New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-29
Prepare your toilettes for No. l4's ball, a
Odd Fellows Hall, New Years Eve.


INTERESTING TRIAL IN THE CRIMINAL
CoURT-Lite Insurance far $i0000.-On
the eleventh Of August last the body Of a
man was found floating III the Lake Pom
Chartrain, near one of the lighthouses. As
She body was naked conclusion was az
once jumped at that it was a case Of acci
dental drowning. Coroner jackson ne&t
a.ay held an inquest, but the proceedings
;hereof seem to have been conducted in
careless manner. The drowned mans
same was Austin Carafa, and ss two life in
quyance offices had Issued policies on him.
each for $4,000, they desired to obtain full
particulars of the death, and all attending
circumstances.
About four days after Carafa was buried
Gle body was exhumed for the purpose o.
gaking a post norton examination, b1;
tie corpse was SO far decomposed that it
qgas quite impossible to arrive at any very
definite conclusion. The case apparently
9ested for time, but only apparently, as
Gharp ewes and ears were at work. Two
persons were suspected as having been in.
terested in the death of Carafa-Francis
sIartini and Dido Baptiste, Martini claim
ing to be uncle to the deceased. Suspicion
chat Carafa had been murdered, grew into
!. strong belief, and eventually information
was indirectly obtained that Martini had
perpetrated the deed. He and the other
rnan were arrested and yesterday Attorney
General Field began to prosecute the 8wo
accused for the murder OF Carata.
Mr. A. Sambola defended accused, 9y apo
point1uent from the court.
The first witness called by the State was
DR.. jackson, the coroner who made the in
quest. His testimony was about as follows;
Did not know at the inquest whether the
man was accidentally drowned or killed by
violence; marks on the mouth looked as II
e blow had been given; mouth was sWelled;
the body was living at the edge OF the water,
naked, when ! found it, and no appearance
OF disease was discovered; we naturally
concluded that death was caused by drown
ing, as the body was found in the water.
Attorney General Field here showed
diagram Of the locality at the lake where
tie body was found, and Mr.. Sambola OBJ
ected to its introduction. The court did
not sustain the objection, but allowed the
diagram to go to the jury for inspection.
Mr. SamboIa filed his exceptions.
Colonel Field questioned DR.. jackson
infinitely concerning the corpse OF man
drowned and one killed and then thrown
into the water.
Rasumed-I see a man present who said,
at the time the inquest was held, that he
was uncle to deceased Ind l delivered the
body up to him, that man is Martini now
at the bar; l gave burial certificate to
Martini; at the inquest l did not reduce
the testimony to writing. because dld not
think it necessary do not remember who
the witnesses were Martini said deceased's
name was Carafa; held an inquest the day
after death | have been in the bath house IN
question, and the water is about three feet
deep; deceased was five feet five or SIX
inches high do not remember that either |
Of the jury asked to have an autopsy he'd
the body was eNhumed four days after |
burial the body was decOmposed, and was
naked as taken from the lake. it was |
buried in the ground do not remembeTtha |
| examined the body, at the inquest, 10 dis !
cover whether death was caused by drown
ing or by violence the mark on tie neck |
was caused bv Il stroke; had deceased |
fallen on the bath house steps he could not |
have made marks on his neck, head and |
breast at the time Of the inquest L was
impressed with the belief that death was
caused hy violence; did not think that |
the neck was broken, but cant say whethc! !
II was or not !
Cross-examined-Death was produced by !
drowning can distinguish between wounds
inflicted before death or one attcrWard; al
ter death wound will not usually bleed;
the mark on the deceased's neck could not
have been made without considerable VIC
euce; am unable to say how the meek
wound was made: it must have been made
on or about the time OF death; no mark that
! saw could have produced death; when
Martini trs; appeared, after the body was
found he appeared to be soTFy, naturally;
he was near the place when | cot there;
drowned bodies, when taken ont OF the
wafer, decumpCse readily.
I. BONN Was cue OF the jury al inquest:
1t did net take iftrcn minutes TO hold the
inquest: Martini was there theu; he said he
Ind Carala watch and packetbonko which
An ha& taken from Carata before he 'cnt
~ bathing; accused said that whlo Carata
was bathing he lMaItiIij vas in the village;
.la did not show the watch or pocketbook:
accused made no statements except to say
mat deceased was his nephew.
AT this iRncture tile court rornd i neccs-
sary to adjourn, therefore Mir. Sambola will |
ero5a examine the witness tomorrow.
Flo insurance policies are il court, enc