Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-21

Herkeimer, n. Y. Nov. 2O-District
Attorney Ward, who yesterday brought
witnesses before the jury officially to
introduce Grace Brown and Chester
Gillette and details of their courtship,
today took up the thread Of his story
at the home Of the Brown family in
South Otselic, where Grace spent the
three weeks preceding her clandestine
departure with Gillette for the Adj
rondacks.
The first hour Of the morning session
was devoted to display in court of
the wedding garments made for Grace
Brown. Interest was intense as the sad
story Of the wedding trosseau was told
by Grace Browns sister Frances.
Harriet Benedict of Cortland, the so
ciety girl whom. it is alleged, Gillette
courted while still keeping company
with Grace Brown, later was put in the
witness stand. She denied that there
was anything more than casual
friendship existing between Gillette and
herself.
The district attorney had just fin
ished reading the letters that passed
between Grace Brown and Chester Gil
lette. In them Grace Brown set down
all her fears. dread and anguish and
there was scarcely a dry eye in the
court room during the reading. Day af-
ter lay the girl pleaded in her letters
for Gillette to stand by he in her
troubles and when his replies seemed
cold, she would appeal to his manhood.
ending him only to ask his pardon in
the next sentence.
The reading of the letters appeared
to arouse the audience and when the
prisoner was led out after adjourn
ment there was great crowd blocking
the way to the Jail Six policemen sur
| rounded the prisoner to prevent posi-
| bic attempts to injure him by excitable
bystanders.
The district attorney in the testimony
this afternoon followed the travels of
Miss Brown and Gillette into the Adj
rondacks. He traced their movements
through Utica, produced many wit
| nesses who testified to little details OF
| the trip and closed with a long exam
| nation of a Upper Lake hotel pro-
pretor, who said that Gillette asked
him where he could find a quiet place
| in the woods, that his wife was tired
| and needed rest.
The attorney at this point engaged in
| Il vigorous dispute. the district attor-
ney repeating the witness statement
like this: He wanted quiet lake"
THE witness did not say that; he
| said quiet place" retorted Senator
Mills. Gillette's senior counsel.
"Well. he found quiet lake, any,
way" observed the district attorney.
During the afternoon Josephine Pat
| rick of Cortland testified that she met
| Gillette on the train at De Ruyter July
| and that he made an appointment to
meet her Thursday or Friday at Sew
| enth Lake. This witness was one Of the
party that Gillette joined after Grace
| Brown disappeared and before he was
arrested.
Herkimer, n. Y. Nov. 20.-Grace
Browns wedding clothes which were
| made by friends for the girl who went
to a watery grave in Big Moose lake
| on the very day she planned to go to
the altar as the bride Of Chester f. Gill
| lette. were shown in court today where
| Gillette is on trial. charged with re-
| spOnsibility for her death. From the
| girls trunk. which was recovered at
i uIlOU SudlIt, were tdhcI bCtCIdI 8di
ments that composed her wedding
| trousseau.
| For the first time since the trial be-
| gan Gillette appeared deeply affected
today Forty letters which had passed
| between him and Grace Brown were
read by the district attorney and as he
heard the familiar words repeated the
prisoners eyes filled with tears. Many
other persons in the crowded court
room wept audibly a. the letters were
| read.
In letter written by Grace last July
she pleaded with Gillette to go to
South Otselic and take her away. She
said she feared Gillette was planning
to desert her and she threatened to go
to Cortland and expose him if he did
not keep his promise to make her his
wife.
Reference to another girl" was made
in another letter and she pleaded with
him to be true to her. She wrote that
she probably would be dead before
long and that he would be rid Of her.
Harriet Benedict of Cortland denied
on the stand today that she was Ches-
ter Gillette's sweetheart She was calm
and composed as the lawyers probed