The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-12-04
TRIAL IS
NEARING END
State Attorneys Fierce Attack
on Gillette's Counsel.
EXPECT VERDICT TO-DAY
Senator Mills Made Dramatic APP
peal For Acquittal Of The
Accused man.

HElsKlMER, \. u, Dec. f.-NeFet
perhaps In the history OF Herkimer
county Justice had the closing scenes
OF murder trial been characterized by
such bitter attacks Of counsel as deyel'
opcd In the summing M OF tile Gillette
case.
Rcplete as the trial has been with
surprises and sensations. none was pre-
pared for the sharp exchange with
which the day closed. Judge Devon
d0rf had expected 10 give the case to
the Jury. but after District Attorney
Ward had spoken for fifteen minutes
court was adjourned.
Former Senator A. NJ. Mills, close
personal and political friend OF the
prosecutor. made the last appeal 20 the
Jury 10 -icqult Chester Il. Gillette OF
the murder OF Grace Brown. his sweet
heart, at Big Moose lake July IL. He
had occupied nearly the whole OF the
session. aud IL was late In the day
when he dramatically declared that the
fve physicians who had sworn that
there was blood clot on Grace
Browns brain had sworn 20 false
hood, that they had got together
and agreed upon common story for
the witness stand and deliberately
withheld testimony favorable TO his
client. Intlmating that the physicians
were improperly Influenced. be added:
III there Is an investigation OF graft
some OF these five doctors may figure
In II. They were paid large fees to
give evidence which Il was thought
was so prepared that II would convict
this boy. charge here and now-and
[ know personally each OF the physl
clans-that they did not bring In all the
facts; they did not report something
favorable to this boy. Each OF these
doctors knew that fraud was being
perpetrated. You can't pick out five
reputable physicians In the county who
would do such a thing as these doctors
did"
As Senator Mills concluded District
Attorney Ward jumped to his feet and,
lnterrupting the Judge, who had decid
ed upon an adjournment, launched into
a scathing denunciation OF Senator
Mills and the methods he had taken
TO sway the jury over 10 the defense.
As he spoke the outstretched and
trembling hand Of the prosecutor shook
in the face OF the counsel for the de
Tense
when Mr.. Mills stands here and
tells you, as he just has" he said,
that those five doctors, reputable men
of nerklmer county and your friends
who enter your homes perhaps every
day, are liars and burglars he says
that which is not true. He doesn't ex-
peet by that address to reach the intel
ligent men on this jury He thinks
that there may be rogue among you.
You know sometimes men get on juries
who have debts of gratitude to pay
from away back years ago, and they
pay them by violating the rules and
rendering a verdict not In accordance
with the evidence. That is what is
called a rogue on jury, and he hoped
there might be a rogue among you.
"Then they also seek to get weak
and unlntelllgent man on the jury who
won't be able to put an act in one town
with an act in another town and so
connect the evidence They hoped |
there might be a man of this kind in |
this jury. and they would try to reach |
him and thus affect miscarriage of |
justice"
Mr.. Ward added:
Ills whole defense is one Of trickery |
and device He hasn't got word of |
evidence He hasn't got a single fact |
in his whole case but which points con.
to the guilt of the defendant |
Of the charge implied in the indict- |
ment. The only defense he has is one |
of trickery and device from long expe-
rlence to mislead some jurymen."
In this strain, so excited at times |
that the big audience fairly gasped, |
Mr.. Ward brought to spectacular |
close day of steady speechmaking.
with here and there dramatic period. |
Senator Mills contended that Grace |
Brown committed suicide and that his |
client had been unfairly dealt with. |
Gillette had, he said, been pitted
against the united powers of persist |
ent district attorneys department, an
sheriff's department and |
Il biased and unfair public press. The |
district attorney had failed to show |
any plausible motive for the terrible |
murder laid at Gillette's door, that he
had failed to produce the eyewitness
he was expected to produce on the |
strength of his opening address and |
that he failed to prove that Gillette
had any sweetheart other than Grace
Brown, as he promised to do.
Mr. Mills declared that every bit of
evidence introduced by the district at
torney was overdrawn and that moth.
ing authentic had been presented to
the jury that was inconsistent with the
course a boy and girl in similar trou
BILE would have taken in seeking relief |
and secrecy to shield their regulations
He said the district attorney might as
well have said that Grace Brown was
struck by bushel basket as with q
frai tennis racket and that the girls
head had struck the keel Of the over
turning boat as she went overheard IL
IN ora xuara audi In i,,rioo a % tba dactars '