The Washington times., 1920-07-27

fettlDOneS deIensc was opeh'N ~
the Introduction OF william George
Tower and Fred Stickles, Of Bennlns-
ton. character witnesses.
PErTIBONE Is ILL.
Pettibone required the services OF
physician Monday in a lonely cell In
the dingy town lookup which ans
wers the purpose OF county jail wheh
the Bennington county court Is In ses,
sion. During the week his trial forced
him to undergo a terrific nervous
strain, and reaction set in sunday
The physician pronounced him not
seriously III.
The prisoner, an object OF morbid
curiosity each day of his trial yester-
day enjoyed whatever comfort he
might have found in the security OF
the jail, for he was privileged to nave
absolute secrusion.
TRIAL ENDS ON FRIDAY.
The defense counsel express doubt
tonight that the states direct case
will be completed before Tuesday,
At least fifty witnesses, major
ity of them character witnesses, have
been called in behalf OF the defend
ant. but the trial will be concluded
Friday, when Pettibone will learn his
fate.
The prisoners counsel said no de-
cision has been reached as to Petit
bone taking the stand to tell his own
story, though followers of court pro-
cedure predict that he will, to repudi-
ate the alleged confessions, to claim
that he was tortured with the third
degree" and that the confession was
eXtorted from him through force, mis-
representation and fright, as well as
to set up his claim that when he put
strychnine in his wife's medicine he
did not know that it would kill her.
Helen Irene Guillow. who barred her
relations with the undertaker's as
sistant after a pitiless cross-exam-
ination by the prosecuting attorney.
was not present in the court room
yesterday.
REVEALS HER RELATIONS.
The barrage of blunt and direct
questions which turned the hoodgates
of publicity on her iHicit love with
Pettibone, while borne stoically on
the witness stand, had their effect in
a severe attack Of "neyves."N The re-
action has left the pretty nurse in a
highly excited state, although it was
rumored in the court room that the
State may call her again tor further
grilling.
cltlDoHe uuTiHS the
testimony of Miss Guillow maintained
an attitude of indifference and fire.
quently smiled as the spectators
craned to catch every word of the
story that revealed her innermost
emotions. She did glance toward him,
but she testified without a quavcr in
her voice and with her face turned
defiantly toward the States prosecu-
tors.
ANSWERS SO ALL CAN HEAR.
Miss Guillow said that she had
Illicit relations with Pettibone when
she was his nurse at the Troy Hos
pital, and that when he went to her
home at Sodom to recuperate after an
operation he occupied a room which
adjoined her own bedroom. Though
other members of her family were in
the house. she was intimate with Pet
tibone.
An audience. largely of fashionably
gowned women from the summer ho-
tells. craned necks and cupped ears.
the better to see and hear every word
uttered by the young woman.
Except for proof of other state
ments taken stenographically by Miss
Nellie NJ. Hokan, assistant to States
Attorney Graves of Bennington, the
States case is closed Attorney Gen
call additional witnesses.
The defendants counsel contended
the State could not keep it's case
open, but Judge Wilson ruled against
them and said the court had no right
to order the prosecution to close.
The States most damaging charge,
that Pettibone made a statement in
which he acknowledged that he stole
the strychnine which he afterward
put into dose of salts mixed for his
wife, was presented through the oral
testimony Of the States attorney. He
declared that Pettibone told him, in
the presence of stengrapher and
other persons, that he took the strych-
nine from the prescription shelf in
the Ward drug store.
He said Pettibone told him he
mixed three doses of salts and that he
added the strychnine to that which
he intended his wife should drink.
All through the story ran the hor-
rifying assertion, attributed to the
defendant, that after his wife took
the fatal dose and joined him in bed,
he caressed her and permitted her
to kiss him. When his scheme was
carried out. and he came back to
the bedroom door to watch her die
the States witness maintained he re-
entered the room and kissed her dead
face. Women shuddered with the
horror of this tragic recital. but not
one left her seat.
DESCRIBES "THIRD DEGREE,
Mr.. Graves declared himself famil-
lar with the third degree" methods
which defense counsel charges were
used against Pettibone to extort his
confession. In the heat of argument
and ton, Pettibone's
counsel made a significant slip when
he all but declared the confession the
truth which the detectives said they
sought. .'.
Asked to illustrate his idea Of 4
third degree" the States attorney
said he used it in criminal cases.
Once when a youth confessed TO
burglary he placed him in a room
and had two suspects walk paAt
When the suspects saw the one who
confessed they broke down and con-
fessed. Mr.. Graves said that was
what he understood the third de-
gree" to be. He denied that any
,th rr1n