The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-21
GILLETTE IN HAIL ONMURDER CHARGE Head of Shaker Colony Held
 By Coroner's Jury HE GAVE CHLOROFORM Charges Grew Out of Death of Sis ter Sadie Marchant, Who Was
 Assisted Out of This
 fs Life'


 tional evidence indicating that Sister sa- die Marchant was not near death as al- lleged when ehloroforrn was administered by Brother Egbert, head of the Shaker colony at Ashton. has resulted in the coroner $ jury holding Brother Gillette on the charge of wilful murder. The verdict was reached yesterday but was not made public, until today following Gilettes ar rest s44a sUs -e4
 Sister Elizabeth Sears, who by her all legged confession. aided Brother Gillette in administering the chloroform, was not mentioned in the verdict, but her case will be presented to the grand jury for action Brother Gillette was taken 10 Tampa, where he is held in Jail without bail.
 First reports of the death of Sister Sa- die by euthansia indicated that she was about 70 years old and in the last stages of tuberculosis, but it Is understood now that such was not the case. It Is alleged that the physicians who examined the body when 1t was exhumed September 6, found that Sister Marchant was not in dying condition when the cloroform was administered. She Is said to have been about 34 years of age and beyond an in- lection of the lungs with tuberculosis, she is said to have been in good physical condition. It Is declared she might well have lived many years before dying q natural death,
 While the report of the chemist wno examined the stomach of the dead wom- an was not presented at the inquest, it was the statements of the physicians, 1t Is said, which resulted in the holding ot Brother Gillette on the charge of wilfui murder.
 Gillette was not taken before the coro- ners jury yesterday for the reason that he gave his version of the woman's death when the body was exhumed on Septem- ber G. At that session Sister Sears also acknowl ledged her part in assisting their sister. "out of this life" at that time, but since then it is stated by the authori- ties, she has 'repudiated her story or con- fession. .,.. fa
 Rumors that the accused are mentally unbalanced are scoffed at here. A re- port that Gillette would plead insanity was denied today by Judge G. F. Krobbs. his attorney. "r do not know what the defense will be-" declared Judge krobbs, but the case is like this:
 Suppose young boy was wheeling his sister along in front of a fruit stand and the baby begged for an orange. The boy takes one and gives it to her. Is he a thief? Should he be punished?"
 The Shaker colong at Ashton has been reduced to five in number by the death of Sister Marchant and the arrest of Brother Gillette, The latter's word is law as far as 'the Adminis- tration. of the affafrs ofs'that rich com munity is concerned. .:, ,Unders him as chief aide is Sister Sears. He Is 50 years old and sire is ~. Never before has any member of the colony run afoul Of the law and the verdict of the coronersi jury created intense sur prise. not only In the colony, but iil the surrounding country, where the Shakers are highly respected.
 Sister Marchant died on August 22 and never since that time has the Shakers statement that she asked to be chloroformed been doubted by the authorities. One of the. Shakers car dinal principles is truthfulness, but 1t is stated also that nothing in the teachings of the sect gives any basis for aiding g person to iauit this life. Gillette was arrested at sthe Shaker colony at.Asht on, near here. and taken by sheriff C, F.. Prevatt to Tampa and placed in jail. IIc will be held to await action of the grand jury which win conN enc, in about month. stz Tie Following is thesverdict broughs | a '.We, the coroner's jury. impa neled to coSsis,er the testimoay. in the case of E. B. Gillette, accused of having brought Sadie Marchant to death. at Ashton hy r,eahs of ehlorofoEsns adniip- is, cred to thcs~aid Sgdie Maj fut. nIid him to be Rnilty of yiiful {inurder.-
 The case grew outSsof the death of sister. ;ierchant on AugAsts22 after il long Illness Ina N ff VI sesas f'-
 Gillette told persons who N investi- gated tbat he, and sister Sears had administered chlorofor.. to their CO., .religionist at her OWL request when she saw she could not live anyway