New Britain herald., 1917-09-22
NOT GUILTY, CLAIM
 OF WISE'S LAWYER
Police Believe Jealousy to Have
 Been Motive for Crime

berg, who has been engaged by friends of Private William J. Wise to defend him against the charge of murdering Mrs. Anna Tobin on Wednesday morn ing, insists that his client is innocent of the crime and will never be proved guilty, the police assert that there is hardly link missing in the chain of evidence they have woven around him connecting him with this terrible crime. We have got the right man, we are certain, states Detective Ser geant Andrew J. Richardson. "If Wise had not lost his nerve and stopped when it hurt, when he apparently att tempted to take his own life, he would have saved the state of Connecticut considerable expense and the prosecu- tion authorities considerable trouble,' states Prosecuting Attorney George w. klett who is likewise confident that he is the guilty man.
 Wise is still under guard at the hospital recovering from wounds, which the police claim were self in- flicted but which the accused claims were inflicted by the mysterious stranger whom he accuses of this murder It is thought possible that inside of ten days Wise may be sutfi- ciently recovered to be arraigned in court. Lawyer Greenberg had a long consultation with his client at the hospital this afternoon but on his return had no statement to give out other than that mentioned above, In the opinion of the lawyer, the state will have hard time convicting Wise of his crime. In this belief many other people agree, and the suicide theory seems to be gaining strength around the city.
 Was Jealousy the Motive.
 Four days have now passed since the murder and although they have gone about 1t in a quiet manner. the police have obtained large amount of evidence in connection with the crime. It is now thought to be firmly establt tshed that the state, in attempt ing to Hasten guilt upon the young sol- dier from Fort Slocum, may offer some testimony to show that jeal- ousy, made greater by the young woman's rejection of a proposal pos sibly made by Wise, was the motive for the crime. In support of this theory it is argued that Wise was en- listed in the regular army for the du- ration of the war, that he knew he was to be shortly transferred from Fort Slocum, possibly to France, and that he did not want to go. It is even intimated in some quarters that Wise may not have intended to return to Fort Slocum at the expiration of his furlough Wednesday morning and had obtained his pass the previous Sunday night only after considering delay. With this hypothesis to work upon it is possible that the author ities may yet uncover some additional evidence to show that Wise may have urged the young married woman to elope With him should he decide to desert from the army, and when she refused he became furious, slashed her with his razor, attempted to take his own life but stopped when he felt the pain inflicted by the keen blade as it ate into the muscles of his neck.
 Police Claim Blood Trail.
 Two explanations are offered re- garding the relative positions of Mrs. Tobln's body, as 1t lay in the middle of the road and the form of Wise which was found some distance away on the walk. One is that the final act of this tragedy was enacted in the middle of the road and as the assail- ant looked at the prostrate form of the girl beside him he cut at his own neck, dropped the razor, where it was found near her outstretched hand, and then staggered to the sidewalk where he bumped against the doorway and finally fell proStrate. This might ex- plain the blood spatters on the door. The other explanation might be that the murderer s1ashed the girl in the doorway and she, in a dying convu1- s,i ,In har clx iyfc throat, staggered into the road and fell dead. The murderer, it is argued might have followed her and upon realizing what he had done, cut him. self. dropped the razor and fled unti7 he fell.
 The police claim that they found a we'll established trail of blood leading from the girls body in the street to the place where Wise was found and if this be so it might go in support of either of the above suppositions. It is now thought that the state may pin it's entire case upon the stor- ics told by Wise and upon the letters found on his person and others found in the effects of the dead woman. The contents of these letters have not been divulged by the police or the prosecuting attorney, but 1t Is said l that they reveal some information 1 that is unpleasant.
 As strong as the states case may seem, there is nevertheless the other angle to the case. The lack of wit nesses. The nature of the wounds ] and Wise's protestations of innocence i are all going to be hard to overcome. | Also, it is hard to convince those with | whom Wise dined Tuesday night that l 1o eH a tino- nn11rHnr a ho he left them. It is also going to be