The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-10-01
Vito CURO'S ORDEAL. /.
The Italian on Trial for
the Murder Of Peter
Keogh.
UNHEEDED WARNINGS
People Told the Victim euro Had
a Knife, But Still He
Heaped Insults on Him.

morning the second murder trial for this
term of court was begun. The accused
man was Vito euro, who was charged in
the Indictment with having stabbed Peter
Keogh on July 26, at night, during fight
on the streets.
euro appeared in court dressed neatly.
and not at all nervous. He is an i'll look-
ing, low browed fellow, and wore his hair
closely cropped. After Counsellors Grouse
and Dixon for the defense made eleven
challenges. and the state one, the fol-
lowing jury was selected.
Albert Summer, foreman: Albert War
ringer, Timothy Conlon, j Jacob Christman.
Charles Barth, Robert w. Harris, Lucius
Sayre, William Parmenthal, Henry Mar
tiDez, William Paradise, John Grossman
and Jacob Bohnert.
Every man challenged by the counsel
for the defense had an Irish name.
THE CASE FOR THE STATE.
Prosecutor Winfield, when he opened
the case, said:-s'I believe, gentlemen,
this defendant has lived near the Court
House for long time, and was by occu-
patton a bootblack. Peter Keogh lived
near Laidlaw and Summit avenue. There
had been trouble between euro aud
Keogh, for Keogh teased him. Three
weeks before Keogh was stabbed he had
a fight with euro, and after it was
over euro was heard to say,
IF I had had a knife or scissors
would have fixed HIM" On the night
of July 26, in.front of Allan's saloon at
Laidlaw and Summit avenues, there were
some broken pieces of watermelon with
which number of young men were
amusing themselves by throwing them
at each other. Some one, presumably
Keogh, threw piece of it at euro, who.
l believe, threw 1t back. euro then
went to the corner Of Summit
avenue and remained there. Some
one told Keogh to leave him alone
for, he had knife but Keogh laughed
and went up to the Italian and made
motion with his hand at him as if to
strike him. Then euro stabbed him and
escaped. When arrested at the ferry on
July 80 he had in his possession these
two razors and this pair of scissors (show-
ing them to the jury. think there will
be no trouble in proving that euro killed
Keogh; but the degree of the crime is for
you to determine"
THE EVIDENCE.
Thomas Allen, the first witness, testi-
fled that he was proprietor of the saloon
that there were pieces of water melon on
some kegs, on the night in question, in
front OF his store.
Mrs. Thomas Allen next called testified
that she was the wife of the saloon
keeper. adding:-'I saw euro thai night
avenue; he was very angry; Keogh
was sitting on beer keg
on Laidlaw avenue; heard euro
say he had been hit with the melon;
/ said Pete let him alone, don't plague
him, and then | heard a man say He's
got knife Keogh replied. It's only
bluff and walked up to euro and slapped
his cheek, I think; euro made a motion as
If he punched Keogh, and then Pete put
his two arms across his stomach and said
Pm cut, he's killed me- The Italian
turned down Summit avenue toward the
Court House."
Cross-examined by Counsellor Grouse,
Mrs. Allen adhered closely to her story.
Richard Welsh, of No. 712 Summit ave-
nue., the next witness, testified:-"I saw
Keogh throw piece of melon at euro
and hit him; euro threw it back at him
and struck Keogh; I said, Pete, leave
him alone; he may have knife Keogh
walked up to euro. who stood on the cor
nev, muttering, and made motion as il
to strike him.
'.Then euro made a lunge at Keogh,
who said, ketch him-I'm stabbed Tho
Italian ran down Summit avenue. | gave
the alarm and waited with Keogh until
an ambulance took him to the hospital
John Conners, of Summit avenue, tes-
tified:-"We had melon and cut 1t, and
after eating what we wanted we threw
the pieces at each other and had pleas
"What happened then2" asked the
Prosecutor
Nothing"
"Nothing?v
"Only Keogh was killed; that was all, ("
said witness in matter of fact way.
ibid you see Keogh slashed by the
Italian?' asked Mr.. Winfield.
"Yes.n
by the Italians"
eyes, SIR"
"What did the Italian do thenr
"He ran away"
'What did Keogh dor"
Nothing, he was in the SOUP"
Qaughter.)
Cross-examined he admitted that 'the
boys" had been drinking, and witness
was little full. He went to the sta.ion
house TO notify the police.
CURo'S THREAT.
Mamie Rooney testified that prior to tho
stabbing euro had said, if he had had a
pair of scissors when Keogh had attacked
him three months before he would have
fixed him. She had known euro
for several years. euro frequently
called at her house; he was there the
night Keogh was stabbed; he got pint
of beer that night; he could only say in
English, "Nicy girl. nicy feller," but
when he spoke of sis (scissors) he said,
Elk nicy feller."
Witness once asked him why he car
ried the scissors and he said to ''cut his
hair"
Dr. George H. Sexlin, ambulance sur
geon testified to taking Keogh to the hos
pital and that he died the next day from
the effects ofsa stab wound. THAT was
the only injury we found on him."
County Physician Converse on July 2S,
made an examination OF Keogh's body at
Speer's morgue, and found that Keogh
died from hemorrhage OF the femoral
vein, caused by a wound that might have
been inflicted with the shears shown him,
and which it is alleged were used by euro
on Keogh.
DR.. Sexlin recalled, could not fully
identify the filthy blood-stained shirt and
trousers which the District Attorney ex-
hibited for the benefit of the witness and
jury
Cross-examined by Counsellor Dixon
with the view to showing the hemorrhage
had been caused by improper treatment.
the doctor explained how it had been
necessary to enlarge the wound IN order
to gather up the lacerated tissues.
During the operation there was more OF
less hemorrhage; that hemorrhage from
large veins left alone generally stops
flowing, but the doctor did not think this
would have happened in this case.
George Keogh testiiied:-"l--am Lhe
father of. Peter; identify this clothing
as Peters.
"That's the case said the Prosecutor
syrhy, now cannot get enough to eat" saYt
40 10 III, 4pbo fnr,nerlv O aDnefite