Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-24
THE DEMASSY TRIAL.
Jury Secured to Try Alleged Murder
ess of Gustav Simon.

New York, April 23.-Late today a
jury was impanelled for the trial for
murder of Anisia Louise De Massey, q
widow and in many respects the most
remarkable prisoner who has occupied
q cell in the Tombs. The woman is
charged with having fatally shot Gus
tav Simon, Il shortWaiSt manufacture
CT, in his Broadway office. Nov. IS of
last year. The state alleges that the
prisoner had quarreled with Simon over
compression due her for designing done
for the firm. The defence maintains
that the shooting was done by another.
There was but one witness and he has
refused to swear positively that the ac-
cuscd fired the fatal shot.
During the five months spent in the
TOmbS the prisoner has refused to dis
cuss herself or her case, except to as
seft her innocence and has steadfastly
refused to satisfy the curiosity of those
who have become interested in her case.
Her evident refinement and eXclu-
SiYenesS have given rise to a report
that She is q descendant Of n noble
French family which was Impoverished
by the Revolution, but even this sub
iect has failed to elicit any information
regarding herself or friends.
When she entered court today her
only concern appeared to be lest the
newspaper men should make her ride
ulous by an imperfect description of
her wearing apparel. TO the reporters
she said that she mad noticed in the va
rious accounts of the Thaw trial many
inaccuracies in the descriptions of the
costumes Of the women relatives OF
the prisoner. She wished no such ms
takes made in her case. "HiememD"r'
she. said. going over the details repeat
edly. 1.-The suit is Jet black. the Sil'rl
waist Of white made to order from my
own design. The skirt Of the sun II
sprinkled with gold tassels. Tho nat IS
black tooue with gold band and Whlte
plume
The motive alleged by Assistant DIS
trict Attorney Ely for the killing Oh
Simon is the fact that he owed the Wo-
man a small sum of money. S@o or
thcrcabouts, for working one week IN
his employ as designer of lingerie
houses She had given up the place ana
had come to him for her wages. lie
put her off. telling her to return in TWO
hours at the time when the help was
regularly paid. For that alone. accord
ing to Mr.. Ely-s contention, she came
back after starting down stairs. forced
her way into Ri; GlasS-Wallcd Office
o. crloolling his work people ana bla|ed
away at her employer as he sat at ms
desk.
Three shots We're fired, but only one
| struck Simon. 1t entered the lung ana
lie died at 4 hospital after he had raised
| himself from his bed ana placed a
weak hand lipon the unShrinkinG Shoui-
der of the French woman. Mrs. DE Mas
sv was seemingly undieturbed when an
| elevator man seized her as she was
leaving the broadway building on the
| day Of the shooting. The same con1l-
dent air WAS maintained today When
she arose in court at the side Of Charles
LeBal bier. her attorney, to plead "no'
guilty"
eve are prepared to show, the at
torney has said, chat while my client
| was in Simon'S office. another person
was lying in wait to slay him and dic
| 50 Just as the woman was walking
| down stairs"
The shooting was heard by 300 en-
ploycs at work in an adjoining room.
The state will open tomorrow.