The Washington times., 1908-05-25
Tragedy of LampblaCk
Swamp Unfolded in Jer-
Sey City Court.
EVIDENCE STRONG
AGAINST HUSBAND
Woman Companion and Male
Friend to Appear as Witnesses
for the Prosecution.

JERSEY CITY. y. J., May 25.-With
rumors prevalent on every hand Of
contemplated coup by the prosecution.
the trial OF Theodore s. Whitmore, for
the murder Of his wife. Lena. on last
Christmas. was begun here today. The
jury was completed before non, and the
mystery OF the Lampblack Swamp. in
volvfng the finding Of the nude body of
the victim in a stagnant pool OF water,
and the apparently blind chase for the
murderer and subsequent arrest OF
yVhitmore, is now on the way TO solu-
ton.
Wuitmore is basing his hope OF free
dom on a complete alibL He denies all
knowledge of the crime, and will seek
TO account for his actions on the night
his wife was struck in the head and her
unconscious form thrown into the pool,
where she died.
Chief witnesses against the prisoner
Will be George Dickerson, the woman
Of the TenderlOin. who was Whitmore's
sweetheart, and William, Gold Tooth
Billy" Bartlett. a pal Of Whitmore
who has turned States evidence and.
IL preliminary statement, has de-
ClaTed thar Whitmore Conhded 20 him
Lis intention to kill his wife
WEItmore was by occupation a mo-
tOrman. Bartlett, however. declares
that IN addition the alleged murderer
was a member Of a band OF thieves.
which made the Lampblack swamp dis
trict a hangOuL He declares that NE,
himself, has visited the desolate dis
tTict at the mouth Of the Passaic river
in company with WhitmOre.
The murder Of Lena WhitmOre was
most brutal Just where it was &C
complished Is not known. but the indi-
cations we're that the woman was
struck with a blackjack She then was
dragged 10 the spot where her body
was found. Her clothes were removed
to hinder Identification. and the still
live body thrown into the water. where
the woman drowned. The murder took
place on Christmas night. The body
was found the next day. on January
2, il was Identified, and on January 8,
WhimOre was arrested.
Court convened promptly, Justices
Blair and Swayse presiding. and the
selection Of the jury went through with
q rush. six being chosen during the
first hour. Whiumore appeared ex-
tremely self-pOssessed as lie was
brought into court. He displayed no
excitement and little interest In the
selection Of the jury.
The court room was filled with off,
Cials and newspaper men, but the gal
lery reserved for spectators, was
closed TO all save those who had bust
ness in the court.
Women lined the streets across from
Il.
guard passed from the Jail to the court
room, but none of them were allowed at
the hearing.
Has Fifty Witnesses.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Wick
ers, in opening for the prosecution,
said:
BY more than fifty witnesses, we will
follow Whitmore from December % until
January T. We viii show both motive
and action in the crime.
We viii show how WhitmOre, under
the guise Of wishing TO make up past
differences with his wife. took her 10
his home on December D. and later
escorted her 10 a road house, near
Newark and there murdered her.
throwing her body into the inky waters
Of Lampblack swamp.
I'VE will prove that Whitmore's wife
we alive when her nude body was
thrown into the shallow water. and
how Whitmors subsequently failed 10
identify her body lying at the m0rgue
after four days. during which he had
seen il three times"
During the progress Of the prOsecu-
tors opening address. Georgia DECKER
son the woman In the case was
led into the court room from the Hud-
son street jail, where she has been held
as an important witness for the prose
cution.
Dressed IN gay coIors, the woman
gaZed around the court room and ex-
changed glances with Whitmore. who
quickly dropped his eyes after the mu-
tual greetings.
$500 ~ r,-.-.-~ ---.-- 49,