New-York tribune., 1922-07-14
Klu4en Denies Murder;
Jury Gets Case To-day
Rabbit HuntihgWhen Girl
Was Slain, Boy Testifies; {;
Holds Knife and Meets
Ordeal Without a Slip

Francis Kluxen Sd, sixteen years old.
on trial for his life at Morristown. n.
j., on a charge Of numbering eleven
year-old Janette Lawrence. probably
win know his fate by tonight. The
esse goes TO the Jury to-day.
With poise and assurance the boy
went on the stand yesterday in his own
defense and gave a minute account Of
his actions on the afternoon OF the
murder. Prosecuting Attorney J.
Henry Harrison failed to shake his
testimony in a single detail Franeis
was the last witness for the defeire
Solemn while taking the oath, he was
boyish and natural again as soon rs he
reached the witness stand. For an
hour and a quarter he was under FIRE,
never hinching.
did you kill Janette Lawrence
The question hurled at him by his
counsel, Elmer King, seemed TO hang
suspended in the air, while every eye
was fixed on the boys face.
81 did not" he replied, without any
change of expression.
Denies Threatening Girl
Again, with delicate precision he slid
his fingers along the blade OF his Boy
Scout knife as he told the prosecutor
he thought IL "as sharp now as II was
(at the time Of the murder" He denied
having threatened or bothered Janette
at any time in his life.
Like a schoolboy he traced his move
ments at the period Of the crime with
a pointer and a map, indicating that
between the time he left Alma Nelson
about 5:25 p. m. and wns seen at the
( hydrant having a drink at four minutes
20 O'clock he was chasing a rabbit
through the woods with Brownie, his
I dog.
Brownie was n mute witness for the
defense. While Mrs. Kluxen, mother
Of the defendant, was on the stand the
cocker spaniel was brought into court,
where he wagged his tail approvingly
and turned fond brown eyes toward his
young master Francis was momen-
tarily dismayed when the prosecution
objected 10 the dog being brought into
court. But happy smile played
around his lips when Justice Parker
ruled that the dog, who was Frnncis's
only companion in the significant half
hour when little Janette's life was
brutally snuffed out, could be brought
into court.
Parents Both Testify.
Both the father and mother Of Fran
els testified yesterday for their boy.
Francis took the stand at $500 p. m,
with a hush in the courtroom. where
any number Of his boy and YIN play
mates were sitting WITH thfit PARENT.
lie was wearing the same iigtt tweed
suit, belted and snugly fitting, that he
has appeared in ever since the trial
began. He gave his age as sixteen,
his height as six feet and his weight
as 10 pounds. He weighed lS2 pounds
et the time Of the murder. last October
In even. boyish tones, without the
slightest hesitation, he answered every
question put 10 him by Mr.. Kiag, de-
claring that he had known Janette
slightly ever since she was born. lie
was fond Of hunting, he testified. and
while after a squirrel one day had put
bullet in a tree near the scene OF
the crime.
Describing his movements on Oe-
tober s. the day Janette was killed,
he said that in the morning he gath
cred wood for his mother. Then he
went over TO the winery owned by the
family TO help his uncle. he worked
with the grapes. putting them through
the press, first white ones, then req
ones. He described the process ci
throwing the grapes into ,he hopper
which crushes them, then into trough.
from which the red juice rms, IN orc@r
10 show that his clothes might easily
have been stained while doing this.
Jumping eagerly 10 his feet he
showed with upiifted arms juft how
the pouring was done. He vas wearing
his khaki pants and shirt, oiaek SHOES
and stockings at the time. he said.
Drove in Pony Cart
81 came back after dinner baled out
the tub, scraped up the floor ana pllea
I'D baskets" said Francis. Ihen got
into the truck and went 70 the tIelghs
station. where ] loaded and unloaded
sranes That took me until $3.50 or
O'clock. Then ate some grapes anu an,
nIaved with my little cousins. Finally
,ye called for Alma Nelson, and all
four Of US went driving in the pony
cart"
After the drive Francis said he vent
70 the home Of Mrs. Schultz, his aunt,
with Alma. who got two bottles OF MIX
there. Then they returned TO his home,
where he called for Brownie who went
with them down the Neilsons' pain as
far as the tree with the bullet IN II.
Eve stood and talked about twenty
feet from the road" said Francis.
showed Alma the bullet hole in the Tree;
She ther left me and went home ana
dug AZ the tree with my knife trying
10 get the lead out, but couldn't
Alr1a was the last person 70 50
Francis until he appeared at tne
hvdrant when the first 8 o'clock wnlS,le
was sounding. After she LEFT MN he
said he got some beet-tops for ms rap
hit. but when he went to the hutch the
rabbit was gone. Brownie got the
scent and led him a chase, soaring up
a eat on their way. Francis pictured
the dog, the cat and the rabbit az
leading him a dash through the wooos;
Finally he lost track Of the dog, aho
when he heard the whistle blowing
(coranosd on 1s'' tour
AJbanians ClamOring for