New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-25
GIBSON NOT AFRAID;
IS SURE Of ACQU|TTAL
Approves of Capital Punish.
ment, but Says Conviction
Is Difficult.
OTHER CHARGES FACE HIM
Expects to Have to Answer for
Death of Mrs. Kinnan or j.
r. O'Neill-Verdict Elk
pected To- night.
TBy Telegraph to The Tribune. J

TBy Telegraph to The Tribune
Goshen. n. Y. Nov. 24:-Burton w.
Gibson. whose life hangs in the balance
as he stands charged with the murder OF
Mrs. Rosa NJ. Szabo, with a mass Of evi-
dence accumulated against him already
presented to the jury by the prosecution
/ and with his own defence shattered oy
! the testimony in rebuttal declared to-
night in his cell that he believed In capl-
| tai punishment as the penalty for murder.
IL firmly believe in the death penalty
! he said. ANY man who commits muir
| der wilfully and with generalization de-
serves TO forfeit his life TO the state
I He uttered these words with solemnlty
that showed that he meant them. Inc
declaration was made following discus
sion Of a number OF murder cases In when
the highest penalty had been exacteo'
Gibson engaged freely in the converse
| ton, without emotion and yet without
bravado. His declaration came as re-
| ioinder 10 an opinion expressed against
capltal punishment. and when some one
ventured 20 compliment him on his APP
parently mistaken nerve he replied that
4 II was not case VI HCi'N
Il don't want to seem TO pretend 10 ne
anything but an ordinary man. he went
on. Being lawyer, | fully believe IN
our Jury system. From experience IN our
courts / realize how difficult il Is TO make
twelve carefully chosen men return
verdict of death. / am absolutely WIN
out fear for myself, because the prosecu-
ton has utterly failed TO prove that
| crime has been committed ia this in
stance" he said.
Expects Other Trial for Murder.
on this basis he has made his plans for
the future After the acquittal' when ne
expects, on the murder charge. he sald ne
fully expected further prosecution on less
er criminal charges, possibly forgery OF
perjury in connection with Mrs. SZapo
will. which, at best. should they result in
conviction. would mean years in JAN Tor
him. But he said he would meet all ihese
CONTINGENCIES as courageousiy as ne mas
the murder charge lie even admlueu
that he might be brought 10 trial ior the
murder Of Mrs. Alice G. II. kinnan OF OF
| John Rice O'Neal, but thought OF THIS ala
not appear to affeCt him.
'T'n go straight TO District Attorney
Whitman" he said when ] am freed ana
Mace myself at his disposal. / mean TO
square myself. think that is the manly
thing TO do. Whitman is fair; he under
stands these things better than ms SUD
| ordinates" Gibson was before whitman
| then a magistrate, in the Klnnan affair
DESPITE his confidence, Gibson frankly
admits that he is ruined as man ana a.
lawyer. Il shall never take UP praC-
tice again" he said. THAT is Impossible
now. But want to start over on cream
basis. l am ruined financially. have
not only exhausted my means buy I VIII
be in debt. But I'll be capable OF making
nv way. I've received offers already that
I do not care 10 make public now. /
| shall get along that IL not Worrying me.
II is the disgrace and the humiliation OF
my family that affect me most
Then he went on in the same unemo-
,ional tones 10 discuss the injustice the
| law NAV do a man, despite his faith in the
system.
you ask me why ! did not take the
| stand in my own behalf he said. But |
did not want to give the prosecutors the
chance to take further advantage or me
10 help them in other cases they doubt
less intend 10 press against me-.
Then he began 10 discuss in analytical
! fashion the details OF the case, repeating
his assertion OF yesterday that most or
the evidence against him was manufact-
ured. DR.. Otto II. Schultze, whose eX-
pert evidence that Mrs. Szabo's throat
proved she had been strangled Is the
mainstsy Of the prosecution. he seemed
to deem hardly worth discussing.
AS TO Mrs. George Teichmanh, who tes-
tilted he told her Mrs. Szabo had gone
20 Chicago when in reality he Knew she
had met death at Greenwood Lake, Glib
| son said he had never met her In his IRE.
| Gibson characterized John s. Minturn.
| jr., who gave damaging testimony, as er
ratio, declaring that he had twisted
| things about in his head and had finally
| come 10 believe himself what he said.
He admitted that witnesses might be
honestly mistaken, but not TO the extent
that they had twisted simple facts IN
their testimony
| although Gibson said he thought the
| trial had been fair he said that there
| were plenty OF reversible errors on which
| 10 base an appeal. but he reiterated his
belief that acquittal would make this UNI
| necessary.
Says Fate Wrecked His Life.