The sun., 1910-05-26
WILLIAM SEYLER GORS FREE
JURY AC0UIFS HIM AFTER SIX
HOURS DELIBERATION.

Aecussa MANS Stsgy % witness etAnd q
ths EvenlnH sn Which lane Adams
Net HeF Death-veEdlet Greeted
Win Applauas- Orvis eeyier Released.
Mars LANDJE0. n. j.. May 7s.-Aitsr q
trial lasting three days the jury a. 10
o'clock this evening brought IN q verdict
aoquitting William Ssyler of Atlantic
City of the murder Of Jane Adama on the
evening of February 4 last. Tho jury
had been out since shortly after O'Clock.
Il u said that the jury balloted only for
frat degree murder or acquittal.
The court rOOm was crowded when
the tolling Of the bell announced that q
verdict had been reached.
When Foreman William Mcclure an
nounced the verdict of not guilty there
was a burst Of applause which was
quickly stopped by a rap Of Justice
Trenchard's Eavel. The prisoner shook
hands with the jurymen and thanked
them fervently. He was discharged
from custody and he left for Atlantic
City on a late train. His wife had gone
home on an earlier train. Orvis Seyler.
detained a. a witness. was released from
custody.
The biggest throngs that have yet
attended the trial were present during
the last session 20 hear tho defendant
tell his story. Seyler. plainly worn and
pale after a restless night. was brought
into court a few minutes before the ses-
sion opened. He greeted his wife with
a wan smile and waved his hand at the
children. He held a brief conference
with Edmund c. Gaskill. his attorney,
lust before Justice Thomas W. Trenchard
and bis associate. Judge =. A. Higbee.
took their places.
sevler was Immediately called 10 the
stand hy Gaskill In anaw er 70 questions
he told hs story % what occurred On
the pier "a follows:
when We arrived az tbs pier ! p aid
75 cents of the admission. which va
IS cents apiece. and 0rvis paid 9S. Alice.
Jane and Orvia went In FIRST and followed.
The hall was 0nly partly lighted and u
was not time for the show. 40 We went
on out 20 the end of the pier. where there
were no lights We went a. far a. the
exhibition hall where there was a large
chair. Here Il a chair big enough for
two said Orvia. IL isn't big enough
for four. said one Of the girls. and we
passed on. II was very cold and ! hRo
no OvercOat, - ! suggested that We 60
back 10 the warm hall. Alice and Orvis,
however. said they wanted 20 walk around
tho pier and Jane would not return without
them. 10 We stood waiting for the couple
~ -...,-...,.i -, L.. ,h.e -. m harLr
into the hall 70 wait for the two, but she
would not 90. Istarted in and had gone
only a short distance when | heard her
cali Alioel' three times In a natural voice.
! thought Il was a shame TO leave her
alone out there, and | went back. When
I reached tho wave motor she was not
| 70 he seen, nor have | seen her since.
! walked around the exhibition hall 20
aee II she was there. hut could not see any
thing. - ] supposed she had given me
| the alp and joined the others, and went
on oh the pier, went up 70 the Hotel
Chelsea, 20 which I had started when
/ left home. I could not see the party
I wanted 20 Get the job from. aud went
directly home. reaching there shortly
after : O'Clock.
-Orvis came In later and We went out
together. A. we passed out Of the gate
NJ asked me. Where's Janef ! replied
that had lefl her on the pier and supposed
ahe had Joined them. We went % my
houNa from faiheE'a and shortly after
we got there Mrs Adams cafne over and
demanded % know where Jane was.
told her ! did not know, but had lett her
on the pier She left the house, saying that
she would kill the little - II she caught
her. and also something about having me
arrested.
The next morning Orvis and I went
10 Pleasantville 20 hunt for work. and
from there We went n Petersburg. Va
We failed % find work and were planning
10 come home a few DAYS later On the
day We plaRned 10 come home Orvis saw
something about the finding of Jane
Adams's bodv and that We were blamed.
and that made ~ deiermine 70 60 home
the neat morning That night about I
O'clock the detectives came in our room and
with guns pointed AZ ~ called ~ 20 sur
render We were put IN the Petersburg
Jail and later brought % Atlantic CITY,
The prosecutor then called Detectives
Malseed and Miller. Captain 0f Detectives
Richard Whalen and Chief II Police Nal
colin Woodruff n testify that no cruelty
or force had heen used In order n get
Savler % make statementa and he
took the stand himself in regard n the
matter asking questions and answering
The officers sW0re that Seylers statements
we're made voluntarily and exactly a. 80
down on paper and signed by the defend
ant
The statements a. admitted by the
Court were one by Orvis SeyleF saving
that William Seyler told him one night
when he could not sleep that he saw Jane
fell overheard and that he himself saw
William leave the pier alone on the night
Of the tragedy Orvis contradicted these
statements yesterday on the stand. The
statement as admitted made by the
defendant 20 the authorities was made az
the time he waa taken IN the pier. when he
stood at a place he designated and said
that was where he was standing when Jane
fell overheard: thar he tried 10 rescue her
but she never came up.