The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-03-20

Mike Metz, the 1aborer ON the r., " 4 l..
will have to Hang for the Murder OF
Cossidenti--A Resume of the
Evidence Given During
the Trial.

Last Thursday a jury Mt Union
town found Mike Metz guilty o.
murder in the first degree-guiltN
of deliberately taking the life Of hi,
friend Rocco Cossidenti for paltry
sum of money. This verdict rested
mainl Y on the evidence of the wit
nesses who went from Morgantown
Below is full account of the tria
as reported by the Uniontown Stand
ard.
The trial of Mike Metz. the Italian
charged with the murder of his cous
in, Rocco Cossidenti, in Springhill
township, on Sept. 2lst last, was call
ed in court on Tuesday. Several
hours were consumed in getting .
jury, the same old difficulties being
experienced Intelligent men chal
lenged off because they had read and
reflected. Several were rejected by
the commonwealth because they
stated that they could not convict a
man on circumstantial evidenc,
alone. But after dinner a jury was
obtained as follows;
Allen Galley, Samuel Freed, Chas,
Semans, John w. White, Isaac Mat
son, John Thomas, Owen Hughes,
Daniel II. Pershing, Benz. Rist, Jno.
A. McCombs, Andrew J. Cunning
ham, VIM. Weihe.
District Attorney Cochran opened
the commonwealth testimony by
calling TO the stand VIM. Sturgiss.
who related the story fully published
in the Standard of Sept. 81, of his
finding the dead body of n man in
his sugar camp near Morris \ Roads,
which was afterwards identified as
that of Cossidenti. This was follow
ed by the testimony of some two
dozen witnesses, lasting through two
days, most of whom were from Nor
gantown and Springhill, including
ex- Sheriff Odbert, G.. G. Scott, A. j.
Cans, I. J. Sturgiss, James Blair,
Alfrey Carraco, j. 5. Swindler, w.
W. Tiehner, Jas. Tichner, Jennie
Tichncr, J. NJ, Hildebrand. w. X.
Hoffman, Jose 0'Neil, Gordan Nor
rilla, Mika Rose. Frank Curtiss, N.
5. Howard, III. L. Rhodes, and Coro-
ner Baton and DR.. W. Ill. Sturgeon,
who went out TO Smithiield to hold
the inquest, From this large mass
of testimony, we here condense a
brief account of this brutal tragedy.
1t is case of ciFcumstantial evil
dence, but the chain seems woven
tightly around Metz. The theory
of the prosecution is that Metz killed
Cossidenti for his money while sleep
ing in the woods.
Metz and Cossidenti had been
working for some time on the b. d
@. extension above Morgantown.
Gossidenti was saving up his money
to go back TO Italy, and on Monday,
Sept u, Mr.. O'Hara paid him off,
giving him a check for $40 Metz
was along, and the two went to the
bank and got the check cashed.
Among the bills was 800 note,
which Cashier Hoffman folded up
and put into the purse for Cossidenti.
The latter was to 90 to Pittsburg,
thence to New York, where he had
other money in bank, and thence to
Italy. Metz, who never seemed to
have much money, stuck close to
Cossidenti and said he would go as
far as Pittsburg and see him off.
They left Morgantown about one
O'Clock on Monday, Sept. 81. They
were ferried over Cheat river between
and 5 p. NJ. The ferryman identi-
fled them here. They were seen at
Morris X Roads little after sun
down, by A. j. Cans, Geo. Scott and
others. They enquired the way to
Fairchance, and pushed on. They
were seen passing the house of VIM.
Sturgiss at about dusk, by j. U.
Cans, II. L. Rhodes and L. j. Stur-
giss. A little distance beyond that
they were seen together for the last
time, by S. S. johnson. They had
passed through gate and were GO
ing toward the sugar camp, where
Cossidenti's body was found on Fri
day following.
Metz was back in Morgantown on
Tuesday, the day after he had left
there, and reported he had been in
Pittsburg and saw Cossidenti off for
New York. He was spending money
lavishly. He bought suit of clothes
at Pickenpangh's, which after his
arrest he said he bought in Pitts
burg. He spent Wednesday night
at Tichner's, above Morgantown,
where he had boarded long time.
He exhibited a 800 bill and asked
them if they had ever seen one be-
fore. He asked Miss Tichner to
marry him, and asked her fathers
consent. He had been in the family
so long they all thought well of him.
On Thursday morning he went to
work again, and on Saturday he and
Miss Tichner went to Morgantown
to buy their wedding outfit. He had
bought her numerous presents, and
while waiting at the hotel for dinner,
he was arrested for killing Cossi-
denti. On his person was found a
new watch He said Cossidenti had
bought it in Pittsburg and then he
had traded his little watch for it.
But they proved that Metz bought
the watch in Morgantown after his
return and had put in his little
watch as part payment The revol-
yer found ON him had three cham
bers empty. Cossidenti had three
bullet holes in his head. The rest
of the story is still fresh in mind.
Many other little points were
brought up to make strong circum-
stantial chain.
The defense practically had no
case. They could claim that no one
ever saw or heard Metz kill Cossi-
denti, but they couldn't break down
the testimony detailing the connec-
ton and movements of the two men.
rThax- al ,,roln.o tu< v,;+paocao NJ.