The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-25
SIYLER DEFENCE OUTLINED
TH4T GIRL BECIHE Confused
ANB, RELL IRON PIER.
PVhonsr WIN Tel nb sisry 10 ths Jury
-DsetSF Coniradicts Trstin,Oay of
Hssielans Tor the Prosecution
DrRlAls by seyler's Brother OrVis.


Jane Adams opened this morning the
court room was crowded. Those who
came over on the train from Atlantic City
alled ~ ne aisles. stood in the doorways
or listened AZ the Open windows. SeyleF
was brought into court at half past .
O'Clock. bat court did not open until
fifteen minutes later. His little girl
Bessie. who was IN the room with her
mother. caught sight Of him. rushed up TO
the enclosure. cambered into his lap and
kissed him. She was allowed 10 remain
until Justice Trenchard assembled the
bench.
Among tho first witnesses called were
Chief Of Police Malcolm Woodruff aud
Captain Of Detectives Richard Whalen %
Atlantic City. who together with Deteo-
lives James Malseei and Robert Miller.
Who arrested the Seyler brothers in Vir-
ginia. identified statement made by the
defendant at Petersburg and also one
made by Orvis Seyler. Lawyer Gaskill
tried 10 bar these out Of the evidence. hut
Vas not successful.
The statement made by Orvis at Peters
burg was 10 the eject that he was standing
n the door Of the moving picture show on
the pier when he saw viii pass on on the
other side alone. AZ Petersburg Will
wns unable 70 sleep. Asked what the
trouble was he told Orvis that he saw Jane
Adams back Oh the pier and fall into the
ocean and he was unable 10 rescue her.
After considerable discussion the state
ment was admitted by the Court The
States case was suddenly terminated.
In his opening address Lawyer Gaskill
outlined the defence. We will show YOU
that Oryis and william left home To-
gether on the night 1t the tragedy. said
Gaakil, that they met the Adams girls
a. the Luna moving picture show on A. !
antio avenue Az tho suggestion Of
Orvis they went to the Million Dollar Pier. |
not without remonstrance on the part Of
tho elder brother. Will had only 50 cents
IN be pocket. which he had borrowed az
saloon 81 Charles Young Ne used IS
cents Of this toward paying their way into |
the pier. Jane walked ahead with Orvis, /,
Alice next and Will last. They passed
out 20 the first net haul. which Ia unhghtsd !
during the winter The thermometer
registered about ~ degrees The night
was clear hut very dark and a west wind |
was blow ing az the rate Of nine miles an |
hour. Il was very cold and Will wanted |
20 80 hack tn the Auditorium. but Ahcs |
and Orvis went OF by themselves on one
side Of the pier, leaving Jane and Will !
together Will started hack 10 tho board |
walk. but heard Jane call Thinking u .
wrong to leave the girl there alone. he re-
traced his steps. Failing 10 -ee her near /
the wave motor where he had left her and |
supposing she had given him tho slip aud ,
gone oH with Alice and Orvis he lelt the .
pler and went to the Hotel Chelsea % look
Tor position there He then went home.
arriving there shortly after O'Clock
The next day he left with his brother
for Virginia 10 seek employment. and a
few days later was placed under arrest
az Petersburg for James murder
The theory Of the defence a. stated hy
Dir. Gaskill was that Jane. waiting for
the return Of Alice. sought shelter from I
the cold wind by stopping behind the \
wave motor She was unaCuuainted |,
with the pier and did not know that the
pier railing did not extend all the way
90 the motor standards. Backing into
the shadow she tripped ON a low timber.
fell % a platform, and bounded oh into
the ocean.
The first witness called by tho defence
was Will PnXsOn. pier electrician who
testified a. % the condition 81 the lamps
on the pier on the night Of February g.
Then Rose DOckerty. an employee 81
the Marlborough Blenheim Hotel Who
boarded az the home u Seyler. Mary
Mcdonald q domestic. and Jaspar SEWER
brother u the defendant. testified that
W illiam Seyler vas home on the night
% ms tragedy shortly after : O'Clock
John Plum, emhalmeT. who brought the
body Of Miss Adams from the beach 10
the undertaking establishment, testified
a. % the condition % the clothing when
found
For the first time during tho trial the
broke down and wept when
Ia aged father, Peter Seyler was placed
o. tie stand and told 81 spending the
evening 81 February Z. after O'Clock.
With Will az the horne 81 the latter and
afterward at his own home. They had ,
one az two drinks together and the young ,
man did not seem IN the least worried.
Mrs. Seyler. mother 81 the defendant.
sas next on the stand In bis behalf Orys
seyier. brother ~ the defendant, took the {
stand in the afternoon and his utter denial
~ making statements % the police de-
partment will probably result in his being ,
arraigned before the Grand Jury for per-
jury. The young man denied making
he statements a. 10 seeing Will leave the /
pier and 81 the latter telling him about /
Jane falling overheard. Al the con
rltInion 81 his testimony he was taken I
Dack 10 jail ami IL still IN custody. Orvis {
was greatly confused in the Cross-exami- {
nation.
Dr. \. A. Riley II Atlantic City. called '
by the defence, not only cOntradicted the :
testimony ~ County Physician L. X
<olider and DR.. Emery Marvel that tha I
briIise on the eye oi Jane Adams must
have been received some time before a
death but said that u could have been
Inflicted after death. The black circles y
around the eyes hs attributed 10 natural Z
ualIses
Mr.. William Sevler. wife of the
prisoner was next called She seemed n
nervous on the stand, and A. she testified
ieyber went. She testified that her hus-
rand left home on the night ~ February
about ten minutes past and returned
IN hour later. After thar he went out =
again with Orvis. The next morning he
Fas not well and Oryis went OUT for sOula
medicine He then left. telling her he
vas going % LOngnOTt % look Dor work n
Md kissing the children goOd-hy. Mrs n
~ ler also testified that when Mrs Adafus :
lo1ninR e. the hou-s Co ask for Jane. and "
ieyier said h. did not know where she p
wa. Mrs Adams sad ~ she left tho 4
louss that she would Kill tho little - a
shen she caught her. a
Court was adjourned until tomorrow !.
morning
Prosecutor Goldenharg said that the q
iaae would 20 o. tho jury by noon unless {,
ielay was Occasi0ned BY the defence IA
isyler himself will h. called 10 the stand /,
he hrst thing tomorrow morning.