The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-18
GILLETTE RECEIVES A SHOCK,
PROsECUTOR WARD SPRINGS 4
SURPRISE.

NlODht L1At NAEh
Dying Cry Sounded over the Waters,
and She Wn Testify 90 the Fact.
H~FRNIMER, Nov. I7-After a weeks
struggle between counsel the twelfth Juror
N the case of Chester Il. Gillette, Charged
with the murder Of Ora e Brown, was OBJ
tainel to-day and Prosecutor George Ward
opened the Safes Gase in u three-quarters
Of an hours address, which furnished the
tirst real sensation Of the trial n caused
a conmotfon ~ court that for the 6rst time
since the beginning of the case seemed to
have some effect on the nerve OF the prs-
oner. who since the beginning has sat
slouchcd down in his chair with no apparent
expression but sulleuness on his dark face.
For more than half an hour the District
Attorney. who in voiCe and bearing greatly
resembles Alton b.. Parker, had told the
story of the prosecutions case up To the
time Of the girls death in Big Moose Lake.
He had talked ina conversati onal tone, hut
the facts he related made the story one OF
absorbing interest 70 the spectators IN the
court room. Suddenly. as the prosecutor
reached his description of the girls denth,
he sprang his surprise.
There was another person on the lake
a. they stru ggled, he said, raising his voice
q little and making his tone more intense.
sand when Grace, Browns last cry sounded
over the waters OF Big Moose Lake this
witness heard and she will be here to testify
10 that fact"
The sentence caused "A coInnlotion a.
great as if a cannon had been let on in the
room. Opposite Young Gillette sat the
family of Grace Brown. They were on
transverse seats opposite the defendant,
with two daughters, Mary and Francis.
sitting between their parents. They had
been using their handkerchiefs freely
throughout the prosecutors speech, but
as the District Attorney spoke Of the girls
death they seemed TO lose entire control
OF themselves. They began TO cry loudly,
almost historically, and their sobs could.
he beard in every part Of the court room.
Gillette himself seemed to have received
an unexpected shock from the prosecutors
words. His head, which had been bend
ing forward, went back momentaTly,
and the hand which had been covering
his face gripped harder and brought the
color to his cheeks, which had been a dead
white. Ii was only for an Instant, how
ever, and in a moment he was again looking
at the prosecutor with the air or dis
Interested, expressionless attention which
he had worn all through the other parts
Of the prosecutors recitation. II WAS
the only instance when he has been shaken
even for a moment since the beginning
Of the trial. Even then the District At
torney's surprise had less effect on the
twenty-three-year-old defendant than II
did on the spectators in the court room.
The benches were not as full as they had
been during the other days Of the trial.
Even the most morbidly curious who had
come TO nave a look at the prisoner had be-
cOme tired of the undressing exa
of taleSmen and only comparatively few OF
them had come 10 this mornings session.
There were enough to fill the benches in
the back part Of the room, but M extra
seats had to be brought in. a. was the case
on preceding days. A. great ma jOrlty OF
the spectators were women, however, and
thew had listened TO the speech of the prose-
cutor with interest, which manifested itself
in craning necks and motionless bodies.
The importance of the prosecutors state
ment amazed them for a moment and held
them still motionless, for 1t has been sup
posed hat the only weak link in the prose-
cution's case was the fact that there was no
one. near by when Grace Brown met her
death.
Except in its ending il was not an unusual
story that the prosecutor told. Mr.. Ward
told of the coming OF Grace Brown, the
daughter or a poor farmer in South Otselic,
to Cortland. She obtained work In the
Gillette skirt factory, and until her married
sister moved away made her home in her
family, After that she was compelled TO
shift for herself. Then Gillette came from
the West. He WAS fairly well educated, a
nephew Of the owner of the factory, and was
attracted to the girl. He was often at her
boarding place and was constantly at hsr
desk in the factory. The girl was inex-
perienced and poor and a not unusual sequel
followed.
When the girl realized her delicate con-
dition, Mr.. Ward Continued, Gillette pre-
vailed upon her to go 70 her home IN South
Otselic, where he said he would come and
make good the promises he had made.
Iethe meantime he had been received
Into a different circle of society from that
OF che factory girl, and she was an obstacle
In the way of his larger plans. She went
20 Otseic, but for nearly three weeks he
did not come. She wrote 20 him often
and finally threatened that II he did not
come to her she would come 70 Cortland
and tell bis friends her story. Meanwhile
abe had prepared clothing for the wedding
which she expected would soon take place.
she went continued Mr.. Ward, but
he did not &c as Chester Gillette, for when
he got TO DeRuyter, the railroad station
hotel there as Charles George. He did
not want any one to think hat Chester
Gillette wa there to meet Grace Brown,
the daughter Of the South Otselio farmer.
Whel ne came OOWn 10 DTedhIabJ anQ
found that the girl had not come. he went
back to his room. where no n would see
and recognize him."
When the girl did finally colne he let
her ret on the train first, b prosecutor
said, and then Jumped on the train himself
after il had started 70 owe out. IN board
he found two young women from Cortland
whom he knew ON their way to the Adiron-
dacks. He sat with them, leaving Grace
Brown alone, and made an engagement
with them 20 meet them some days later
as Chester Gillette. This, the prosecutor
said, showed that Gillette's future actions
had been carefully planned.
At Utica the pair registered under the
names OF Charles George and wife" Gil
lette did not pay his whole hotel bill, the
prosecutor said. He was short of money
and wished 10 be able to go al far as pos
sible into the woods" From Utica the
pair travelled to the Old Forge.
But continued Mr.. Ward, the place
was not secluded enough for the act which
Gillette was planning. He decided TO travel
fifty-five miles north to Upper Lake.
further into the wilderness, but this Charles
George left his laundry there to be called
for by Chester Gillette. He found, how
ever. when he got. to Upper Lake that
he did not get into "a wilderness. Upper
Lake was n Town Of 5000 inhabitants. IL
WAS not the place he was looking for Ha