The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-01-04
REAL DRAMA HAS BEGUN TOUNFOLD
 IN LITTLE TOWN
Small Court House at Pennington Presents
 Play of Vivid Life
:. BY JAMIE 2. AUSTIN

NOnhNGu 1T HNBB kpNAn NOEENSkSUhIuCh1eD J Bennington. N. J., Jan 4-(U.P.) There Is more drama per square yard in the medium sized, anti.
 quated courtroom where Bruno Hauptmann is on trial for his life
 than on the whole island of Man hattan.
 It's Q drama engendered of con- trasts, of emotions, and of person alities. It has mainly the eietnent of tragedy with g touch of comedy
 and a whole lot of humanity poUr- ed into the 100 by 50 foot room
 presided over by a jurist of tho old
 schnol. Newspaper men and we-
 mon, eminent counsel, townaneo- pie, witnesses, principals and a
 jury that represents accurately the agricultural life of this central New Jersey region are the actoFs- audience.
 Trials were first held in the courthouse q century ago. The
 building has but one courtroom. Except for several coats of yellow paint, instal aliation of electric lights and steam heat, 1t is unchanged from 1895.
 The visitor, if he is fortunate enough to crash the outer door, way where half a dozen state po- ltoemen bar the way, walks up a flight of creaky stairs and then, if the deputy shSriffs approve, enters the c0uFtroom. There are two nisles. Yellow linoleum is on the floor. The seats might have been made for 2 church. These pews are built to accommodate 200 persons, now at least half a hundred more are crowded into them. The aisles, too, are 5afnTaad with curious, who have elected also to occupy stand ing room along the walls ana in- side the rail that separates the jury box from the spectators.
 The wide bench, there arc chairs for three jurists although 7l year old Supreme Court Justice Thomas W. Trenchard Is the only judge sit- ting in on the Hauptmann trial, spread half the length of the court rooms far end. To the right is. the jury enclosure. Eight mon and four women selected for the Lindbereh trial, are sitting in spindled Wind spr chairs.
 In front and to the left of the bench Is the defense counsel tahie pooplcd by Edward J. Roiliy, chief of the stan and his three assist ants. Hauptmann, fianked by two blue uniformed state policemen and 9 deputy sheriF sits directly In back of his eouRgel table, his hack turned to half a dosen newspapor- men. laboring behind the rail, Mrs Hauptmann, deop concern showing In her face, sits close by her hus- band.
 To the right of the bench, and fnnked by an imposing table of trial evidence and exhibits, sit the members of the prosecution stan, dark. dynamic David T. Wilentz, attorney general of New Jersey, Prosecutor Anthony M. Hauck, Jr, who Is neighbpr to half of the courtroom. and other counsel. A semi-circnlar balcony over hangs the rear of the courtroom and accommodates the overflow of the working press.
 These people, damned in the close. stuffy atmosphere of the tiny courtroom. are those who come to see the drama of the trial, ana who themselves make 1t dramatic.
 High overhead is a white plaster ceiling cracked in spots. Some pre- dict that 1t may fall during the trial. If 1t does, many in the court room may be injured. The dnfiger of this, however. is minimised by attaches.
 The spectators are not concerned over the possibility of falling ceiling. They arc there. some with luneh boxes and thermos bottles l of coffee. to see the Lindberghs on the stand, to watch tho close court | fight of proseoution and defense cnunsol.. to hear the verdict that | will sentence the stolid, impertur- able carpenter to death or to set | him free.