AGED MOTHER'S ORDEAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10881, 26 January 1907, Page 6 (Supplement)

AGED MOTHER'S ORDEAL.

REPORTS HER SON'S DEATH SENTENCE. NEW YORK,. December 10. . Chester. Gillette was sentenced to death by electrocution at Herkimer to-day for the brutal murder of a young girl, employed at his uncle's factory at Cortland. It was at Big Moose Lake, in the heart of the romantic Adirondacks,- that Gillette made away with the poor girl in order to escape the obligation pf marrying her. The case aroused great interest, because of the series of beautiful letters ad- L dressed .to the lover, wherein by artless phrase and simple imagery the girl told the. story of a. life of tragedy.> To-day's proceedings when the sentence was passed produced another scene °f x pathos. Seated at the reporters' table' was a little, grey-haired lady, busy like the other reporters writing a descriptive report of the scene. . She is Gillette's aged mother. The poor lady lives near Denver, and she had sacrificed everything she possessed to provide funds for her son's unavailing defence. There did not remain sufficient even to pay her fare to enable her to make the 2500 mile journey so tliat she could see her son once again. In order to make this journey and also obtain funds for prosecuting a hopeless appeal for a new trial the old lady accepted a commission from a Denver evening newspaper to act as their .special correspondent. She was to describe at length what happened, how her son looked, and what he said, and to write down the terrible words which the judge spoke as he announced the prisoner's doom, and describe her own emotions as she heard her son sentenced to death. With mincled indignation and pity the court watched the old lady /bending bravely to her task. The terms of the agreement with the Denver newspaper ai-e so much per word, and the thought that every word was a dollar towards the cost of the appeal seemed so to strengthen her that she did not allow her pencil to rest an instant. Eor only one moment did she allow herself to look at her -son's face. The rest of the time she was bending at the table writing in eager liaste. As fast as a sheet wa6 filled at was taken to the telegraph office and flashed through to Denver, where it was published "hot" over her signature. She had herself interviewed her son in the cell before the court sentenced him to death. A LULLABY. When the sleepy man comes witli^ the dust in his eyes (Oh, weary niy Dearie, so weary !) He shuts up the the earth, and opens the skies. (So, hush-a-by, weary niy Dearie !) He smiles through his fingers, and shuts up the sun; (Oh. weary my Dearie, so weary!) The stars that he loves he lets out one by one. (So, hush-a-by, weary my Dearie !) Ho conies from the castles of Drowsyboy Town ; (Oh, weary my Dearie, so weary !) At the t<iuch of his hand the tired eyelids fall down. (So, hush-a-by, weary my Dearie !) He comes -with a murmur of dream in liis wings, (Oh, Weary my Dearie, so weary !) And whispers of - mermaids and wondcr- * ful things. (So, hush-a-by, weary my Dearie !) Then the top is a burden, the bugle a j bane (Oh, weary my Dearie, so weary !) When one would be faring down Dream-a-way Lane — (So. hush-a-by, weary my Dearie !) When one would be wending in Lullaby Wherry (Oh, weary my Dearie, so weary I) To Sleepy Man's Castle by Comforting Ferry. (So, hush-a-by, weary "my Dearie!)