Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-05-25
SEYLER CHARGES
POLICE FIXED UP
HIS CONFESSION
Jane Adams's Alleged Slayer
Testifies They Wrote in
Wrong Answers.
TELLS OF RECEIVING
PECULIAR" CIGARETTE
Third Degree Is Severely At
tackled by Counsel for the
Accused Man.
Especial to the Newark Star. ]

MAY S LANDING, May 25.-William
Seyler, the accused slayer of 17-year-
old Jane Adams, took the stand today
In his fight to escape the death chair.
His faithful wife sat in the courtroom
with his little daughter Bessie, and
heard the accused mans story. He
said:
Il knew Jane Adams in her lifetime.
l am rs years old. 1 remember the
night of February 4. had not been
working that day. About / o'clock
went after some coal. The Adams
family lived short distance from me
and we frequently visited each other.
Coming back with the coal passed the
Adams house with Orvis and Tommy
Adams. When I reached the house a
child ran out and said to Orvis: Alice
wants you.' Orvis stopped and went
directly home. 1 had an engagement
with man after o'clock
Before I went out I asked my wife
for 80 cents, but she didn't give it to
me, so l went to Young's saloon and
borrowed the money Orvis and 1
afterwards went out together. Pass
ing up Atlantic avenue we met Freddie
Adams and his young sister, who said
continued up the avenue towards the
Reading depot When we reached Mis-
souri, avenue we accidentally met Jane
and Alice, who spoke to Orvis.
walked to the curb and waited for
him.
"Orvis called to me, Let's go to the
moving pictures. I replied that we
hadn't time, but he coaxed me to go.
Orvis suggested that we go to the Mil
lion Dollar Pier. I did not want to CO.
out finally consented. Orvis suggested
having a drink, but the girls refused.
We shared the expense of going on the
pier.
''I paid % cents, all I had. and Orvis
30. The lights on the pier were not all
turned on. Orvis, Jane and Alice
walked ahead and I followed. We went
out to the dark end of the pier. I said:
Come on, Orvis; let's go in; it's cold
] did not have an overcoat. Orvis
asked me to stay with Jane while he
walked with Alice.
Denies story of Police.
"The next time I saw him was at my
mothers house. After he left I said to
Jane, Come on, let's go in. We were
near the wave motor. She said no.
standing at the time ten feet from the
motor. / did not tell the police l saw
her fall overheard, but ] said that was
where she stood when last l saw her.
II could not point out the exact place
and the police did not fix the place by
ten feet When 1 left Jane l started In
towards the hail. Jane called three
times for Alice. I turned around to
look back but could not see her, so
returned to the motor. She was not
there. | did not see her fall over the
pier
81 walked around the building to
find the rest, but did not see them. l
thought Jane had rejoined the others
and went in on the pier through the
marine hall; the lights were not all lit
then and there were not many people,
/ did not have any quarrel with Jane
that night. l did not jump overheard
to get off the pier. I went to the Hotel
Chelsea to the engine-room to see II
] could gel job there. The engineer
could not tel me about it. After l left
there ] went direct home. went out
later with father, first to Young's sa-
loon, then to his home. | next saw
Orvis right after 10 o'clock. when he
came home. We went out together.
Didn't Know Girl Was Missing.
"At that time / did not know Jane
was missing. Orvis asked me where
left Jane. Didn't she join you"
asked He said no. When / reached
my own home Mrs. Adams came there
and asked me: Where is Jane? l said
! did not know. l left her on the pier.
Mrs. Adams left, saying as she left:
iii get warrant out in the morning.
i was sick next morning and Orvis got
me some medicine.
"When / got up l dressed in my
working clothes. Orvis came to inc
later in the morning and asked me to
go to Pleasantville. He offered to pay
the fare, so / went When we arrived
at Pleasantville we went to find a job
that had been promised me, but I could
not find the man. Orvis suggested go
ing to Petersburg, Va I objected be-
cause l had no money. Orvis said we
would get work right away and
offered to pay my fare. did not
want to go for one reason, because
Jane Adams had disappeared and it
would look bad for me If Mrs. Adams
had me arrested, as she said.
"Finally consented to go. We failed
TO find work and planned to jump our
board bill to get back home. That
night we were arrested. Miller fixed
M the statement I signed. which was
not true. I signed that because MIL
Ter told me if I did nothing would be
done to me- When we were brought
hack we were put in the city Jail.
never told Orvis 1 saw Jane back off
the pier.
IT never admitted such statement
All said was that / was on the pier
when they were sweating me Chief
Woodruff came in and told the officers
they we're too harsh, sending them OUT.
I told him then that I did not wish to
saw anything until 1 got in court.
miller gave me cigarette. and it
made me feel dizzy and sick as
though / had been drinking heavily.
smoked two of these and threw an
other away. The turnkey gave me a
story called The Man Who Had
Never Seen His Saucer Miller and