The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-02-19

Potooi for Trial-History of th
Crime OF Which They are Charr
cd.
ST. Louis Paper
On Saturday afternoon, three brothers
Francis. Antoine and Joseph DsGonia
were taken from the St. Louis Jail, vher,
they hal been held for safe keeping. to Pc
'osi, Washington County, No., to stant
trial Tor the murder Of Jules Pa,ille. which
crime was committed on August y5lh. Tn,
case Wa called before Judge L. F. DENIM,
in the Circuit Court at POtosi, at on.
o'clock yesterday afternoon, and owing Il
the absenee Of the main witnesses tor thu
prosecution, States Attorney Frank Harri.
Vas forced to AK for and obtained con.
tinuance until the next term Of the Court
The prisoners will be returned to the St.
Louis Jail Tomorrow. Potosi in the seat oil
Washington county. which lies south oil
Jefferson City, and il located on q switch
OF the Iron Mountain Railroad, three miles
from Mineral Point, which il sixty one
miles from St. Louis. Although town Of
not over ] 200 inhabitants, it bears Promi.
hence by reason Of being the central town
Of the Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois and
Washington couniie,.
A reporter visited Potosi Yesterday and
obtained the particulars Of the crime oil
which the De Coma brothers stand accused.
Sheriff Wallace and States Attorney
Harris courteously giving the information
desired.
There is in the county q large number of
half French, and half Indian lead miners,
Who are somewhat turbulent citizens, ever
ready with the knives, and the authors
within the pas. years OF q series Of crimes,
which form the only blot upon the name
and lame Of the country. The parties to
and the Witnesses Of the Pstille murder
we're Of this class, and the deed was in
itself the outcome IL a vendetta such o.
only finds place in this country among the
degraded descendants Of the hot blooded
French and Italians.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
On The night Of August g Of last year, q |
lance and merry making was given by De |
;onia brothers, At the residence OF their |
ather, located about one mile north If PO- |
osi. Liquor was furnished in abundance,
ind the fun Was uproarious. Jules Patille
VA among those present. There had been
lad feeling between HIM and the De Gonias
or some time, bat the ere. Of the hatred
eemed to have died ont, and Patille in &C.
epting the invitation could have done 40
My IN the belief that the old feud was
uried for good. The night passed Of
Iithout rious disturbance. Liquor vas
reely taken BY all present, the De Coma
roshers drinking deeply. A, about I ..
J. Paiille was standing With party Of &C.
naintances in the yard, when Joe De
;onia came Up, and exc,tedly accused Pa
lie Of having insulted his mother. Pstille
enied having done 80, and the lie was
assed. Joe then struck at Patille, Who
'aring the outcome Of the quarrel turned I
nd ran into the darkness. Antoine and l
rancis had come up in the meanwhile, and
hen Joe started in pursuit Of The fugitive
'ey joined him. and the whole four were
ut in the gloom. In Eve minutes they re- I
'rned. and Joe, walking up to group, Of
hich Vim. Orr Was one, held aloft bloody
nife and profanely remarked, II have done
v him." II
No idea that murder had lean COM I
lifted seemed to obtain, and the dance was Z
'ntinued until o'clock. .
Shortly after 10 o'clock next morning 4
me miners, going to work, found at the
'ttom Of shallow mine the dead body Of 4
ales Patiile. II lay on its face In little
,ol Of water, just where il had been 4
Irown. Examination showed eight !
ping knife-wounds. Two of them we're Z
the bresst, and had penetrated the vitals, {
'e reaching the heart; three Of them were q
the back, all deep, any one Of them in d
elf sufficient to cause death. and two q
ng, slashing gsshes we're on the left arm d
ID shoulder.
One Of the miners hastened into the town o
ID informed Sheriff Wallace Of their dis c
very. Investigation Immediately made
rev suspicioa upon Do Coma brothers, q
d shortly afeerward they were arrested Ut p
cir fathers house. AL three were found Il
drunken sleep. having prolonged the de- b
uch Of the previous night far into the Ct
It day. d
They were locked up to await the action e.
the Grand Jury. which indicted them oil Il
; murder in the 6st degree. early in Ocso-
E. Yesterday Vas the
FIRST CALLING OF THE CASE,
4 the continuance waa made necessary BY b
, fact that the main witnesses for the >
'te. chief among whom il Walter Orr, q
d left for parts unknown. IL il presumed 4
1t influences have been brought n bear
friends Of the prisoners to secure their :,
aence. An effort will Be made to detect :,
.ir whereabouts in order that trial may !.
had ut the next term. The States At !:
ney II Garment in this matter. Converss.
ID some Of the leading citizens ef Poeosi :.
'duced an interesting history ofthe muir. ..
. that have disgraced the civilization Of e.
ashing county Of late years.
Two murderen have been hung in the n,
,nty since the var. ard they for . deed pi
ich for Wholesale barbsriiy and 6endish- n
. il hardly without . parallel in the his ~
y Of crime. Charles jolly and John a
usstrong were the two men Who met their III
. oe the scshold, and oddly enough they y
re related in the degree Of cousinship tn -