New Britain herald., 1925-03-16
Atty. Murphy Says Ad- verse Decision Will Be Point To Use In Appeal.
States Attorney Alcorn Examines Witnesses To- day in Preparation for Legal Battle.

Hartford, March 16.--Counsel fol Gerald Chapman have little hope oi succeeding in having his trial for the murder of Policeman Skelly in New Britan last October transferred tc another county, Attorney Charles w. Murphy of Danbury, one of Chap mans lawyers, asserted today. Argu. ment on the motion for change of venue will be heard tomorrow before Judge Newell Jennings in the super for court, with States Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn opposing Mir. Murphy.
 If we do not get the change of venue' Mir. Murphy said, i've shall at least have got on to the records our exception to trial in Hartford county and this will be one of the thing we will ask the superior court to review If we find 1t necessary at the conclusion of the trial to appeal to the higher court"
 It became known last night that in all probability, States Attorney Alcorn will oppose the motion of the defense counsel for a change of ven- ue on tho ground that nothing would be gained in removing the trail to tives of his office have been busy for several days going over the newspa- pers files in cities having county courts, gathering clippings and pa- pers to show that in all of them, comprehensive stories have been pub lished dealing with the murder and histories of Chapman's supposed past life.
 The subpoenas for officials of the two Hartford papers and the Her ald" were received In Hartford this morning from c. w. Murphy, of Danbury, counsel for Chapman, and they are expected to be served this afternoon. The defense will call up- on these representatives 10 testify to the circulation of their respective papers in Hartford county and the extent of the stories they have car ried on Chapman.
 'AohihihhS "NHtN~tS.
 With the opening shot of the bat tie for Chapmans' life scheduled for tomorrow, States Attorney Alcorn. took considerable time today dues- tloning the witnesses who will be called upon to establish the guilt of Chapman when he is called to trial on March 24. The largest number of witnesses that have been together at one time since the murder of Pa trolman Skelly were on hand and told their stories to Alcorn.
 Included In those who were in- terYiewed was Adolph LaChance of 7 Plainvilie, one of the men who were standing outside of the Davidson X Leventhal store when the murderer emerged from the front door with e smoking gun in his hand. La Chance has told the police that he was able to get q good view of the murderer and could identify him again if he saw him. The man. claim sd to be Chapman. ordered La Chance to stand back, saying also you better go inside, q man has just been shot"
 Besides TiaChance, Patrolman AL fred Atwatcr, the first of the police- men to enter the store and who was ordered to duck behind a counter by the gunman, Patrolman Walter Malona and John Lieblcr who ar rested Shean on Church street, and Clarence Lampher, who caught Pa trolman Skelly in his arms us he fell helpless from the murderers bullet, were also heard.
 Miss Lillian Kncl, former waitress at the Old Colony Inn on the Meriden road, who waited on Chapman and Shean when they stopped at the roadhouse prior 10 coming over here, was also present to tell her story. Chief William c. Hart of the local police department, and County Detective Edward Hickey were present during the in- terriews assisting AlCorn. Raymond W. Smith, superior court sJcnogra- pher who took down the confession of Shean, went over the confession with Alcorn and told of the circum- stances under which 1t was made.