Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-30
c GILLETTE C)NF[SSE&,
PAYS FULL PENALTY
Young Man Who Murdered
Grace Brown ElectrOcuted
in Auburn Prison
coNFE-sEs TO MINISTER'S
coNFE-sEs TO MINISTER'S
Spiritual Advisers Issue Statement De-
clarine Law Made no Mistake, But
Refusing to DivuIee Details of Con-
sess;on-GiIette Advises Young Men
Story of His Crime.

sess;on-GilIette Advises Young Men
Story of His Crime.
Auburn, N. Y, March 30-Chester r.
Gillette today paid the full penalty OF
the brutal murder of Grace Brown he
went to death in the electric chair at
Auburn prison without a sign of weak
ness and with the same lack of emo
ton which has characterized him from
the lay he was arrested charged with
the crime. Gillette appeared to nave
been fully reconciled to his fate and in
statement given out by his spiritual
tion it is indicated he had made con-
fession of his guilt. The statement is
signed by Rev. Henry McIlravy. of Lit
tie Falls, and Rev. Cordello Herrick,
the prison chaplain, who had attended
Gillette since he had been in the death
cell at the prison. 1t follows:
Because our relationship with Ches-
ter Gillette was privileged we do not
deem it wise to make "A detailed state
ment, but simply wish to say that no
legal mistake was made in his electro-
cution."
Gillette himself, so far as the public
is concerned, never admitted the crime.
His last word, in the form of a state
ment which he prepared with palms.
taking care last night, was made public
after he had been put to death this
morning. In this statement Gillette
implored young men to lead Christian
lives.
Any fear which the prison officials
may have entertained that Gillette
remarkable composure would desert
him at the last moment was quickly
sdispelled when he stepped from his cell
to the corridor leading to the death
chamber. His step was firm and strong
and he walked rapidly toward the in
strument of death. Not even by the
culver Of an eye-lash did he .betray
the least sign of emotion, and at no
stage did he require assistance from
the keepers and his spiritual advisers
who accompanied him in his last walk.
He seated himself in the chair. the
straps and electrodes were placed, and
within two minutes Gillette had been
Officially pronounced dead.
GilIette's Victim and Crime.
The crime for which Chester r.
Gillette was sentenced to forfeit his
life in the electric chair in Auburn,
nf his
sweetheart, Grace Brown, near Big
Moose in the Adirondacks on July II,
1906. Gillette was convicted on circum
stantial evidence after a sensational
trial in which the pathetic love letters
of Billy" Brown, as the girl was ia
miliarly known among her associates,
to Gillette, played an important part
The girl who perished in the waters
of Big Moose lake had trusted Gill
lette to make amends for the wrong he
had done her by making her his wife,
and her letters, which were found in
the young mans room after his arrest
at Eagle Bay, have been considered by
many as classic in their simplicity and
their tender pleading for the right that
was her due.
Gillette had been more or less of a
rover up to the time he became fore
snan in his uncle's shirt mandatory
in Cortland, n. Y. He had led a some
what gay life but was given to under
stand upon his arrival in Cortland
that he must conduct himself so that
his wealthy relatives might at least
recognize him. He soon became inter-
ested in church work. made many
friends and apparently conducted him
self with propriety
Grace Brown was farmers
daughter from South Otselic. who
worked in the same factory with Gill
lette. Altho he did not pay her un-
not long in recognizing that she was
somewhat Of favorite with the young
foreman He began to call on her at
the home of her married sister, who
lived in the city, and soon won her
trust and affection. The girls conf
dence in Gillette and his promise of
marriage eventually led to her undoing
and in the summer of 1906 she went
home to prepare for her wedding,
which she felt could not long be post
poned 1t was during her stay at her
home in South Otselic that she wrote
him the remarkable series of letters
which were found among Gillette's eff
fects after his arrest.
In these outpourings of her soul she
breathed the poignancy of her sorrow,
and her sweetness of girlish youth,
faith and self sacrifice We're ever ap-
parent. In her misery she pleaded with
her lover TO come to her, saying that
she had been brave but was beginning
to feel discouraged. In spite OF her
suffering she thought first of all of him,
and how she might lessen any burden
that he was destined to bear
Meet Again and Tragedy Follows.
Plans We're arranged by letter for
meeting at DeRuyter and Gillette Sc
cured leave of absence from the fac
tory. He arrived at DeRuyter on the
evening of July and registered at a
hotel as Charles George. The next
day Grace Brown left South OtseHc
ostensibly for Cortland. but changed
ears for Utica at DeRuyter where she