davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-02

CHESTER GILLETTE
(below) was executed for
murder of Grace Brown
(above), who was drowned
in an Adirondacks lake in
1905. She was a worker
in his uncle's factory.
leave there that day. A.
though I don't knoa0 1Ohere
a0e can, or aOill, CO."
A ND she wrote back that
"A she had said good-by to
the neighbors that had
mended her dresses since she
was a little girl, to the moss
hung springhouse, to the or
chard at home.
81 kno1U / shall never see
any of them again." she
aOrote. "Sometinpes / think
If / could tell mamma, but
I can't. She has trouble
enough as 1t is, and I
couldn't break her heart
like that. If I come back
dead, perhaps If she does
knosO, she Uon't be angry
10itk me. / aOiU never be
happy again, dear. / miss
you, and I 1OGnt to see you,
but / a0ish I might de-"
And she never saw any of
them again, and she did die,
in Moose Lake, in the Adj
rondacks, a few days later,
on July II, 1906. And Gil
lette left her body in the lake
and went on to another re-
sort, to join friends on a trip.
When he was arrested a week
later, he said that Grace had
fallen from the boat, and
that he had been unable to
save her.
He changed the story at
his trial, told how they had
spent a night at Utica and
had gone on to the Glenmore
Hotel, at the lake. There
they had gone out in a row.
boat and, in desperation, in
fear of the consequences of
her love for him, the girl
had leaped from the boat.
DUT he could not explain
ID why he had told two
young women and another
man that he would join them
in the mountains a few days
later, when he knew that he
was going away with Grace
Brown, nor why he had
joined them without giving a
word of Grace Brown s
death. They even found a
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-02

A second man, a lawyer for
the defense, will say that
Donald and Charlotte were
driven beyond the faint line
that marks the boundaries of
a balanced mind, and that the
shot that shattered Char
lotte's heart shocked Donald
back to sanity.
All of these people, judge,
jury, lawyers, whose hands
will hold Donald's life and
freedom, will be older than
the boy and girl who were
found together in their trag-
edy, the girl dead, the boy
broken.
While you might believe
that no adult jury, wise, ex-
perienced, no member surely
without blame himself, could
punish the boy who said he
lost his nerve last week at
Queens, who said his sweet
heart held the muzzle of his
gun to her breast while he
pulled the trigger, a jury con-
vieted Chester Gillette, 80
years ago.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-02

rock on which he had carved
another girls initials during
the trip.
Then they found his tennis
racquet, buried beneath a
log near the lake, and two
doctors testified that Grace
died not from drowning,
but from a blow.
The prosecutor argued
that Chester Gillette, who
had grown used to the COM
partnership of girls better
educated, richer girls, in the
year he had been intimate
with Grace Brown, murdered
her in cold blood.
The defense argued that
Grace and Chester were talk
ing in the rowboat of the
possibility of telling her
family and asking their help
when the girl jumped from
the rowboat.
The jury was out five
hours and brought in ver-
dict of guilty. Chester Gill
lette was sentenced to die.
IT'S family came to his
" rescue. His m o t h lie
travelled 1000 miles to be
with her son when he was
sentenced. She turned cor
respondent for a Western
paper to earn the money for
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-02
The REAL American !
@Chester Gillette Paid With His Life for Killing
Sweetheort---Whot Does Fate Hold in Store
For Youthful Donald Carroll?

IINHE
%
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-02

THEsTER GILLETTE was
~ young, too. His parents
were leaders in a Midwest
missionary colony. They
were Bible people, believing
literally in the Old Tesla
ment, but certain in their
hearts of New Testament
mercy.
Young Gillette knew free
dom for the first time when
he left them to come East to
work in his uncle's factory.
In Cortland, N. Y, the pale,
black-haired boy was popu-
lar with the other youths
with whom he worked and,
as nephew of the factory
owner, he was part of Cort-
lands younger society.
When he came first to
Cortland, Gillette was a shy
boy, inhibited by the teach
ings of his parents and by his
own natural reserve. And
although he danced and
played and drove with the
daughters of his uncle's
friends, he found more hap
piness in the unassuming and
matchmaking friendship of a
factory worker, Grace
Brown, a farmers daughter.
Of what happened to them,
with more sympathy than a
jury gave Chester Gillette,
Theodore Dresser wrote Gan
American Tragedy"
TN reality, neither Chester
l. Gillette nor Grace Brown
was a particularly appealing
person, and their story was
. sordid one that has been re-
,peated many times in Ameri-
can police history.
In 1906, Grace discovered
that she was going to have
a baby, and Gillette sent her
home to her family, in a
small town near Utica, to
wait for him while he de-
=cided what was to be done.
She wrote to him many let
tiers, typical of the little fac
tory girl in trouble. They
were pleading letters, beg
ging letters, in one para
graph furious because Gil
lette had been seen with
other girls, in the next tear
fully apologize.
In all of them, she wanted
to die. She would not tell her
family, although Gillette him
self offered to go to her
father. She wouldn't let
him. Instead she told them
that she was to be married,
that Gillette was coming for
her, and with her mother and
sister, she made her wedding
dress.
''This girl wrote me you
seemed to be having an aw-
fully good time" she said in
one letter to Gillette, land
she guessed my coming home
had done you good, for you
had not seemed so cheerful
for weeks. She also said you
spent most of your time with
that detestable Grace Hill"
After some weeks, that
harassed boy wrote to her:
"DeGr Kid:
81 think 1t is best thai
you should go to Hamilton
neat Monday morning GmC
meet me there. 1t tpoulC
he haFfo1 IN nm srho1. ar.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
TRADE IS AHEAD
 IN NEW ENGLAND
Slow, But Persistent FOr- ward Movement; Retail
 Sales on Increase

Boston, September 1. = CUp) = Trade conditions continued the slow, but persistent forward movement in the New England district in the past week, Dun and Bradstreet, Inc, said today. " ir.'
 Favorable weather was factor in moderately increased retail sales. As vacations drew to a close, school outfits were purchased in consider able volume. Wholesale trade picked up to some extent, but there was no rush to place forward orders. Tex tiles, particularly cotton goods, were little more active, and operations in miscellaneous lines improved. The shoe industry continued busy.
 Wool Very Light
 New business in the Boston wool market was very light, but mills took in fairly large quantities of wool already on order. Current purchases were made at steady to slightly lower prices. A moderate volume of orders was received for wool tops, but deliveries of orders already on hand fell off. In the piece goods market, mems wear held most of the interest, particularly as tropical worsteds opened at 30 to 40 cents a yard under last years levels.
 Large quantities of cotton gray goods changed hands, and the de- mand for finished goods also was active. Some price advances were reported, although the market later turned quieter. Activity in the cot ton goods market reflected a slight increase in mill production sched- ules. The cotton yarns market Was firmer, but price advances failed to materialize.
 Shoe Trade Good
 Shoe Manufacturers had orders on hand sufficient to keep them run- ming on the average of at least one month. New orders remained low, retail purchasing of fall shoes hav- ing been retarded by adverse weather. Most factories were well supplied with leather, and were not inclined to make forward purchases. In spite of the slow buying, prices were well maintained.
 Lumber purchases by New Eng land yarns were small. Building showed no signs of expanding, and heavy materials moved slowly.
 The Maine potato crop was esti- mated at about 45,000, 900 bushels, somewhat less than last year, but above the l0-year average. Prices, however, were materially below last year, when a good d-crop, coupled with high prices, brought considerable prosperity to the Aroostock section of Maine.
 Electricity production for the re- zion last week was 5.3 per. cent be- low the corresponding 1887 week, compared with a loss of 7.6 per cent In the preceding week. Carloadings on the principal New England car riers for the week ended August i3 were down i7.i per cent from a year ago.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01

Finance commissioners will meet at o'clock today, after a period of two weeks, and Controller Sher- wood L. Rowland will be asked to explain, it is expected, why he has failed to follow orders of the board to see that garbage collectors and contractual workers for the city are paid at least every two weeks.
 The garbage collectors at noon today had not been paid for nine weeks, since July 4, in fact, and about $6,500 in salary is due them. They have made petition to heads of departments, to the controller, to commissioners of city boards, in attempt to get their money.
 Several of the two dozen city en- ployes have been in strengthened circumstances for some weeks, due to failure of the controller to fulfill his order by the finance board, as moved by Commissioner John H. Goss, some weeks ago. At that time special meetings of the finance board were held to arrange for the controller to pay bills amounting to many thousand dollars which had been due equipment renters and truckers since December of last year
 The board of public works, at a special meeting this noon, heard an opinion from the corporation coun- sel recommending that the vouchers sent by the controller provided these vouchers were accompanied by cer- tiflcation of the bills by heads of departments and the purchase or ders, etc. The clerk of the board, Assistant City Clerk John DiCorpo, was instructed to approve the vouch- CTS which the board members de- clined to sign when the controller, acting adversely to the instruction given him by the board of finance refused to submit warrant sheets listing the bills and the amounts.
 The matter was referred to, Grif- fenhagen & Associates for adjudica- tion but the finance commissioners
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
CLOSED PLANTS
 TO SEE UNIONS

Boston, Sept. l.-(Up)-Counsel for four struck garment shops plan- ned to file action today to assess the firms strike losses against the International Ladies Carmen t Workers Union.
 Attorney Samuel Silverman said he would file a bill in equity in Suf- folk superior court asking that the union be adjudged in contempt of court for failure to adhere to a decree of Superior Judge Franklin T. Hammond in 1886, providing for arbitration of disputes.
 Forming the I. L. G. w. as one of the richest unions in the nation, Silverman said. 1t also had violated an agreement with employers after strike two years ago. The union called a preventive holiday" last week, involving 12 shops of which eight already were unionized, to force unionization of the other four shops. After two days, workers in the eight union shops returned but continued the strike and picketing of the others.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
Market Prices Were
 Not High, But Steady
Trading Was Quiet-RaiIs Held Their Own Despite
 Strike Threat Were Up Slightly at Start
By ELMER c. WALZER limited Press Financial Editor


 New York, Sept. l-(UP)-Stocks opened irregular in quiet trading today, while bonds were steady and cotton futures declined l to 4 points.
 Railroad shares were little changed on the breakup in media tion negotiations. Southern Pacific opened tl7 3-4 unchanged; Balti- more & Ohio 2 3-4 of l-8; Penn sylvania 19 1-4 off l-4; New York Central IT 7-S of IA; and Union Pacific S8, ex-dividend, up l-2.
 United States Steel opened at 5S of 1-S and quickly made up the loss in active trading. Bethlehem was up 3-8 at 57 1-8. General Motors lost 3-8 to 46 3-4.
 DuPont gained nearly a point on the first sale to 13l 1-2 and Allied Chemical was up nearly 2 at l75, Smaller advances were noted in American Telephone, North Ameri- can, Eastman, Sears Roebuck, Standard of New Jersey, Kennecott, Anaconda and General Electric.
 Minor declines were noted in Boe- ing, American Smelting, Reming- ton Rand, Bendix, Consolidated Edi- son, Yellow Truck and Glen Martin
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
CHURCHILL WILL
 PROBATED TODAY
Adopted Daughter Is Left Bulk of Estate; Danbury
 Cemetery Gets $l0O

The will of Jason c. Churchill, who died July 5, was admitted to probate today by Judge Dennis J. Slavin in the probate court. The document, drawn Feb. g, this year, leaves most of the estate to an adopted daughter, Mrs. Ella w. Churchill Anderson.
 The will provides that $100 go to the Wooster Cemetery association, of Danbury, and that monument be given perpetual care" To the tes- tator's brothers and sisters, $10 each is bequeathed.
 The will further states that "in lieu of a gift to Julia Davis Case, l cancel all debts from her to me in money I have loaned her." and the same provision is made in the in- stance of Florence Roath Holihan.
 A hunting case watch is left to a brother, Irving L. Churchill, and, lon his demise," to a brother-in- law, Frank Abrams; another watch is bequeathed to a brother, Frank R. Churchill.
 The other stipulation reads: "The residue of my estate I bequeathe to my adopted daughter, Ella w. Churchill Anderson, and I caution her, solely for her own good, to al- ways hold and control this devise and bequest in her own right and free from control of her husband, or any other person, or persons"
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
MAJOR CIMINERAS
 SUPERVISES EXAMS
F. NOnamaker Seeks Re- appointment as First
 Lieutenant

Hartford, Sept. First Lieuten. ant Percy L. Allen will succeed Lieutenant Colonel Warren G. Will sey to the command of the Head- quarters detachment, 43rd Division in addition to his other duties, from September 1, according to special orders issued this week by the ad- jutant general.
 lieutenant Colonel Willsey, who had commanded for IA months, will continue with his duties as head of the fourth section on the divi- sion of Major General Morris B Payne's 43rd Division general staf1 He had the command of the Head- quarters detachment in addition tc his other duties.
 Lieutenant Colonel Willsey Is tc arrange for the transfer of all prop erty issued to him for use of Head- quarters detachment to First Lieu tenant Allen. Both officers, together with the supply sergeant and two privates of the organization are tc report to the United States prop erty and distributing officer, or his agent. at the state armory here fol one days duty for the purpose oi transferring the property.
 According to the orders, Seconc Lieutenant Frederick c. Nonamaker Company E, 102d Infantry, is au- thorized to appear before an ex- amining board at the call of thu president thereof to determine hi qualifications for certificate o1 eligibility for reappointment as frs lieutenant in the infantry of thu national gupard. The following of ficers were designed as board fol the examination: Colonel Lewis L Field, Major Charles E. Speer ant Major Joseph A. Ciminera.
 The special orders also revealed that Private Patrick Eannotti, in active national guard, has beer transferred to active duty with Bat tery B of the 242d coast artillery.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
JOHN I. DERMODY,
 VETERAN, PASSES
Military Funeral to Be Held for Rubber Avenue Resi-.
 dent Saturday

Naugatuck, September 1. - John Thomas Dermody, 48, of 776 Rubber avenue, a veteran of the World War, died at 3 o'clock this morning at the Newington Hospital for War Veter- ans, where he had been a patient for two weeks. MT. Dermody had been seriously i'll, and although he improved somewhat last week, his condition became grave again last Saturday.
 He was born in Naugatuck and had worked for 34 years at the U. s. Rubber Products, Inc, plant here. He was well known here and his friends were grieved to hear of his death.
 He leaves there sisters, Mrs. Paul Passeck and Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, both of Naugatuck, and Miss Lor- etta Dermody of Waterbury. He was . member of the Naugatuck aerie of Eagles, No. $40.
 The funeral, which is expected will be a military one, will be held Sat- urday from the home of his sister, Mrs. Paul Passeck, 776 Rubber ave- nue. Burial will be in St. James cemetery. Time and other arrange ments will be announced later.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
BUCK MERRIMAN.
 POSSES IN HAT
Named in Connection With COP Nomination in 18th
 Senatorial District

Candidacy of Attorney Bucking- ham P. Merriman, of Prospect street for the Republican senatorial nomi- nation in the 18th district was men, tioned in some Republican reports today. Not active in politics, Attor- ney Merriman has been prominent in support of the party, however, and has many friends among vet eranS.
 He was an organizer of the 304th Infantry Association and has been active in its affairs. He is a member of one of Waterbury's oldest families and has friends in a number of fraternities.
 An earlier announcement of will ingness to accept the Republican nomination for the 18th senatorial district post was made recently by John B. Goss, production manager of Scovill Mfg. O., division, and son of John H. Goss, president o1 the company.
 Senator George T. Culhaz1e, in- cumbent from the 16th district, has announced that he will seek renomi- nation on the Democratic ticket.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
Society Notes

Members of the Octet club were hostesses at hot dog and corn roast at the Taylor Homestead in Bethel recently. The afternoon was devoted to cards and outdoor games. The club members include Mrs. William Westwood, Mrs. Ed win Wightman, Mrs. Ralph Rich ardson, Mrs. Lester Niyen, Mrs. Frederick Book, Mrs. Robert Tay- Tor, Mrs. Benjamin Johnson, Mrs. Alfred Farnlof and Mrs. William Hornbecker. Their guests were Benjamin Johnson, Frederick Book, Miss Eloise Book, MT. and Mrs. Randolph Book, William Vest wood, William Hornbecker, Lester Niven, MT. and Mrs. Arthur Twelves, Robert Taylor.
 Rev. and Mrs. Alison J. Smith, Charles Doolittle, Mrs. Betty Mo- I$ntosh and her daughter, Margaret, Mrs. William Creigon and her son, William, Jr., Miss Freida Wright, Arthur Westwood, Edward Taylor, John H. Twelves of this city; Gus Taylor and Arthur Taylor of New Milford, Leonard Taylor, Nelson Taylor, Mrs. Grace Hoffman, Miss Sue Taylor and Miss Harriet Tay- Tor or Brookfield.
 The employees of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.,, held their out ing at Botelles Inn at Bantam re- gently. Games were enjoyed and a dinner was served.
 Those attending were Mary Cor man. Barbara Kunkel, Stella Cali his, Kay Byron, Elizabeth Mcintyre, Virginia Ramsey, Virginia Peck, Mrs. Joseph Novakowski, Mrs. William Bolt, Dennis Mccarthy, Alfred Goldman, Cirillo Dipietro, Joseph Cavanaugh, Russell Truelove, John Schweizer, David Smith, Paul Lor- ton, Louis Drexle rand Edward Smith.
 Members of the Semper Fidelis Sorority returned Sunday from three days stay at Laurel Beach, Milford. The following girls at- tended: Helen Jamele, Anna Ja- mele, Grace Carlo, Mary Cicchitto, Clara Boccaccino, Jessie Santaven- ere, Marry Scalo, Nydia Barone, Florence Sciullo and Rosaline Longo.
 On Friday. September 2 the first regular meeting commencing the fourth year of the sorority's exist ence will be held at which time plans for election of officers for the ensuing year will be held, and also slate of the social activities drawn up for the year 1937-38. All mem- bers are urged to attend, and meet ing will start promptly at p. m., at the sorority club room on Tudor street.
 M. and Mrs. Joseph Dallywater of Baldwin street have returned from Providence, R. l., where they visited their daughter, Mrs. John Barry.
 Misses Theresa and Rita O'Brien of East Main street are spending two weeks at Bayview
 MT. and Mrs. John McGuiness and Miss Mary Madden of Baldwin street are enjoying a trip to Nova Scotia by motor.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01

"The new operators license, Commissioner Connor said, should result in saving of approximately $25, 900 per year. It will eliminate many operations now necessary to produce operators licenses and 1t will facilitate the issuance of li- censes during our rush period. We are simply applying the same prin- ciple to operators licenses that we did to our present system of per manent plates. The metal plate to be issued to operators will be held by them permanently. Once they have secured this metal plate, in succeeding years 1t will only be nec- essary for them to get from the de- partment a validating license. It will simply be necessary for the individual thereafter to write his own name and address on the oper- ator's license and the following year when he again applies for the re- newal of his license he will repeat that process"
 Change Address
 "The proposed system" the Com missioner said, "also includes an in- novation which will relieve the de- partment of a burden in the matter of changing of address. Under the proposed plan a space will be pro- vided on the back of the license for the individual to make his own change of address and simply notify the department that such change has been made. At the present time there is considerable routine and an exchange of letters between our Change of Address section and the motorist which will not be necessary If the new permanent Identification plate is adopted. am convinced that the program involves substan- tial economies, a tremendous simpli- f1cation of routine and added eff ciency. The program has been a matter of study within the depart ment for the past several months and has been placed before the of flee of the Director of the Budget for his scrutiny and approval. It will cost the department over and above its present appropriation a capital outlay of approximately $l0,- 900. However the result of the sav- ing will. in my mind, more than justify such expenditure at this time. I think that everyone will agree it is good business to spend money If future economies are to result"
 To Be Metal Plate
 The proposed operators license will consist of a metal plate, three of whose edges are bent over for about 1-8 of an inch in order to form holder or container for the license. Upon the metal plate will be embossed the name of the opera tor, his year of birth and height and his operators number. Also einboss- ed thereon will be the coat of arms of the State of Connecticut. No ad- dress will appear on the plate in order to eliminate the necessity of changing the plates each time an operator changes his residence. The operator, as above mentioned, will fine in his own name and address.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
SEN. LAWLOR IS
 CONN. GOVERNOR

Hartford, Conn, Sept l-UP)- Governor Cross, members of his family and military staff, were in Sparrows Point, Md, today attend ing the launching of the $S,o00, 900 oil tanker Connecticut"
 Mrs. Wilbur L. Cross, Jr., was to act as sponsor for the 490-foot craft.
 senator Joseph H. Lawlor, Water bury, president pro tempore of the senate, assumed the duties of acting governor inasmuch as Lieut-Gov. n. Frank Hayes was in Europe.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-01
MEETS COCOA KID

Boston, September 1. = (UP) - George Martin. 2l-year-old Boston tighter. was signed today to meet Cocoa Kid of Hartford, Conn.,, New England welterweight champion. in d. iS-round title bout September 3 1t marked the first i5-round fight here since Andy Callahan of Law renee. whom Martin recently de- ieated, fought Vince Dundee for the wsIterweight championship.