The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-13
TRIAL OF GILLETTE BEGUN.
ACCUSED OF NUMBERING HIS
SWEETHEART, GRACE BROWN.
story % the Tragedy on Big Moose Lake
In the A~dirondacks III Jurors OBJ
tanned the First Day Of the Trial
Able Counsel to Conduct the Defence.

In the ~rOnOa Nine JURORS I'D
tanned the First Day Of b Trial
Able Counsel to COnduct the Defence.
UTICA, Nov. I2.-An adjourned extraor-
binary term Of the Supreme Court wa
convened in Herkimer this morning for
the purpose of trying Chester Gillette OF
Cortland. who is charged with the murder
of Grace Brown of South Otselic, Chenango
county.
Gillette and the girl had been lovers and
both had been employed in the Gillette
skirt factory at Cortland, which is con-
Quoted by the prisoners uncle. Last sum-
mer the girl went to her home on her va
cation. During her vacation she talked
over the telephone from South Otselic
with some one whom she accused of de-
ceiving her. On Monday, July o, she left
home and her parents supposed that she had
gone to Cortland to resume work in the
factory. The next that they heard of her
was when word reached her father that her
body had been found in Big Moose Lake,
in the Adirondacks.
The girl after leaving her father at the
railway station on the morning she left
home was joined by Gillette and they came
to Utica by way of Canastota. Registering
ulldCl Gil dcEulAC oAA bhNJ SfNA
night at the Hotel Martin and the next day,
Tuesday, July 10, they went to the Adj
rondacks, where they had planned to spend
several days.
On the morning of July II they left the
Hotel Glenmore at Big Moose, hired a
boat, took all the luggage they had with
them, which included a suit case and a
camera, an umbrella and n ennis racquet,
and want ont Tho hotel nPnnla nnaar-
stood that they would not be back to din
ner, and so no attention was given to their
failure to return at that hour; but when
at evening they did not put in an appear
ance their absence was commented upon
and the next morning search was made for
them. The upturned boat which they had
taken was found floating in the water.
on the bottom Of 1t, carefully spread out,
was the girls coat. On the bottom of the
lake, not far from the boat, her body was
found. Gillette was seen going through
the God and or Saturday morning, July
IA, he was arrested at the Arrowhead Ho-
tel at Inlet and taken TO the jail in Herkimer.
The body OF Grace Brown was taken to a
morgue in Frankfort, where an autopsy
was performed. IL showed among other
things that the girl was in a delicate con-
dition and that her skull vas fractured.
II is expected that the theory of the prose-
cution will be that Gillette murdered Grace
Brown for the purpose of getting rid of her
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to another young woman in Cortland.
When court convened this forenoon the
task OF securing a jury was Immediately
undertaken.
When court adjourned at 5 o'clock nine
jurors. acceptable alike TO prosecution
and defence. sat in the box. these jurors.
however. are subject to peremptory chal-
lenge and several Of them may be excused
tomorrow. but the indications are that the
nine thus far accepted will be among the
guualya man nhn will aft in Gnnl iuAUTpQnf
In the case and determine the fate Of the
apparently light hearted prisoner.
Matters moved swiftly in the case to-day.
IL had been estimated that it would re-
quire at least a week TO complete the jury.
and the expeditions manner in which the
attorneys agreed upon nine men who swear
hat they can render a verdict based solely
upon the evidence was a revelation and
fair indication that the second day of the
trial will see the jury completed.
Charles X. thomas and A. NJ. Mills, law
yers of wide experience and among the most
able Of the members Of the Herkimer county
bar. are looking after the prisoners interests.
having been assigned by the Court. Her
vices. as Gillette, deserted in his hour of
need by his wealthy relatives. has certified
that he is penniless and Herkimer county,
determined that the youthful prisoner shall
suffer for the crime if guilty and equally
determined that he shall have full chance
w BtoDAI1i Ah1 nus ANFIFNAANNNA
TO his appeal for counsel by assigning two
Of her most distinguished lawyers to safe
guard his interests.
Gillette, jauntily dressed and chewing
q mouthful of gum, was brought into court
In the afternoon. Seated near his attorneys
he chatted pleasantly with the lawyers
and reporters and on several occasions
he fairly shook with laughter. The prisoner
TO all appearances was the most light
hearted person in the court room. He il a
puzzle to every one with whom he comes
in contact and IL guilty OF the terrible crime
charged against him is carrying himself
in a most remarkable manner.
In another section OF the Herkimer court
room this afternoon sat the father, mother
and three sisters OF Grace Brown, the
murdered girl. They will be witnesses for
the prosecution. The dead girls relatives
spent a great share of their first visit to
the court room in weeping. and at least
nee during the afternoon Mrs. Brown,
unable to restrain her feelings, expressed
the wish that she might be permitted 10
pass judgment on the prisoner and adj
minister the punishment she felt he de-
served.
It is highly probable that the defence
will be suicide, although the defendants
attorneys refuse to max known the line
they propose TO take up. In case the
suicide theory is advanced the District
Attorney will go OF drawing out particles
lieves will knit together and present the
10 the jury that the theory Of suicide will be
dispelled.
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