New Britain herald., 1925-03-25
|C0NJECTURING ON
 LAWYERS ATTITUDE
State and Defense Stress Cir
 CumStantial Evidence
WILL BANDIT TAKE STAND?
Attorney Groehi Asks Prospective Jurors If They Would be Preju- diced by Prisoner Not Testifying fin His Own Beha..
Especial to the Herald.)

isPeclal 10 the Herald.)
 Hartford, March 25.-What inter- probation can be placed upon de- velopments thus far in the trial of Gerald Chapman was the question on the lips of everybody about the county building today. Everywhere during the recess little knots Of men were propounding their theories on what the line of questioning follow cd by States Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn and defense counsel indi- cates.
 One thing all seemed agreed on, and that was that the extensive questioning of prospective jurors on their attitude toward circumstantIal evidence by both defense counsel and States Attorney Alcorn was significant. It appeared that de- fense counsel were planning an at- tack on evidence that might be given by Patrolman Alfred Atwater, reput ed eyewitness 10 the shooting of Patrolman James Skelly, and were confident that the attack would re- suit in invalidating the patrolman's testimony, leaving the state to es- tablish a circumstanial evidence case against the gentleman yegg."
 The fact that States Attorney AL corn took up this questioning and made certain that prospective jurors would convict on circumstantial evil dence before accepting them as jury men was taken to indicate that he considered the possibility of such a situation developing and was pro- tecting himself against 1t in the se- lection of the jury.
 What Atwater's testimony wilf be when he takes the witness stand during the trial Is not known, as no official announcement has been made as to whether or not he identi- fled Chapman as the man who con- fronted him with a revolver on the morning of the murder here and ordered him to duck behind the counter. Atwater's testimony in the local police court was that he duck ed when ordered to do so by the burglar who had been surprised while at work on the safe, and had remained behind the counter until the burglar had shot Patrolman Skelly and made his escape out g front door Of the Davidson & Leveu- thai store. No indication was given at that time that he had identified pictures of Chapman as the man he met In the store.
 F1are-up Between Lawyers %The only semblance of clash between counsel in the case came late yesterday afternoon when Judge Frederick J. Groehl, senior counsel for Chapman has finished question ing Lawrence Klein of Enfield, one of the accepted jurors.
 Would you. if there was a doubt in your mind, stand pat on your judgment and refuse to find the de- fendant guilty if 1t took five minutes or five days in spite of the incon- venience that 1t might cause?" Groehl asked the witness and the answer was yes.
 Alcorn then stood up and ques- tioned the man to find out whether he would be willing to listen to arguments by his fellow jurymen and be ready to change his verdict if these arguments were worthy. Groehl immediately jumped 10 his feet and said that it was not his in- tention In asking the question to lay the foundation for a disagreement of the jury. Alcorn said "I think that your purpose was evident from the question" Groehl then made an ob- | jectlon to the court on the thoughts of the states attorney. Outside of this incident counsel for both sides worked tremendously throughout the proceedings.
 Will Chapman Take Stand? That Judge Groehl will rest the defense case without putting Chap man on the witness stand was indi- cated by his questioning of jurors during the afternoon as to whether or not they would be prejudiced against the defendant If counsel de- cided not to call upon him to take the witness stand In his own behalf.
 Although these questions are not taken to mean that defense counsel ! have decided on not placing Chap man on the stand, but that there is a possibility of such a procedure tended to throw a wet blanket on the hopes of hundreds who had counted on hearing from the lips of the goth century Jesse James, his own story.