The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-29
GILLETTE TELLS OF
THEIR FATAL TRIP
Said Grace Brown Jumped Into
the Lake
BOAT UPSET AS He STOOD
Accused of Murder, Chester Gillette
Faces Jury and Calmly Relates In
cidents of Visit to Big
Moose Lake.
BOAT UPSET AS He STOOD

supposed finance Grace Brown of South
Otselic, today took the witness stand in
his own behalf. With face somewhat
drawn, but attitude as care free as the
most unimportant witness in the entire
case, Gillette crossed his legs, gazed at
/ the jury and began to tell the story of the
Inflated trip that he and Grace Brown
took on Big Moose lake. After going
over his youthful career. which carried
him through the west he began.
His testimony had not progressed at
great length before he made the state
ment that Grace Brown jumped from
the boat in which the two were rowing
into the lake.
IT left Cortland on Sunday, July 81
he began. Eyes, 1 had been acquainted
with Grace Brown for sometime. I went
to De Ruitzter from Cortland and re-
manned there one night. 1 met Grace
Brown. The next day we went to Utica,
staying at the Hotel Martin for the night.
1--WE reached the upper lake at o'clock
Monday evening"" Gillette said.
when we got to the hotel we started
proprietor that we did not care much for
the place and he told US of morning
train we could get out on. We took
that train"
In his opening address Mr. Thomas
said he would show that Grace Brown
was the one who suggested that they
get off and spend the day at Big Moose,
but when the witness reached that point
in his story he made no allusion to
what inspired them to get off at Big
Moose, after the girls trunk had been
shipped through to Old Forge.
I'VE went to the Glenmore hotel in
a buss," said Gillette. "Grace sat down
on the veranda. I went in and talked
with the younger Mr.. Morrison He told
me there were some beautiful sights on
the lake and when I inquired about a
steamer ride he told me to go and tell
the engineer that 1 wanted to go with
him. This I did.
What did the engineer say" asked
Mr.. Mills.
HE said he would blow the whistle
for us when he was ready to start" said
Gillette
Then" he continued, 81 went back
to the hotel and Mr.. Morrison told me II
l wanted to see all the sights on the
lake I'd better take a row boat / asked
Grace which she would rather do, and
she said"
There was objection to conversations
with the girl, now dead, and 1t was sus-
tanned.
eve went down to the dock and hired
a row boat Gillette went on.
Before leaving the hotel | went in
and got my things and hung up Grace
hat"
what things had you there" asked
Mr.. Mills.
"a suit case camera and a coat"
what was strapped to the suit case"'
"a tennis racquet in case and an
umbrella"
1--WE started along the south shore and
moved along slowly" he said, Cooking
for places that Mr.. Morrison spoke Of.
We saw a rustic bridge open camp and
a boat house. and then we went to South
Bay"
South Bay is where Grace Brown
death occurred.
eve went out to pick some pond lilies
and fioated around, reading. | had a
magazine About 10 o'clock, We went to
the south shore to get in the shade, as
the sun was hot. We went to point
about opposite Punkey Bay and went on
shore. l pulled the boat up and we sat
down. | asked her il she was not hungry.
She said she was not well and was not
hungry l got the suit case and used 1t
to sit on because the ground was damp.
She sat on it and [ put my coat behind
her. We were on the shore about an hour.
[ had my camera out also
when we got into the boat we went
out on the lake. had left my suit case,
camera and two coats on the bank. We
went towards Coveys Point. About half
way along the beach we got out on the
shore again and in a little time we saw
a man trying to land In a boat. / talked
with him. We left in the boat and rowed
out in the bay shortly afterwards. At an
other place on the beach we landed
again"
To illustrate his narrative, Gillette left
his chair and indicated points on the
lake and shore as shown on a map. He
spoke of little incidents such as finding
q spring, meeting people in boat and
finally took his story to the point where
Grace Browns body and the boat were
found.
1--WE talked about what we ought to
do, he said, land l said we ought not
to keep on as we had. I finally said l
thought her father and mother ought to
know of what had occurred She said she
could not tell her mother and cried. l
told her she would have to She said,
You don't know my father; you cannot
tell him.
We talked a little more, then she got up
and Jumped in the water-just jumped in.
1 was in the other end leaning back.
When I started to get up the boat turned
over When | came up l caught hold of
the boat
Ibid you see herr" asked Mr.. Mills.
81 couldn't After couple of minutes
when / could not see her, l swan to
the shore. l went off through the woods
with my stuff. / had landed near it. My
hat was In the water, l guess"
He told of going through the forest and
of striking a road, meeting two men in
one place and a third further on. About
the tennis racquet, he said that it was In
the way.
81 had my suit case,'' Gillette said,
land I decided to put the racquet away.
I put 1t under log in the woods little
way from the road
Gillette told of visiting Eagle bay, the
Arrow Head inlet and his trip to Seventh
lake.
Gillette said he remembered seeing
guests on the porch of the Arrow Head
inn.
was there any singing?" asked Mr.
| Mills.
Eyes SIR" Gillette replied
Ibid you join in it?'
mo, SIR"
| Gillette testified that he tried to borrow
money from the hotel proprietor and
said he met with a refusal. His different
articles of clothing, Gillette said, he hung
up in his room to dry.
| 1.-THE next morning, Saturday / went
| to breakfast and saw a friend from Cort-