New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-28
GIBSON MAY LEARN
FATE BY TONIGHT
Defence Of Lawyer Completed,
Except for Evidence of
Single Witness.
EXPERTS DIFFER WIDELY
Deny That Mrs. Szabo Was
Strangled - Tragedy in
Paris Seventy Years
Ago Cited.
nv TcleEraph - The Trlbun.

NeVburgh. y Y. May Gas a result ~
rapid progress made to-day in the trial Of
Burton w Gibson. charged with the muir
der Of Mrs. Rosa Menschik Szabo. the
case undoubtedly Will go 10 the Jury by
tomorrow night-posSiby late in the
afternOon-the defence having rested this
afternoon. with the exception OF ono Wit
ness who Is on his way here from Boston
Justice Tompkins was anxious 10 call
the case closed and proceed AT once with
the summing up. but finally consented 10
take a recess until tomorrow morning,
when the defendants absent witness will
be heard. Each side will then be allowed
two hours and a half for summing up.
In direct opposition TO the testimony or
the experts subpUnaed by the people, Or.
j. J. a. O'Reilly. OF Brooklyn. and Or. II.
Henry Lewis, editor of American Medi-
cine, testified to-day for the defence that
Mrs. Szabo's death was not due TO stran-
Gulation. caused by outside pressure In
ward and upward The absence Of marks
of violence about the throat and lack Of
evidence OF injury to the brain they said.
were inconsistent with the diagnosis Of
death by strangulation. Dr. O'Reilly said
that medical experts had fixed the least
amount Of time required TO accomplish
strangulation at approximately one min
ute John Minturn. an eyewitness sworn
by the state, testified that the occurrence
on Greenwood Lake. when Mrs. SzabO
met her death. lasted I'VE seconds
Or. OReilly admitted. however. that he
had never performed an autopsy on a per-
son whose death had resulted from
strangulation. nor had he OBLIGATED al an
autopsy on drowned person.
A famous tragedy In Paris IN 1874. which
is said 10 have been attended by some
circumstances similar 10 those I'm the Glib
son case. was recalled by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Deacon Murphy. OF New
York while he was cross-cXamining Or.
OReilly In the Paris tragedy a man
strangled his wife and threw her into the
Seine. No marks Of violence were found.
but the murderer was convicted.
The thirteen-foot green rowboat which
figured in tho tragedy and IS Of the type
called an Adirondack skin vas brought
into the courtroom and inspected by the
jurors u had been reported that the
jurors would be taken TO Greenwood Lake
to see the Szabo incident re-enacted. but
this will not be done
It was again shown that Mrs. Gibson
was playing an active part in the battle
Tor her husbands life when Gibson asked
Justice Tompkins n he might consult his
wife for = few minutes. The prisoner
said Mrs. Gibson had charge OF sub
ppnaing witnesses and he wanted 20
know what progress she had made.
Edward Clark. Of Paterson. y. J. an
alleged witness Of the lake incident.
sworn by tho defence. testified that when
ne saw the occupants OF the boat trying
TO change seats before the craft tipped Il
seemed 10 him as n the two were extend
Ing hands, as though 70 steady each other
while passing.
Tonight Gibson again conferred with
his wife. He refused 70 make state
ment 10 newspaper men. but was eager
10 know what the public sentiment was.
He repeatedly asks the iailers n they
have heard anything new or what
they think his chances OF acquittal are.