The New York herald., 1874-07-08
A STRANGE CASE OF IDENTITY,

The Devilfsh Crime Committed the
Little italian Girl-WhO Is the Guilty
Person!
On Friday, the 22d day of May, two little girls,
aged respectively nine and eleven years and OF
Italian birth, named Celeste Rosavalli and Emilia
Badinnolii, were playing in childish way, as
young children will, with brooms when negro
came along and asked them If they would like to
,ook at flowers. 1t was late in the afternoon, be-
tween four ana five O'Clock, and the negro
seemed very anxious TO engage the oldest Of the
Two girls, who was named Emilia. He said that he
wanted her to so to No. 3s Amity street, which
is u deserted vacant house and there she would
md employment. Emilia testified IN Court yes
terday that she told Celeste Rosavall, her coul-
panion, to 60 to her mothers house. In Sullivan
street, and inform ner other that she had got
employment The little girl walked to the house
in Sullivan street and did her errand. Emilia.
she tells her story, to No. 3S Amty street and
walked into
A DESERTED HOUSE,
and was followed by negro who had lime on his
shoes and wore trousers covered with lime, aud
she also described him as wearing reddish col
ored worsted jacket. The negro here enticed her
to the top noor OF the deserted house On one SIDE
was little and delicate girl and en- the other a
grown and brutal negro. What happened here
cannot be described; suffice it to say that the
devil succeeded in committing his crime and the
physician who was called in next day at the
residence Of the child's mother declared that ne
believed that she would die. Late in the after
noon a colored man, with lime on his shoes, was
diagonally toward Jefferson Market, by an offcer
VINO was IN company with the brother OF Emilia
Bandlnou, young man.
The VICTIM OF THE OUTRAGE
had seemed to describe the man who was arrested
M w hQ
o,ncer to the residence OF the girls mother Sui
Ivan street. and Oilcer Burke told his prisoner to
him into the room IN which the girl was lying on
bed. She appeared to recognize him but at this
and not at ali Hn
mel, for the Defence did not attempt to cross
examine the girl Emilia or her companion Ce-
leste, but reserved his questions iOr his own wit
nesses. Two or three policemen testified, but
their evidence did not seem to prove any thing ex.
cepting that they had arrested Baker and had
searched the house IN Amty street, finding nothing
there, alive or dead, and that they had searched
married man, and found no evidence whatever to
show that he had committed the crime. Mrs.
Baker.
young woman of mulatto color was present in
court, and also there were two witnesses named
was put upon the stand and ne seemed to be a
very decent looking person. He was also queer
looking man, and the bottom Of his well-w0rn
trOwsers had shrunk up about Jour inches in the
direction Of his knees He told q very straight
forward story, giving his movements up to the
very hour OF the day on which the crime was COM
mitted. District Attorney Allen questioned him
in every manner possible, and 1t did not make
the accused s swerve for Or. one one, instant; @ He
his lie seen either OF the young girls And he was a
father and had fathers feelings and that he would
not wrong any mans child. This he spoke to the
jury In an earnest tone, causing quite sensation
in Court. Baker also afforded considerable anfuse-
versation with his friend Nixon at an early pc riod
OF the day, but he finally acknowledged that Nixon,
who Is o church member, had told hun OF a dream
and ne had
GONE DOWN TOWN TO PLAY POLICY
on Nixon's dream. He also declared that he had
never worn q red flannel shirt in his lie and that
he was not in the habit OF wearing white overalls
The girl had testified to these supposed facts ana
Bakers statement had a great effect. The two
darkY friends OF Baker were ordered out OF Court
during the testimony OF the prisoner, but word for
word they swOre to the same statement, showing
how they had met on the 22d OF May and giving
their conversation with HIM on West Broadway.
| The prisoner showed how he had whitewashed .
room in No. Isl Mulberry street. and when arrested
was on his way to collect 81 90 from Mrs. Graham
in West Twenty first street. for whom he had done
q job on the day previous. He also swore that ne
was not informed OF the charge against him when
arrested and when taken to the in which
the little girl was lying the brother OF the girl said
''rHAr's THE MAN ISN'T IT9"
and she declared that she thought it was, but was
| not positive. When taken to the station house,
in the precinct OF Captain Williams, he was struck
on tne head by the turnkey Violently. and did not
know Of his accusation until he was taken to
| p0Lce neaoquarters. ,. ,
| Judge sutherland asked the witness several
! questions and also asked the prisoners number
! OF questions but they seemed to corrobatc each
| other. When the witness Jones was asked to tes-
thy he did not touch the book. but drew his right
hand first horizontally and then perpendiculary
across his chest. When asked his name, he an
swered with loud and distinct voice, "N-o-a-h-
! Lorenzo-Jones.n
"Whst is thatsn said Judge Sutherland.
Neutrality-suspicious. answered the wit
ness more emphatically and more slowly than be-
! fore.
! for Colonel Deievan, who had lately been member
| OF the Grand Jury and had known the prisoner for
i twenty -nve years. and that his reputation was rs
| good as any other mans, and that he and witness
| had never been guilty OF playing policy.
| Judge Sutherland. soon after, adjourned the
! Court until this morning ana cautioned. the jury
| against speaking OF the case. The burden OF the
| proof seems TO rest on the question OF identity,
and the defence Ia that 1t was another negro, un-
| known, who committed the crime.