Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-29
Mercless|y Cross-examined By Dis
triCt Attorney at Herkimer, N. Y.
Head Is Heavy and Gait Is Unsteady as He De-
cends From Witness Stand After Ordeal Is Over.

Herkeimer. N. Y. Nov 2s-With
heavy head and unsteady gait and with
eyes that We're bleared and weary
Chester Gillette presented a spectacle Of
physical and mental exhaustion when
he stepped from the witness stand at
9 o'clock tonight. He was the star wit
ness in his own behalf on the charge
Of having murdered his sweetheart,
Grace Brown.
Gillette today went through one Of
the most trying Ordeals that a witness
ever experienced. Surrounded by an
almost inexhaustable mass of circuln-
stantial evidence that seemed to point
to his guilt, he took the stand and for
nearly seven hours strOve to bear up
under the strain of REORGANIZATION
and to describe to the jury how Grace
Brown died. Much Of the time he was
under cross-eXamination and the dis
trict attorney was mercilesS in MS
questioning.
Having assured his lawyers that he
was equal to the strain, Gillette was
called as the defence'S first witness.
His step was steady, his nerve firm and
his answers quick. and in response 10
questions from his senior counsel. a. NJ
Mills, he declared that Grace Brown
stood up III tha boat and threw her
self into the lake. But his brief direct
examination was followed by Il search
ing cros;;-cxamindtiOn that was not
completed when at o'clock. Judge
DevenGorf adjourned court until Fri
day.
During his cross examination Gil
lette made no admissions that the story
ne told to his own lawyers about the
way Grace Brown died. was untrue;
but il seemed to be Il Struggl" for nm
to keep up his nerve during this long
and incesSant siege. Late in the after
noon his eyes began to take on 4 tired
Hook, his voice weakened until his own
lawyers had to beg him to speak up
and his head dropped to one side and
swaycd pcrccptibly as til" prosecutors
faced him with questions Of his love
for the Girl he is charged with having
Slain. District Attorney Ward spent
the afternoon III trying to csta blish by
Gillette's own words. that there was a
motive for the crime charged. He did
not roach the point of trying to shake
the defendants story of the seen" on
Big Moose lake. when Grace Brown
died. That is expected t. come on
Friday. when the sensational trial will
reach its climax.
Gillette stated from the witness
stand that ne and Grace Brown had
been talking about what they wouii
better do. He said he had told the girl
that il was no use to continue as they
| had ana suggested that her folks lie
| appraised OF her condition. she said
she was afraid to tell her people AMI l
said would tell her father and save
her the necessity Of doing So said Gill
| lette. Then she stood up in the boat
and threw herself over int" the lake"
| So far as the prisoners description
went there vas 70 great scene leading
up to the girls alleged act.
| Their ride on the lake. he said. hal
been 4 pleasant one. up 70 the moment
| they began the discussion Of what was
| best to do about telling her folks nt
| her condition. Then. he added. Sh'
| simply flung herself overheard with
| out Il final appeal or a farewell word
i But the district attorney began Il
| question Gillette about his intentions
and confused the defendant to some
extent.
\ Gillette swore positively that he and
Miss Brown had never spoken of mar
II rage and declared that III none of the
letters she lad written him did he see
evidences that the girl wanted him tc
marry her Then he testified that he left
II Cortland to wed her
II He said he did not intend to GO back
to Cortland again after leaving on mis-
vacation and declared he was lying wher
re told his uncle he would be back in Z
week. He said he had no idea of meet
ing Miss Patrick at Seventh lake as HI
had promised to do.
He led himself into several embarrass
ing tangles by the answers he gave, bu
responded with emphasis with mo wher
District Attorney Ward just before tn
session closed. leaped from the scene o
his love making in Cortland 10 Big Moos
lake and asked: Didn't you kill tina
girl?"
. Gillette was the first witness to TAX
the stand for the defence. He said tina
after his arrest he and the others wen
. down the chain of lakes to Old Forge
.. where he was kept in 4 room with Dep