New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-19
Mrs. Lynch Positive Jury
Will Acquit Him of
Lakewood Murder.
PRISONERS WIFE
WATCHES TRIAL
Witnesses Tell of Finding Vic
TINS Body and Nervous
Actions of Accused.

4 snow tndt lie KllleO MIs. 1diiio " h''' >
wife Of a gardener on the George j.
| Gould estate, the three lawyers repre-
senting william J. Leehan. alias Jo-
seph Moriarty, kept Harry f. Newman,
the prosecutor, and his assistants from
| in any way connecting the defendant
with the crime during the first day of
Leehan's arraignment before Justice
| James F. Minturn.
] AS a result OF the success Of to-day's
testimony Mrs. Jasper Lynch, the
wealthy social leader of Lakewood, who
| has financed Leehan's defence for hu-
manitarian reasons, is more than ever
certain that the accused man will be
acquitted
Woman Directs Defence.
Mrs. Lynch, who directed the defence
OF Leehan from n chair in the midst OF
| her lawyers. missed no bit Of to-da%s
hearing. She appeared in the court
room in a sealskin coat and veiled IN
black. Her skirt was Of black satin,
with a white chiffon waist and a Jacket
Of brocaded satin. Close TO her sat
| Leehans wife.
The regular panel Of telesmen and
special panel Of eighteen were both ex-
hausted in the selection of the Jury.
and il was only by the prosecution ac-
ceding TO the selection OF Holmes Van
Note. whom II had formerly challenged.
! that the case was permitted 10 80 on
without tedious delay.
Former Prosecutor Theodore j. r.
Brown opened the case. William c.
shafto. a Lakewood liverymRn. testi-
! fed as 10 the finding Of the body OF
Mrs. Turner. Shafto was member Of
the searching party which found her
lying face down in n lonely strip OF
road within a stones throw Of the de-
fendants home.
The ground around her body was
dug up as II by struggle" said the
witness. near her lay her pocketbook.
opened: her gloves. handkerchief and
other articles. Her face was down, and
when We turned her over moss. earth
and dirt clung 10 her face where blood
had clotted II. We found several pieces
of bark on her shoulder and in her
hair. We fitted these on 10 a hugo
pine cudgel that lay near her.
TeIls Of Leehan's Plea.
The next night met Leehan on
River avenue. near the railroad. the
day after Mrs. Turner disappeared"
continued the witness. 81 told him that
Mrs. Turner was missing. He seemed
surprised My God. that's too bad" he
said.
After the funeral OF Mrs Turner
Mrs. Leehan asked me 10 go into her
house and quiet her husband. When
| went in Leehan looked wild He
came 10 me and got down on his knees.
NY God, do you think that killed
Mrs. Turner" he asked. There was
mark on his face, where II had been
scratched"
Drs. William G. Schaufier and A. VI.
Heron testified as 10 the injuries OF the
woman. DR.. Schaufier said that there
were two wounds on the woman's head.
neither OF which could have caused
her death. He expressed an opinion
that the woman died from sufrocation,
with her face in the soft ground after
having received stunning blow on
her head.
When Mrs. Elizabeth Turner a sister
OF the murdered woman, testified, she
said her sister had expressed fear Of
Leehan. Her answer was objected TO,
and Justice Minturn ordered II stricken
out.
Heard Fight with Wife.
William T. Mason, a Lakewood de-
tective, said that about Z o'clock on
the day OF the murder he saw Leehan.
His tie was disarranged, his lips were
swollen as II by drink, and his face
was scratched, tho witness testified.
John Henderson, riding Instructor,
whose home was next to Leehan's, said
that on the afternoon OF the murder
he had heard Leehan fighting with his
wife. I,eehan ran out of the house, and
later he saw Mrs. Leehan with the
sleeve torn from her waist.
At to-night's session Raymond
SCHNEIDER, the detective who trailed
Leehan from the time Of the murder
until his arrest last April, at Fort Lee,
n. j., was the principal witness for
the prosecution. He testified that dur
ing a three hour conversation In the
office of Sheriff Tilton here he obtained
statement from Leehan.
Charles Shaw. former Burns opera
tive, testified that he talked with Lee
han on the night Of April 20, and that
the defendant broached the subject Of
the murder. on that occasion Mrs.
| Leehan said he couldn't do anything
with her husband because she could
prove an alibi.
Macvane Surveillance Off.
Rome Dec. l&-The Italian government