 his chair His mother,
who arrived in town from Denver last
night, was sitting there Gillette bent
over so that he could whisper into ,heT
ear. and for several minutes the two en-
gaged in communication. Then Under
Sheriff KlOck stepped mp and fastened
the manacles on Giilette's wrist and led
him out of the courtroom to the jail.
Says Trial Was Invalid.
BIr. Thomas was the only one OF Gill
lettes counsel 10 appear in court to-day
when sentence was pronounced. Before
that was done The lawyer sprang a mild
surprise en- the attorney for the State.
and the judge himself, by alleging in his
plea for the setting aside of the verdict
that tire judge had no right 20 pronounce
sentence inasmuch as the term of court
presided over by Judge Devendorf mad no
jurisdiction in the case.
1T was an extraordinary court, called
by the governor at the request of the
prosecutor" said Mr. Thomas. "and
without the sanction of the appellate di-
vision. Therefore" he argued, the court
The court denied the attorneys motion
for "a setting aside of the verdict. and
likewise denied a motion for an arrest
Of judgment
Il Is expected that Gillette will be re-
moved to Auburn tomorrow. Although
the plans of Gillettes lawyers are not
known. II is certain that an appeal from
the judgment of the court viii be taken
shortly. and it is not believed that the
condemned man will be executed in the
week Of January %.
Newspapers Employ Mrs. Gillette.
The arrival of Mrs. Gillette last night
added to the g9ssips' stock Of talk to
day. The TOsy-cheeked woman seemed
10 be overwrought. She sat beside her
son, alternately crying and kissing him.
until the boy somewhat petulantly cried:
''That viii do, mother; sit stilI and be
quiet"
1t developed this morning that the way
Mrs Gillette managed to get TO the side
Of her son was by accepting commits lions
from two newspapers 10 wrte special
articles for them. She explained 10 some
Of the newspaper men this morning that
she had no money with whicn T. ply her
fare for the long trip from the West and
that by writing for the papers she hoped
TO make enough to help pay Tor a new
trial for her son.
Hopes to Persuade SON to Tell.
7 have come 10 get my boy to tel!
everything there is to tell and I shall beg
him on my knees to tell me everything,
and I am sure he will" she said to-day.
Il thanked God when I got here and
found that the report that Chester had
confessed to having murdered the ETrl
was untrue"
Here Mrs. Gillette excused herself, say
ing that she had TO go and file bulletin
for the papers employing her. She sent
a brief description announcing THAI he-
son had been convicted and signing it
Il. y. Gillette"