New Britain herald., 1925-03-27
Girl Bookkeeper Picks Him Out As Man Who Inspected Ma chine Which Was Later Stolen.
Bus Driver Saw Him Stalled on Road-FarTn- CT Recalls Him as "Tom Miller," His Former Boarder.
Special to The Herald)


 Hartford, March 27.--Three witnesses positively identified Gerald Chapman, accused of murdering Policeman James Skelly on October 12, 1924, in this city, during the trial be- fore Judge Newell Jennings in superior court this morning. They were:
 Miss Catherine Bourne, a bookkeeper for the Stanton Motor Car Co.,, at Steubenville, Ohio, who remembered the night he came into the firms place of business and looked over a high powered automo- bile which was later stolen.
 William B. Ellison of Berg holtz, Ind, who said he saw Chapman and two other men in the car, stalled at the side of the road between Steubenville and Canton, Ohio, a few hours after it was stolen from the Stanton Motor Car Go.
 James Hance, a farmer, oi Wheaton, Indiana, who recalled Chapman as a man who had boarded with him off and on between April and August oi last year.
 Although he recalled show. ing the stolen car, which was found in this city on the morn- ing of the murder, to a pros pective customer, James H. Sneider, proprietor of the Stan- ton Motor Car Co.,, could not identify Chapman as the man.
 These witnesses were put on by the state with the expecta- tion of connecting Chapman with the automobile seized by the New Britain police only a few moments after the echos from the gun of the bandit who killed Skelly had died away.
 She Remembered Chapman.
 Miss Bourne proved to be a good witness for the state. Try as he might, Judge Frederick J. Groehl of New York, chief of counsel for the defense, could not shake her Identification of Chapman. She re- membered him well. she said, "be- cause he seemed to be so much bet ter dressed than is customary in Steubenville," She described him minutely, stressing his piercing eyes and prominent cheekbones." She recalled with precision the gart Chapman wore. She said he had or a stiff black hat, a black overcoat with satin lapels and black gloves.
 Groehl Accuses Alcorn.
 Today's sesison of the trial wa; marked by a passage at arms be tween Judge Groehl and States At. torney Hugh NJ. Alcern.
 The states attorney produced ar automobile trunk containing three shotguns, a pump gun, an automatic pistol, 8 short crowbar, an electric drill. golf togs, and soft soled shoes Judge Groehl heatedly protested against these objects being showr and accused States Attorney Al corr of trying to create an "atmos phere" to the prejudice of his client declaring that none Of the thing had a bearing on the crime witt which Chapman is accused. Judg Jennings overruled Groehl'S objec tions.
 The flare-up by Groehl camNwhe 7 Alcorn asked Hance, the Wheaton , Ind, farmer, if he recognized tn . objects. Hance said he did. He sai . that Chapman was known to hir y as Tom Miller and that frequent . he and Chapman had engaged i Q target practice.
 Early in the day Judge Grocl q moved that all witnesses, except tn s witness being examined, be exclude - from the courtroom. Judge Jenning Q overruled the motion.
 Chapman Becomes Alert. - Chapman has changed ovefnigh d While the jury was being selected h . sat slumped In his chair. Todd. s while witnesses were on the stan, '- he was all attention, keen and aler t He sat on the counsel table makin d notes of the testimony. He scanne
 the witnesses closely and frequent e turned to talk with his lawyers. '- Wanted Witnesses Excluded. e The fourth day of the Chspma