New-York tribune., 1908-05-26
WHITMORE ON TRIAL
JERSEY Murder Case Moues Rapidly
on First Ddu.

Before adjournment at 5 o'clock yesterday after
noon Theodore s Whitnore had been placed on
trial in the Hudson County Court house in Jersey
City, for the murder Of his wife, Helena whit
more whose body was found in Lampback Swamp,
sn Harrison, on December IS; a jury had been oo-
tanned Assistant Prosecutor Nickers had mace
his opening address 10 the jury. and many wit
nesses for the state had been called and examined
The trial began 10 o'clock before Justice
svavze of the Supreme Court. and Judge Blair,
of the Court Of Common Pleas Alexander sinp-
son appeared for the prisoner. The courtroom was
crowded. and the case was followed with INTENSE
interest.
In his opening address Mr vickers told the jury
,ba. ,be state would show that on the day before
the murder whitrnore had quarrel with his WIFE,
that he asked her for money and that she gave II
70 him and that 7:So O'Clock in the morning
he induced his wife to return with him to thelr
home in Adams street, Brooklyn; that they re-
,aaned at their home all that Christmas Day, and
that they were last seen together in that house
shortly before O'Clock that night
I'VE will also show a motive for this crime
said Mr vickers. This defendant never had any
uss for his wife. who through his acts was of'en
co-nneTed 20 separate from him. We will prove
that he was violently jealous Of his wife and also
Of 8 man whom she and he called harry Inc
etate viii also show that this oetenoahl eIiueaN
ored 10 OBTAIN a separation from his wife HIS
reason for desiring 10 get rid of her at TINS lllne
u,a. because he was infatuated with another
woman
Witnesses were then called 10 tell OF the nnoins
Of the body in the swamp -
Mrs Bessie Schmitters. OF No. 24 East lo"th
street Manhattan, a sister Of Mrs Nhitmore'
Tainted in the courtroom after she had finished
selling how she and her husband had visited the
,,o-r7Je IN Paterson and had identified the BODY as
,bat of her sister William 3. Salter, brother OF
Mrs Whitrnore said he had difficulty In recos-
mixing the body as that ot his sister
rr Otto H Schultz. coroner's physician OF Man
haitian who performed the autopsy on the oooy OF
Mrs Mhitnore, testified that the wornans death
was caused by drowning and not from any vio-
1ence she had suffered before being thrown into
the water.
Frank Englert. Of Harrison, who formerly lived
an Brooklyn. testified that he identified the body.
and half Under cross examination the witness
said he first met her at SANDS ana NsSllhS'oh
streets in Brooklyn
How, did Won come to meet herr" asked MI
simpson. Were YOU introduced 10 each other"
NO" replied the witness. we were not intro
duoed. She came VI and spoke TO me while j was
standing there"
Bernard T. Walsh. ths rnorgue keeper Of Harm
son testified that whtniore appeared nervous when
he first appeared the norgue on January , He
said he would not adni; the body was that Of his
wife
Police Judge Joseph Branegan, OF Harrison. de-
scrtbed the hearing before him. which resulted IN
lis holding whitnore for the grand jury.
Michael Rogers. Chief of Police Of Harrison. be-
came badly confused under the cross-eKamination
Of the defence. His answers were so contra
oictory that many in the courtroom laughed, and
order was restored with great difficulty The trial
VIII continue to-day.