The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-19
AN INVERTED MURDER TRIAL
PROSECUTORS PROCEDURE IN
GUY CASE SURPRISES COURT.
Eighteen witnesses Examined. but Nothing
Is Brought Out About tho Crime OF
which the EX-COrOneF Is Accused
Much Evidence About His Drinking.


Which the Ex-COrOneF Is Accused
Much Evidence About His Drinking.
Eighteen witnesses were examined yes
terday in the trial in the Supreme Court
at Flushing OF DR.. Samuel s.. Guy for shoot
ing TO death his wife Lillian at their home
In Far Rookaway.
Murder trials generally begin by the
proving OF the death and cause Of death
OF the supposed victim, but this trial is
proceeding on somewhat original lines.
No testimony concerning the death Of Mrs.
Guy has yet been taken, and George A.
Gregg, ex-Distriot Attorney OF Queens
county. who. with William l.. Mathot, is
conducting Guys defence, objected TO this
style OF procedure. The Court called upon
District Attorney Ira g. Darrin to explain.
Mr.. Darrin said he knew that he was
proceeding a little out Of the ordinary, but
that he had a large batch Of witnesses whose
testimony was Of a preliminary nature
and he wanted to get them out Of the way
before getting down to the heart Of the
case, The defence offering no further OBJ
jections Mr.. Darrin wa then allowed TO
continue in his own way.
Aside from three witnesses who had
taken photographs and drawn plans and
maps of the grounds and buildings the
witnesses were offered as semi-experts
in gauging the amount Of whiskey DIR. Guy,
whom the District Attorney in his address
to the jury characterized as "a hard and
steady drinker,' had disposed Of the after
noon OF the shooting. From the stories
told by these witnesses Mr.. Darrin's char
acterization OF DR.. Guy was hardly borne
out. From three to six drinks was the
number the various witnesses testified to
having seen DR.. Guy drink that afternoon,
although the final witness. Alfred E. Hauge,
admitted that h dentist was a little I'M
steady in his gait and a little thick in his
speech.
There was but one man lacking 10 COM
plete the twelve jurors when court opened
yesterday morning. and 1t was 1850 O'Clock
before this final juror was obtained in the
person Of William Allgaier, a shoe dealer
OF Ozone Park. In the wedding out process
TO find this last juror the talesmen were
asked if they would be prejudiced against
the defendant should he decline to take
the witness stand in his own behalf and
deny the charges made against him.
District Attorney Darrin in his address
said that DR.. Guy and his wife had lived
for years in great ~unhappiness.
Or. Guy was almost daily and constant
in the abuse of his wife, y continued the
District Attorney. calling her by opprobri-
Gus epithets. Their ~unhappiness was a
matter OF common notoriety. Within a
short period of April 8 they had several
bitter ouarrels. and the aggressor in each
instance was DR.. Guy. We will show you
that DIR. Guy was addicted TO an habitual
use Of intoxicating liquors-no a drunkard,
but a steady. hard drinker."
Mr.. Darrin then told of the incidents
Of the day OF the murder, and said that
he would prove hat DR.. Guy fired deliber-
ately at his wife with the intention Of killing
her.
After consulting with the attorneys on
both sides Justice Jaycox told the Jury
that owing 10 a lack Of accommodations
he had decided to give the jury liberty dur
ing the recess instead Of locking them up
is customary. He gave them the usual
caution about discussing the case.
The introduction OF maps of the grounds,
plans of the house in which the tragedy
and an array OF photographs
showing various important spots in the
time when court ~reconvened, and then MIR. |
Darrin took up the question of how much
liquor DR.. Guy Iran on the afternoon of
the tragedy. Business men, hotel keepers
andbartenders were among the witnesses eX-
amined, and it appeared TO be the unanimous
opinion that no matter what the amount
was that the defendant drank that after
il had no preeeptible effect upon him,
ave when witness Hauge took the stand.
He was the last witness on this point and
he was the man who accompanied DIR.
Guy to his home 10 see about repairing the
kitchen steps. He testified that he met
DR.. Guy in the Rossmore Hotel at Far Rock
away and that they both started for the
home in Mott avenue, stopping
on the way to get a seltzer lemonade at
he Montauk Hotel. DR.. Guy, the witness
said. was a little bit unsteady on his feet
md a little bit thick OF speech, but he knew
what he was doing and what he
when Policeman Alfred E, Berry. then
attached TO the Far Rockaway precinct,
out OF the kitchen door with a hammer
which he had borrowed Of the servant and
the doctor say TO the policeman:
What in the hell do you mean by coming
out of my back door? What have you
Deen doing in there, anyhow"
Then | beat it," said the witness.
You mean that then you got away"
the District Attorney.
yes" replied the witness. Il beat it,"
Considerable mystery which is said to
ave clustered around Mrs. Theresa Baylis,
IN alleged missing witness. was dispelled
yesterday when Mrs. Baylis. accompanied
~ her husband. who was a member OF
he Grand Jury which found the indict-
nent against DR.. Guy, appeared in court
With the other witnesses.
In view OF the case against DR.. Guy
>eing based almost entirely on circum-
evidence, at the request OF the
attorneys for the defence Justice Jaycox
all witnesses from the court room
turing the trial. II is anticipated that
he case will take the greater part Of the