New Britain herald., 1925-03-28
Defense Expected I.
 Center Attack on Tes-
 timony of Patrolmen Who Were With Skelly
Witnesses Identify Bandit as Shean's Companion at Meriden Inn Night Be- fore Murder.
Trailing Gerald Chapman from

Trailing Gerald Chapman from remote farm in Wheaton, Ind, by Il series of identifications that finals placed him in the Old Colony Inn oI the Merden turnpike few hours before the New Britain murder, States Attorney. Hugh M. Alcorn was ready at the close Of the fourtl day of the trial yesterday afternoon to proceed with the testimony of the New Britain police and witnesses They will establish the allegation that the cool, alert prisoner is the man who, on the morning of Octo- Der 12, 1924, murdered Patrolman James Skelly at the Davidson 6 Lev enthal department store.
 Undismayed by the ever tightening web of evidence that is slowly clos ing on the defendant, Judge Fred. erick J. Groehl continued his merci- less cross examinations in which he is vigorously attacking the method employed in having Chapman iden- tif1ed by witnesses. The main ob- jects of his attention during the aft ernoon session yesterday were Lillian Knell, the waitress at the Meriden Inn, and Louis Kupek, the proprie- tor, who identified the prisoner as the man who was with Shean on the night preceding the murder.
 That Chapman has a sense of hu- nor was demonstrated by the amusement he enjoyed on preceivina the embarrassment he caused Mrs Martha Wilgus of Atlantic City. H. greeted her with a broad smile ane Ia nod as he stood up to have he Identify him as the man she kne, in Springfield as "'Waldo w. Miller. and who accompanied her to h. home after she, Chapman and Shear had been to the Red Tea Room il Agawam on a little party the Frida night preceding the murder in Nev Britain. The woman blushed as sh identified the prisoner as the mar she had danced with that night Chapman resumed his seat and nudged his senior counsel to look q the witness and see her embarrass ment.
 New Britain Police To Testify
 As the fourth day of the trial was drawing to a close, the evidence in the case was swiftly reaching the point where the New Britain police would be called to testify and tel the story of the murder of Patrol man Skelly. When adiournment was taken, States Attorney Alcorr announced to the court that he wa. now ready to introduce their testi- mony. Judge Jennings said that as the examination of the police would necessarily consume considerable time, he would start in on that tes. timony the first thing Monday.
 With the exception of the testi mony given by the New Britain witnesses yesterday afternoon. all testimony has been admitted by Judge Jennings on the condition that the states attorney establish direct connection between it and the murder of Patrolman Skelly. This Alcorn has promised to do and 1t is understood that he is depending upon the testimony Of Walter F. shean, Chapman's alleged partner when he takes the stand
 Judge Groehl is anticipating this by asking questions of the witnesses on cross examinations that strongk hints at Shean being more deepk involved with Chapman than he has admitted in his confessions to tn, authorities, These questions are part of the campaign of the defens, to dtscredit Shean, who is expectel to be the star witness for the state Judge Groehl has also announced that the defense will put on wit nesses to testify on financial acti, ities of Shean that will further to. 10 discredit him as a witness.
 Fight Centers on Atwater
 Interest is at a high pitch garding Mondays session when th New Britain police will go on tn witness stand. and in all probabiHt Patrolman Alfred E. Atwater vii tell his story. The New Britain D, liceman is expected to be the mat attraction at that time as on I testimony will be decided wh"th the case of the state will be found, on direct eyewitness testimony. on circumstantial evidence. A vance reports on Atwator's tes mony have been coniradicto' some saying that the policeman " positively identify Chapman as q man he met in the Davidson G T.o- enthal store on the morning Of Y murder, and others that inc polio man will be unable 10 identify tl prisoner.
 If the policeman identifies Chm man as the murderer, Judge Greer has promised that a witness fror New Britain, the author of letie to him, will be subpoenaed to tel of a reported conversation with A water. The receipt of the lettei and its text was announced in th' Herald Thursday, but the senior de fense counsel still refuses to divulE the name of the writer, saying thai