The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-11-21
Pathetic Scenes
In Court Room

b
HERKHIMER, N. y, Nov. 21.-Dis.
tdct Attorney Ward, who brought wit
nesses before the jury officially to in.
troduce Grace Brown and Chester Gil
lette and details Of their courtship
yesterday took up the thread of his
story at the home Of the Brown FAM
lily in South otseltc, where the girl
spent three weeks preceding her clan
destine departure with Gillette for the
AdIrondacks.
The first hour Of the morning ses-
sion was devoted to display in court
Of the wedding garments made for
Grace Brown, but never worn, because
she died without becoming bride. 1t
was an intensely sad story told by
Grace Browns sister Frances.
Miss Harriet Benedict. Of Cortland,
Tie society girl whom 1t IS alleged
Gillette courted while still keeping
company with Grace Brqwn was put
on the witness stand. She denied en-
phatically that there was anything
more than casual friendship existing
between Gillette and herself but her
testimony did not awaken great inter
est.
The. district attorney had just fnish'
cd reading the letters that PASSED be-
tween Grace Brown and Chester GIL
lette during the past year and a more
pathetic recital was never given in a
court room. The letters were love let
ters, but they we're more than that In
them Grace Brown set down all her
fears, dread and anguish, and there
was scarcely dry eye in tho court
room when the womanly simple but
eloquent letters that seemed to come
from the grave had been finished by
tie prosecutor.
Day after day this pretty, DIt pl4Ih'
little country girl pleaded in her let
tiers for Gillette to stand by her in her,
trouble and when his replies seemed
cold and assuring she appended to his
manhood, Gliding him only to ask his
nardop in he next sentence. 1t was
through these letters that Gillette and
Miss Brown planned their Adirondack
trip.
"Take me away from here" was her
cry in every letter and in some OF
them she limited that she you'd trou'
bic him but little more because she
was going to die.
The reading of the letters appeared
to arouse the crowd in the court and
when the prisoner was led out after
adjournment there was great crowd
blocking the way to the Jail. Six mem
bers of the police department sur
rounded the prisoner to ward off posi-
Bile attempts to lnjure him by excited
bystanders.
The district attorney tfis afternoon
followed the travels Of Grace Brown
and Gillette into the Adirondacks. He
traced their movements through Utica,
awore many witnesses who testified
to the little details Of the trip, and
closed the afternoon with q long ex-
animation Of Topper Lake Hotel
proprietor who said that Gillette asked
him where he would find a. quiet place
in the woods, that his wife was tired
and needed rest.
The attorneys at this point engaged
! III vigorous dispute the District Az
lorney repeating the witness" state
meht like this: "He wanted quiet
lake"
"The witness did not say that he
said quiet place." rotorted Senator
Mills Gillettes senior counsel.
''"'Sl
well, he found a quiet lake any
way" observed the district attorney
This remark incensed Gillette,s
counsel and the court had to rap loud
y for order before the attorneys mn
ished their dispute.
During the afternoon Josephine Pat
rick, of Cortland, testified that sh'
met Gillette on the train at Deruytel
on July 9 and he made an appointment
to meet her Thursday or Friday al
Seventh Lake. This witness was ono
o. the party that Gillette Joined after
Grace Brown disappeared and before
he was arrested.
For the first time since the trial be
r,Iy,.+to onDoo rod daen1y affected