The evening world., 1890-06-04
DID A MURDERER GO FREE :
Hot Blood Between Assistant District
Attorneys Brings Out Queer Tales,
Col. Dawson Hints That Judge Bed
ford Suppressed Evidence.

There il a peck Of trouble brewing in tho
fiStrict- Attorneys Office. That fiery orator
aud impnlsWe Southron. Col. Andrew II.
". Dawson. one OF Col Fellows assistants,
il on the wnrpath. with his metaphorical
knife whcttcd for the SCALP of eN-Judgo
Cunning <, Bedford. another of the scvcn
Assistant District Attorneys.
Col. Dawson vows that he don't propose
to remain inactive and SEQ injustces ami re.
Elections perrotrntcd and cast Oh the all.
ministTAtion and fair name OF Di-trict-At-
torney Fellows. For tho past two years he
has maintained n vigilant scrutiny of the
affairs of tho Office. and he is positive that
ho has been an eyewitness Of a most de.
plornblo occurrence, in which Assistsnt
DiStiict-Attorney Bedford waB implicated in
connection with recent trial Of murder,
Col. Dawson is not alone in possession OF
the viows ho expresses regarding tho con-
duet NJ the trial in question. Deputy Coro-
ner Weston. while more diplomatic aud gem
tlo in tile enunciatiou OF his ideas regarding
tho case, Maintains q pronounced opini on
OH tho same subject
Dr. Weston made an autopsy on the body
OF the murdered man, and he has been won-
dering for several days how II came to pass
that his valuable, testimony was never heard
by the jury.
Altoget ther the str. .oturcs and innuondoeS
Illuminated BY the two gentlemen against
Mr.. Bedford are quite serions. and. unless
they are backed by positive and tangible
facts, somebody IL liable to get hurt:
The origin OF the trouble IL found in the
trial of Gerarlo Campobasso, an Italian. for
the murder OF Ricci, n fcllow-countryman,
IN his shanty at Opc Hundred and Seventy
evening Of Feb. 2. According to ono YER.
sion OF tho story. the murdered man had
been playing cards with his slayer. when a
dispute aro;e over the distribution OF the
money md retired to sofa for n short ma ,.
While lying prostrGte CampobAasu cropt mp
with formidable harne1s-maker'a needle in
the breast of his sleeping victim.
Another account on which the defense at
the trial was based, stated that Ricci bnd
shanty, and the latter ppt him out; Returp-
ing with a long bladed knife In his hand.
lticci tried to gain admittance into tho room
for the alleged purp3Is99 pIpIs9 OF kiiiinG csmpo, Sc
stabbed him several times in the chest with
the harnesS-maker'a needle.
Whichever account Ia true, II In o fact that
Campobasso fled from this city and was sub
sequently caught in South Brooklyn. He
was placed on trial for murder in the first
degree before Judge Fitzgerald. in Part !.
promptly acquitted ON the ground Of iusiih;
able homicide. Commenting on the trial
Col. Dawson said to an EVENING WORLD re-
ii Is true that have expressed positive
disapprobation Of the manner IN which
Judge Bedford conducted the pro.ecution
OF Campobasso. None but the klndliest OF
man and myself, but when the case came up
for trial Major Stewart, q reputable lawyer.
informed me that he had beep retained to
assist the prosecution. He asked me to Sc;
| referred him to tho Assistant District-At-
torney who had charge Of the case. ] sub
sequently learned from Major Stewart that
Judge bedford, who, am further informed,
sent q letter to tho Grand Jury advising
them that no Indictment could be found.
An indictment, however. .,as, was f9upd 10 M and
'All this surprised me, and decided TO
hear his opening, 10 was indeed the most
strangely singular speech that ever ema;
mated from q prosecuting officdr. AMI
made severe structures upon IT,. He told the
jury that the deceased was to blame for his
own death. which seems to Increase the ne
Cessity OF an explanation from Judge Bed
III have heard that the doctor who msde
the autopsy on the body OF the deceased was
not called. This IL equally surprising, and
taking the entire management OF tho case
into consideration. II is not at all strange
that a full explanation is expected from the
gentleman.
II don know, They can hardly bo po-
litical. for the Italians only vote 5000
strong"
Deputy Coroner Weston said: - am OF
a loss to know how IL was that Judge Bed
ford did not call me to give my testimony.
1t IL the first case In my experience where
the medical testimony was hAtly exc luded In
q trial OF murder. was summoned to ap-
pear at the trial OF CHmpobssso as witness.
] responded, but was told that was not
wanted.
"lt was 4 rather strange proceeding. !
alone made the autopsy on the body OF
Ricci, aud had been called TO the stand |
could have given very important evidence
touching the mans wounds and the manner
in which they were inflicted But was shnt
ont.
~ am now, and have been, thoroughly
that the man was xii led In most
brutal aud cowaTdlY manner. ] would have
testi1et that. in my opinion. the nature and
location OF the wounds left no donbt that
the deceAsed must have been ia defense
less position when stabbed. He could not
have made any resistance, and II IL i'm
pressed upon me very forcibly that he was
tAken by surprise ana stabbed