New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-20
Society Woman Confident
Verdict To-day Will Clear
Him of Murder.
HE DENIES KILLING
OF CARRIE TURNER
His Story of Doings on Day OF
Murder Confirmed by His
Little Son.
Try Telegraph to The Tribune ,

Toms River. y. j., Dec. l9.-Nith the
evidence Of both prosecution and de-
fence completed tonight, the charge
against William Lcchan for killing
Mrs. Turner will go TO the jury to-
morrow morning. Mrs. Jasper Lynch
expressed confidence that IN" man
whom she had bcfricnded would he ac-
duittcd without delay when the case
goes to the jury tomorrow.
To end the case quickly counsel for
the defence decided at conference
held shortly before the night session
to curtaI all testimony and close with
the testimony OF Leehan himself, de-
pending upon his story to cinch the
acqu:ttal. which they feel is foregone
conclusion.
Deliberately and positively, yet
calmly. Lcrhan told q clcan-cut story
of his movements. He told Of writing
10 folks in Lakewood and even to Prose
/ cutor Newman telling where he was.
,o show he did not Try 10 cyade arrest.
/ After he ended his statement eN-
Governor stokes. his counsel SAID.
"L.cchan. am going to ask you qucs-
ton. Did YOU Ell Carrie Turner
The defendants answer was finn and
spoken three times in slow succession:
| NO. sir. 40. sir. No, sir.
Absolute denial Of the testimony Of
private detectives who appeared for the
state was made by Lechan and his
wife. and the conduct Of George Jami-
CON the states star witness, was cues
toned.
Eli Goldcnburg. Of Baltimore. @aii
Jamison had told him that he had cf-
fcctcd Lcchan's arrest through a frame
mn which was necessary 10 uphold his
agcncys reputation and make him pop
ular with his employers.
Lcchan took the stand. and in a
voice that was clear he told ncrvously II
his drinking heavily because Of his fall
ure 10 get a good position.
Il had been drinking heavily for days
before Mrs. Turner was killed. ON that
day ! was home all morning and drank
too much liquor and about ! o'clock |
went to sleep on III couch. IL was
40 when | awokc My wife and Mrs.
Curtis were tclcphoning about a posi-
tion for Mrs. 'urtis. | cravcd a drink
and when / tried to find whiskey my
wife tclcphOned 10 the police station.
II tried TO stop her and the receiver
few from our hands and struck her IN
tho face. II was accidental. / ran out
Of the house and came back five min
utes later, climbing through cellar
window to get bottle OF beer. ] had
first asked my son Bradley If the police
had come, and he said they weren't
coming. Late in the afternoon | put
on my coat and hat and went into
Lakewood"
Icchan asserted that his statement
To- Schindler was drawn from him In
four davs of terrific grillng TO which
hc was subjected.
Lechan's cleven-year-o son Bradley
told of his fathers movements about
the house on the day Of Mrs. Turner's
dieannearance He answered the COM
rlicotcd questions Of the lawyers plain
| ly and clearly.
when asked about Jamison's story
Of her husbands alleged threats to XIII
her II she attempted to return to Lake
wcod Leehan's wife said:
Every word is an untruth. had
often spoken TO my husband about my
nice home in Lakewood that ] had TO
| give up on account Of his excessive
| drinking. He never told me he was
| the cause Of Mrs. Turner'S death
The story Of the auto which Mrs.
Lynch held killed Mrs. Turner came
out during the afternoon, when Mrs.
Frances Buckingham was called.
| II knew Mrs. Turner from the time
Of her birth" she said. ION the night
Of April &c. 1911, was reused by the
noise of large automobile in front
Of my home. about three miles outside
Of Lakewood. | heard screams OF a
woman. The car came down my drive
way. one wheel struck a tree. A man
Continued on sixth page, sixth column.