Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-26
BR|NES, IN DOCK,
DRAWS BIG CROWD
Spectators at Murder Inquest
Miss Expected ThriIIs-Youth
Bored With Affair
HAS DAPPER APPEARANCE

Debonair. pink of cheek, waxed Of
mustachc tand looking more like n
youth placidly sitting in box at the
theatre viewing the drama of anothcr's
life. William T.. Brines the University
of Pennsylvania student, held for the
murder of Elmer G.. Drewes. sat in the
coroner's court this morning and heard
the story of his own life unfolded.
He sat ina the. prisoner dock /aQd
faced the crowded courtroom much as
he might have farced the audience at
any play.
Long before the hour set for the
coroner $ inquest men and women. most
of them well dressed, began to crowd
the coroner's court.
The case held unprccentcd interest
because William A.. Gray, Brine $
lawyer. has kept him in close scclusion
since October -, the day he created u
sensation by surrendering the boy who
had been sought by the police after he
disappeared following the crime.
Thrill Was Lacking
The court watched the door with
eagerncss, but when the twenty year
old prisoner came in, held by the hand
by Martin Alellett, who had him in
charge during the trip from MOyamcns-
ing prison. the thrill that had been eX-
pected was lacking. 1t was whispered
about that on the way Brincs had asked
TO stop in order that he might get q
shine and shave and every one looked
to see il the stop had been made. 1t
had. There was not detail lacking in
the well grooming OF the prisoner.
The crowd sat bac kand waited for
the inquest to begin. Heads were con =
tinually turning to watch the emotions
play on the sad face of tall woman in
deep mourning, who sat i'll the very last
row of the court room.
Its Mrs. Drewes." it was whs
percd. ITS the mother"
The crowd wanted to know what the
young man in the prisoners dock
woul do when Ire saw for the first time
since the crime, thc-mothcr of the slain
boy. There was not sound in the
room as she took the stand. and in
broken English--Mrs. Drewes is Dan
ish-told how they tclcphoncd to her
and told her of the death of her son.
Her voice sobbed and the questions
aimed at her by Mr.. Grey took on n
softcning tone. But again the crowd
missed its thrill. The youth in the
prisoners dock only traced the iron
work with his well polished shoe. and
took an occasional look around the
court room.
Brines Is UnmOyed
Again the crowd, growing so much
as the morning wore on that it filled
the entire side of the room and over
flowed into the hall, waited Material
evidence was to be displaycd-bur
paper found near the hot water heater
In the cellar of the Brines' apartment
'r the Monday after the murder was com
hittcd.
! The janitor of the apartment at 54iS
IChcstnut street, where BrinpS lived
] had testified that the hot water heater
had gone out because of paper thrown
In by young Brincs and Mrs. J. f..
Birmingham. who lived iu the down =
stairs apartment had supplemented the
testimony by saying she had found Il
letter from Drcwes beside the heater.
But the boy of twenty with either
the sangfroid of youth or its armor
plate thrown out to hide his real feel
ings. was not concerned. There was
just one brief show of interest and then
he turned and looked out the brown
curtainCd window; out at the SkyScrap
ers on Broad street. The presenting
Of the revolver found in his car brought
no further display of feeling. nor did
the evidence regarding the car itself
nor did the mention of his mothers
name.