New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-08

excepting that the air was rather too chilly
THE LIFE INSURANCE MURDER TRIAL
Judge Abel, Attorney General Field
Eessrs Atoclfa and Sambola, attorneys fol
defense, Jurors, witnesses, court officials
and all interested in this trial must be quite
out of patience, as the case has been on SC
long. Attorney General Field has made a
good eff rt to bring the accused to punish
mept and if the crime is not brought home
to Martini and Baptiste it will not be his
fault. Messrs. Sambola and Atocha were
not derellct toward their clients, as they
have fought every inch of the ground with
persistency and talent only equaled by
the efforts of the Attorney General All
the evidence was in yesterday, and the case
given to the jury.
Lofts Lazarellis sworn-Speaks Italian
lives in this city; knows q Thomas Ward;
had a conversation with Ward relative IL
this case since.the defendants were arrested
once on St. Charles street and once IN La
fayette square; Ward told me that he eX
pected to make $1,000 by the arrest ana con
vction Of the parties; Ward was4 10 make
Beptste drunk and was to give witness
s}00 TO give his evidence; | was IN The
Parish Prison several times Tor peing
drank, and on account of a difficulty with
my wife; did not know Baptiste; saw Ward
on st. Charles street at two o'clock in the
morning, and got breakfast; ii was about
five weeks ago; the first time ! saw Ware
was in the Parish Prison; next saw him on
lafayette square; went there 70 speak aDou'
the prisoners.
At this point Mr.. Atooha said he would
close the testimony on the part OF the de
Tense.
Mr.. Jacobs. called for the State, said,
know the reputation of the last witness
L4zarellis. | have heard several peopl'
say that his reputation was bad. lie wa
once brought to the Third District station
for being found in a yard, and the mex
time for beating lady, his wife.
Here the examination ceased, and Dis
trict Attorney John McPhelin proceeded t
address the jury.
He alluded to the fact that the trial ha
been long and laboriQus, and 1t was thel
duty to consider the evidence maturelS
and to render verdict according to tn
facts. He proceeded 10 state the clrcum
stances of the case.
1t was in evidence that in July last Mai
TIM went to the Globe Insurance office, an
obtained policy Of insurance for $1,000 o.
the life of young man represented to hav
been bis nephew. Another policy was OF
tanned at another office for like sum
5000, making in ali an insurance OF $1,000
on the life of young man twenty-tou
years old, for the benefit of Martini, VIII
was at least fifty years old. 1t has bee
shown that on the eleventh OF August MAJ
TIM and the young man went to the lake
and together they entered a bath room
They went bathing together. Martini cam
cut Of the water and returned to the city
leaving the young man in the bath mouse
The next morning, August II, the BODY
the young man was found in the water
with bruise on the neck which had trat
tured the neck bone.
Martini had two names, one OF which wa
Silvis de Antoni. Honest men do not nav
more names than one. Itwas inferred tina
the young man was not the nephew of MAJ
TIM, and that he was murdered in order 1
secure the amount of Insurance.
The district attorney urged the jury no
to be influenced by any sentiments of pit.
for the accused, but to do their duty, eve
if it involved the taking OF the prisoners
lives.
Mr.. Sambola, for the accused, combatte'
the inference that there vas anything IN
usual in the fact that the life Of youn,
nan had been insured for the benefit Of al
old man, his uncle. He would state To
fact that bis own life vs., insured for tn
bcneh. Of his father. He referred TO tn
iact that Martini had paid the expenses o
turying the young man, and showed grea
feeling when the yOurg mans body wa
diainterred and placed in the vault
The case was given to TIE jury at eigh
O'clock, and at halfpast nine they returned
and informed the court that they could no
agree, and would not, in all probability
Lhey wero locked up, and win remain 81
until to Elorrow, this being 4 legal holiday