Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-05-25
SEYLER TELLS
HIS STORY TO
THE JURYMEN
Prisoner in Atlantic City
Murder Case Takes Stand
in Own Defense.
TRIAL MAY CLOSE LATE
THIS AFTERNOON
Special Ov Umstsd Pres. wire.

MoyS AdhuluB, may zb.-I10 rate
OF William Seyler, on trial for the
murder Of Jane Adams at Atlantic
City, will probably be known before
the day is over. Quick time was
made at the morning session today,
and when court adjourned for the
j luncheon recess, Prosecutor Golden
berg had completed his summing up
J, to the jury.
j The prosecutors argument was
based upon the girls disarranged
clothing when her body was washed
\ up by the sea and declared the tes-
timony ample to prove that Seyler
had committed murder after Jane
Adams had struggled against an at
tempted criminal assault.
William Seyler was the last wit
ness for the defense He denied that
he told the police he had seen the
girl fall overheard. He said there
had been no quarrel, and that after
leaving the pier he went to the Chel-
sea hotel and then home. He said
he went to Petersburg, Va, seeking
\ work and knew nothing of the girls
i disappearance until he reached
there. Then he tried to get money
to go back to Atlantic City, but
i failed.
He swore that the statement he
was alleged to have written was
really written by Robert Morris. a
detective, so he signed 1t because the
i police told him he would be freed.
Seyler swore that on the day OF the
inquest he was given drugged cigar
cites, which made him feel dizzy, as
s. ha Hrtr -
tor Goldenberg failed to shake Sey-
ler's story on cross-examination.
4 Seyler took the stand in his own
i defense when court opened this
morning. He answered the questions
OF his lawyer with composure. The
earlier part or HIS testimony was a
repetition Of that given by his broth
er Orvis yesterday concerning the
movement Of the brothers on the
evening OF February A. He testified
to meeting Jane and Alice Adams in
Atlantic avenue, accidentally, and
suggesting that the -FOUR go to a
! moving picture show At 0rvis's
Suggestion they went instead to the
Million Dollar Pier.
1t is expected that all the evidence
of the defense will be heard today and
that the closing arguments will be
made late. this afternoon or tomorrow
morning.
The theory Of the defense, as stated
by Attorney Caslill, was that Jane
Adams, waiting for the return of her
sister Alice, after parting with Seyler,
sought shelter from the bitter cold
wind by stopping behind the wave
motor. She was unacquainted with
the pier and did not know that the pier
railing did not extend all the way to
the motor standards. Backing into
the shadow, she trippel on low tim
Der, fell to a platform below, then
bounded Off into the ocean.
Rose Dockerty, an employee of the
Marlborough Blenheim hotel, who
boarded at the home of Seyler; Mary
Mcdonald, a domestic, and Jasper
Seyler, brother of the defendant, all
testified that William Seyler was home
on the night of the tragedy shortly
after o'clock.
For the first time during the trial
Seyler broke down and wept when his
aged father, Peter -Seyler, was placed
on the stand and told of spending the
evening of Feb. after s O'clock with
VIII at the home of the latter and
afterward at his own home. They had
one or two drinks together, and the
young man did not seem in the least
worried. The aged man was visibly
affected as he gave his testimony, sit
ting few feet from the prisoner.
Mrs. Seyler, mother Of the defend
ant, was next on the stand, and-there
was hardly dry eye among the femi-
nine portion Of the spectators as she
embraced her son on the way from the
stand.
Orvis, Seyler's brother, took the
stand, and his utter denial Of making
statements to the police department
will probably result in his being ar
raigned before the grand jury for per-
jury. The young man denied in toto
making the statements as to seeing
VIII leave the pier and of the latter
telling him about Jane falling over
board. At the conclusion of his testi-
mOny he was taken back to jail and ia
still in custody. Orvis was greatly
confused in the cross examination Of
the prosecutor and made several con
Trajectory statements.
Dr. 70. A. Riley Of Atlantic City not
only contradlcted the testimony of
County Physician L. II. Souder and
DIR. Emery Marvel that the bruise on
the eye of Jane Adams must have
been received some time before death.
but said that it could even have been
inflicted after death. The black cir
cles around the eyes he attributed to
natural causes.
Mrs. Win Seyler, wife of the prIs-
oner, was next called. She seemed
nervous on the stand, and as she testi-
fed Seyler wept freely. She testified
that her husband left home on the
night of Feb. about 7:10 o'clock and
/ returned an hour later. After that he
went out again with Orvis. The next
morning he was not well, and Orvis
went out for some medicine He then
left, telling her he was going to Long
port to look for work and kissing the
children goedby. Mrs. Seyler also told
OF Mrs. Adams coming TO the house to
ask for Jane SeyIer said he did not
know where she was. Mrs. Adams
said as she left that she would "klIl
the little II" when she caught her