Putnam patriot., 1917-03-23
FOUND NOT GUILTY
GILMAN
Jury Finds He Was Insane When Re Shot His Cousin and \l W His Grandfather
Committed To State Hospital For The Insane For 60 Years

in the case or State vs Leon A. Gilman Of willimsntic charged with murder in the irst degree ttts
 Gilman, ,who is 20 years old, was committed to the state hospital for the insane at .Middletown by Judge Gar diner Green who presided at the trial.
 Gilman was charged In the indict- ment with murdering his cousin, Ed ward K Gilman, lin W nlimantie, in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov, l2th, 1916 The state also charges that within short while after he had shot his cousin, Gilman shot his grand hfather, Nelson Gilman, but he was only put to trial for the killing of his cousin.
 Gilman appeared in court neatly dressed in grey checked suit, blue striped shirt, bright coiored tie and new tan shoes. He might easily have been taken for young bank clerk as he stood smiiing from time to time about the court room and stood with hands in his pockets shifting from one foot to the other as the indictment charging him with murder was being resd to him by Clerk Edgar NJ. War. ner. He seemed wholly unconcerned over his predicsment.
 Eighteen taesmep responded to their names. No objections were offered by counsel for either side and the clerk drew six names and the retnaining twelve jurors took their seats.3 Eswyer Patrick J. Danahey of Willimantic was appoiuted,guardian ad litem for his client as he is minor. At the conclusion of the reading of the indict. ment Lawyer Danahey answered" Not guilty.u Gilman spoke up saying, "Guiltyn His counsel told him to keep still and the court ordered that | plea of not guilty be entered. The taking of testimony then began.
 1 John N. Gilman, father of the boy who was shot and uncle to the defend-
 ant, was the first witness. lie told Of 1 Leon's coming into his lunch cart in Willimantic on Saturday evening be
 fore the shooting. His son Edward l was there and Leon and Edward started for home together. Witness l went home about l o'clock in the morning. At 1 o'clock he got up and 1 went down to fix the furnace. He
 found a cellar window broken in and | Sta tnA hA io,E mi one had broken in to steal. Going to I the room of his son Edward he spoke
 to him but received no response. He 1 found that he had been shot in the
 temple and was dead.
 | Witness then called the police and
 they came.
 Chief Edgar Fl. Richmond and Lieu
 tenant Daniel Killorpey of the Wilii-
 mantle police force told Of going to the 1 Gilman home and finding the son dead. While they were there tele-
 phone message .came. that the grand- father had been shot in his home n
 mile away. They then went there. Chief Richmond said that he later
 went to the home lof Albert Gilman, father of the defendant. Mrs. Gilman came to the door and he told her he
 wanted to see Leon. He went up. stairs and soon Leon came out of his
 bedroom and covered him, the witness, with . revolver. Leon said to witness, "5top right where you are, mister, T I've got two this morning and I'll get you" Witness called to Mrs. Gilman and she came. He told Leon not to be foolish land to give the gun to his mother. M rs. Gilman finally got the revolver away from her son. He took defend- ant to the police tststion and the de- fendant told him, he. had shot his cousin and grandfather. iart5 B= The chief also testified that he picked up handkerchief covered with blood under Eoward Gilman's bed. is fi i
 The defendants own story as related at the inquest WAS then read sby County Coroner Arthur G. Bill of Danielson from notes. iai lfi 2. ( Leon said that he came home from Norwich about seven o'clock in the evening and went to . picture show He went home with his cousin Eddie about twelve o'clock. He read until about quarteriof three snd' then wens out. He went ito Eddies' house. He intended to doawsy with himself and with Eddie. .he had been thinking he would de 1t ever since he had had . mental trouble. He had been think ing of 1t for some time. He bought s| revolver in Bridgeport and six caft- sidges tn New London. He went to Eddie's house broke in the cellar windows. took off hia shoes and "I done the dirty act" s.+ sss After he shot Eddie he wiped the blood fsom hts face, with his hsndker- chief then dropped 1t on the floor. He put the clothes around Eddie and left. He then went to his grandfathers, rapped on the door and his aunt an- swered. He told her his mother was sick and he. wanted some brandy. While she went for 1t he fixed the