The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-03
PLANS TO PROTECT GILLETTE.
ARRANGEMENTS MADE TO CALL
OUT TIE MILITIA.


n Authorities Fear That N verdict OF
Not Guilty II Brought IN or There IL q
Disagreement . Demonstration May
He Made Against Prisoner and Jury.
H~ERKIMER, Dec. 2.-Arrangements have
been made to call out the Thirty-frst
separate Company Of the National Guard
on Tuesday or Whenever the jury in tho
case Of Chester Gillette comes In with its
verdict or fails to bring in a verdict. The
company drilled last night and the night
before, and if it should be necessary as a
result Of the feeling here the company will
be ready to turn out Immediately. The
feeling in this part Of the country against
Gillette is most unusual, and II the jury
should disagree or bring in a verdict CON-
trary to the desire Of the people the
authorities feel that the crowd might get be-
yond control and do something to express
their feeling against the prisoner and the
jurors.
"If the jury should stay out an unusul
time on Tuesday or il a crowd should
gather near the JAIL said a prominent
county authority to-day, we would call out
the Thirty first Separate Company i'm
mediately to nip disorder Of any kind in the
bud. We do not necessarily expect any
disorder, but il the jury should be out a
long time a demonstration is not at all i'm
probable, and we will be ready to meet il
and stop it before it a go any further. II
there should be nc sign Of disorder the
militia will not be called out, but II there
should be we will be ready for it.
That there h as been the deepest interest
in the trial thr oughout the whole COM
munity has bee n shown by the crowds
which have fiooke d to the court room each
day to stare at the prisoner, and in the whole
court room there has hardly been a friendly
face except those of a few OF the many
women there. Among the lower elements
Of the town, and especially the woodsmen
who are in the northern end OF the county,
there is a very deep feeling against the
young man charged with Grace Browns
death. The girls letters especially served
10 anger the people here against Gillette,
and the attitude Of the defendant on the
stand has not served to lessen this feeling
against him.
The people lave made up their minds
as 20 the verdict which should be brought
In, and if the jurors should disagree with
this sentiment it is very possible that there
might be some demonstration against them
as well as the prisoner.
The authorities remember the case Of
Roxanna Druse, although il occurred in this
county more than twenty years ago. The
woman was convicted of killing her hus-
band and disposing Of his body by burning
part of it and feeding the rest to the pigs.
Although she was convicted and sentenced
to be hanged, a company of militia had to
be called out to keep the mob from taking
the prisoner from the hands of the Sheriff.
While il cannot be said that the feeling
against Gillette has reached as high a point
as this, there can be no question Of its ex-
isterce and the authorities are prepared
to instantly meet it if it should show itself.
Mr.. Mills will open the case for III de-
fence tomorrow, and as much curiosity
as to his speech is manifested as was shown
in his probable line of defence. Unques-
tionably the chief strength Of his plea will
be in the fact that there was no eyew tness
TO Grace Browns death except the defend
ant himself. Mr.. Mills will undoubtedly
try TO introduce the element of reasonable
doubt and impress upon the minds of the
Jurors the fact that if they nave any doubt
Of Gillette's guilt it will be their duty to
acquit. If he can impress this firmly enough
on the minds of even one of the jurors a dis
agreement will result, and it is said that
q disagreement is the most the defence now
hopes for.
No attempt was made by the defendants
counsel to account for the bruises found
on the girls head and face, as testified by
the medical witnesses for the prosecution
snd which they said were the cause of the
girls death. These injuries will rave to be
accounted for by Mr.. Mills in his summing
up il he attempt 10 account for them at all.
He mutt argue that the injuries were
received after the girl went into the water,
as there was nothing in Gillette's own story
10 show that they were sustained before
she, "a he says, jumped from the boat.
z The bottom Of the lake where GraceBrown's
/ odv was fond was muddy, as has been
test fed TO by all the witnesses the prosecu-
tor introduced on this point, and there were
no lump or sunken logs near the place.
So it seems almost certain that Mr.. Mills
will introduce the theory a2d try to make it
appear prob y lie that the girls body bumped
az ainst tho upturned boat after IL went
into the water. This theory is apparently
the only one which will also account for the
LONG hairs which we're caught in one Of the
Cleats of the boat
The jurors passed the last Sunday Of
captivity in their usual solemn way. They
went two by two to church morning and
evening and spent the rest of the day, eX-
cent for meal times, in their rooms talking
and sleeping. Gillette also spent may
re his last Sunday in the Herkimer county
Jail very quietly, reading magazines and
letters which he had received during the
day. His keepers say that he has not come
TO the realization of the seriousness OF his
position and is making plans for what he
will do after he gets out. The only thing he
apparently fears is the possibility Of a dis
a. reernenf