Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-03-22
FITzSIMM0NS ADMITS
MAKING CONFESSION


the trolley car, reaching home in
fifty minutes. He denied having a
cigar in his mouth when he reached
home, as was given to the court by
a police officer in yesterdays testi-
mony.
The man stated that a policeman
and doctor told him about the death
when he reached home, stating that
she had been dead about three and
a half or four hours. He stated
that he asked the police officer II
they knew who did il, and the Of
ficer replied hat they did not, the
witness continued. Fitzsimmons said
he Immediately made arrangements
to take care of the body. and called
up his father-in-law, and brother-in-
law notifying them of what had oc-
Cured. He stated, that he assisted
the undertaken in removing the body
and heating water.
Some testimony about a Steve
ALEX and his son who anne into the
cellar of the Fitzsimmons home
while the husband was getting water
ready for the undertaken was
brought out by the defendant. but
ruled out by the court. Eitzsimmons
stated that he was advised by the
undertaken TO take care that the
blood of the dead woman did not
get on his clothes or shoes. The de-
PENDANT stated that he MIXED the
cows on the same Saturday the
murder occurred so that his moth
er-in-law could have some milk to
take with her to her home for his
children.
The defendant told Of answering
questions asked by County Detective
David. denying the killing. and stat
ed that on Saturday afternoon
County Detective William Fitzpat-
rick took the dirt from under his
fi~ngernails saying. II have enough
evidence right here TO hang YOU"
The man claimed he got the dirt
under his fingers while working at
the arsenal. The defendant stated
that the county detectives made him
disrobe so that his clothes could be
examined for blood.
The best part of yesterday after
noon was devoted to the cross-ex-
amining of County Detective David
on almost every word which passed
between him and Eitzsimmons prior
to and during the reciting of the con-
fession by Fitzsimm mons. The ques-
tions were put to David in a rapid
fire manner. David told his story
as he remembered it. especially that
concerning the blood spots n the
killing of the chickens by Fftzsim-
mons.
During David's questioning it was
brought out that Eitzsimmons asked
him, before the confession had been
made, if ne had looked up a fellow
by the name of Koosy. who was at
tentiVe to one Rosie who lived near
by. Fitzsimmons said that his wife
told him that Koosy had been hang
ing around the house. 1t was also
hrnftUhf mt that hafnTo Making his
confession. Fitzsimmons had asked
"Supposing / tell you l did 1t and
later on you find the man who did
it, can / go free?" David said that
after a long examination Fitzsim-
mons said. "Well, I'm going to tell
you all about it."
He then told David, the detective
said, the story of the murder of his
wife and David. then sent for Arthur
Silzer to take The confession down.
While waiting for Silzer to arrive,
David said hat Fitzsimmons drew
a picture of the affair or the floor of
the prosecutors Office with red chalk
so as to make it palmer.
In answer TO a qeustion, David
said that he did not know whether
or not Fitzsimmons had slept during
the forty-two hours he was subject
ed to examination.
The defense is trying TO prove that
Fitzsimmons' confession was forced
from him.
Silzer was then placed on the
stand and said that he arrived at
the Jail at 2:30 O'Clock and wrote
the confession oil a typewriter as
Fitzsimmons dictated it. After the
confession had been completed he
said a carbon copy was handed to
Fitzsimmons who read it. Then the
statement was read to Fitzsimmons,
who said it was all right and he
would sign il.
On cross examination SilZer said
that the confession had beer made
at Fitzsimmons' own volition. He
also said hat he told Fitzsimmons
of his constitutional rights.
The attorney for the defense
maintains hat Fitzsimmons' consti-
tutional rights had been violated
n that duress had been employed
in obtaining the confession.
Upon being submitted by Prose-
cutor Joseph E. Stricken. the con-
fession was put in evidence and read
to the jury.
The last witness for the state was
DR.. John +. Anderson, who is a di-
rector in Squibbs laboratory in New
Brunswick where the examination
of the blood stains OF Fitzsimmons'
shoes was made. DIR. Anderson said
the shoes were turned over to him
and he first examined them to de-
| termine if they were blood stains.
When his was found out the stains
we're examined to find if they were
human blood stains. The test show
ed that they were.
The defense will try to prove an
ai;bi in the case, and VIII try 10
prove by records of Camp Raritsn
where Fitzsimmons was employed
that he was at the camp for wolk
two minutes before g o'clock on tne
morning of the murder and at l.
o'clock ate his lunch with other en-
ployes, among whom was his wires
brother.
The defense maintains that h
murder happened sometime after
Fitzsimmons left the home at ,
o'clock in the morning when Lizzie
Sanbo went into the house. 1t was
also pointed out hat Fitzsimmons
assisted the undertaken in lifting his
wife's body to a table so that the
undertaken might work on II.
The attorney for the defense said
that the jury can see that Fitzsim-
mons is of a sub-normal type n
one who might have been easily
lead into making a confession after
forty-two hours of grilling.