New-York tribune., 1910-05-24
.SEYLER TRIAL GOES FAST
State Puts Jane AdamS's Parents
and Sister on Witness Stand.
NOT DROWNED. SAYS DOCTOR
Alice Adams Tells of Leaving
Sister with Defendant on
Atlantic City Pier.

Mays Landing. n. J.. May 23.-Wfll1am
Seyfer. of Atlantic City. was placed on
trial here to-day for the murder of Jane
Adams. an eighteen-year-old girl. whose
body was washed up on the shore at Vent
nor on February 13. nine days after she
had disappeared from Young's Pier. JUS
tice Trenchard of the Supreme Court, Is
presiding. assisted by Justice z. A. Higbie.
Clarence L. Goldenburg. District Attorney
of Atlantic County, is conducting the
prosecution. and Edmund C. Gaski1l, jr.. of
Atlantic City, is the defendants attorney.
One hour and fifteen minutes were con-
sumed in getting a jury and the District
Attorney Immediately opened the case for
the state. He said that he would show
that Seyler tried to assault the girl before
her death and that she had lost her life as
a result of her efforts to resist him.
Girls Father Testifies
After witnesses had testified to finding
the body of the girl. her father, Charles
Adams, was called to the stand He testi-
fed that on the night of February Orvis
Seyler. a brother of the defendant called
at his home and Jane and her younger
sister, Alice, went out with him. Later
Alice returned alone. saying that she had
left Jane on the pier with William Seyler
Adams then told how his wife had gone
to the Seyler home and demanded to know
where her daughter and how SeyIer
had disciaimed any knowledge of James
whereabouts
Asked if the defendant had ever called
at the Adams house 10 see Jane the wit
ness replied In the negative Orvis was 2
frequent caller, he said Asked if his
daughter wore skirt when she left home
on the night she disappeared Adams said
that she wore a skirt Of black mohair
which was not on the body when It was
found. He added that the other skirts were
IN place, but that the underclothing was
disarranged-
Jane was seventeen years old June II
last" said Mr.. Adams "Orvis often came
to the house to take her and Alice out"
DR.. Lewis R. Souders, county physician,
who made the autopsy on the BODY of Jane
Adams, followed the girls father on the
stand He was subjected to a grilling
ss-examination by counsel for Seyler
Didn't Think She Was Drowned.
DR. Souder on direct examination said
the autopsy had shown confusion of the
head about the eyes and congestion of the
lungs. There was no evidence that the girl
Ildu Deen attacked, ne said
Mr., Gaskill, Seyler's counsel. raised the
question whether the conditions described
could have been caused by drowning. TO
which DR.. Souder replied. Il think not"
DR.. Emery Marvel a surgical expert,
testified that the bruise found on the girls
face must have been caused before death
had ensued.
Alice Adams. the ffteen-year-old sister
r1 oil Of jci+ he r,fa
with Jane and the two Seylers on the night
her sister disappeared and of leaving her
on the pier with William Seyler.
The dead girls mother told of her search. :.
for her daughter on the night she disap
peGred and of swearing out warrant for
Seyler's arrest on the charge of abduction
SeyIer's Denial in Evidence
a signed statement given to the detec-
tives by the prisoner when he was arrested |
in Petersburg, Va, was also placed in evi-
dence by the prosecution. In it SeyIer de
MED that he had been out of his home or
seen the girl on the night in question
The prosecution. II is expected, will put
Orvis Seyler on the stand tomorrow to
give evidence against his brother.
On the night of February Jane Adams. |
her sister and Orvis Seyler left the Adams |
nome toSeCleI. 1ney met N1Ildm S6ylSI,
who accompanied them TO the pier. Jane !
and William then left the others and |
walked out on the pier Later the younger
couple returned 10 their homes, but Jane |
was never seen again by d member of her |
family. The next day the Seylers alarmed |
by the accusations of Mrs Adams. left |
Atlantic City. Search was made for them, |
and a week later they were found in |
Va. where they formerly lived. |
At first William SeyIer denied all knowl-
edge of the death of the girl. but later he
said that she net her death accidentally
while with him near the end of the pier
a few days later James body was pulled
out of the surf There was a brulse over
her left eye, her clothing was torn, and the
police worked on the theory that Seyier had
attempted to assault her. He was indicted
for murder by the grand jury, and Orvis
was held as a material witness. William
Seyler is married and has two children.