St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-25
MURDERERS MIXED.
The Defense in the Murray
Case Claim a Mistake Of
Identity,
And Intimate the Prisoners
Brother Struck the Fatal
Blow.
By Hard Work the Doctors
Save a Woman From Death
by Poison.
A Chinese Giant Becomes
CraZed, and Crates a
Lively Scene.

The trial of Joseph Murray for man.
slaughter i'll the second degree was be-
gun yesterday before Judge Brill and a
jury. Murray is charged with striking
an old man named c. Copina On the
caused his death few DAYS later. Hon.
George Argo, of Sioux City. Is defend
ing Murray. Two sons of the dead
man, as well as two daughters and one
or two other witnesses, testified in the
case yesterday. Nearly all of them are
Italians. and cannot speak English and
spoke through an interpreter. The un-
fortunate affair occurred on Sunday
afternoon in May last, on the West
side, near the rivers edge. Marie and
Minnie Copina. daughters. and one of
the sons of the dead man went to
barge on the rIver.to gather chips and
bark. using tub, basket and
a shawl to gather the fuel in. After
they had gathered the fuel. disturb
ance or dispute arose with some by
ISLANDERS in which an attempt was made
to prevent the carrying away of some of
the fuel and fiSticutf fight was precip-
itated between two or three of the by
ISLANDERS aud young Copina. One of the
girls screamed, and her cries brought
old man COpina and another brother
from the house near by. The fight was
renewed. 1t was in this latter contest
that the old man was struck on the head
with piece of wood causing Injuries
which resulted in his death ON the Fri
day following. One of the sons testified
yesterday that he was also struck on
the head with stick of wood. There
was quite crowd of people about when
the tight occurred.
The witnesses yesterday varied in
their testimony as 10 who hit the old
man Copiua. Some stated that Joseph
Murray, the man on trial. did it, whilst
others testified that it was Mike Muir
ray, brother, who hit him. There
was also variance in the meager de-
ScriptiOn given of the man who struck
the blow for which Murray is on trial.
The stories as to what the old man
was d ling when struck varied also.
One witness said he was i'll the act CT
carrying the tub of bark without assist
ance; another stated that he was help
ing his daughter to carry it; another
said lie had not touched the tub before
he was hit. The stories differed also
as to whether he was standing erect
or stopped over when hit.
nihHlo SOpIld Sdiu SIle saw hHiIt on
the ground after her father was struck.
Several of the witnesses said that Muir
ray called to his brother and said he
had Killed the Old man, and they must
skip out, and that the Murrays then ran
away, pursued by the Italians. The
SONS OF COpina admitted that they ran
after the MurrayS. but said it was for
the purpose of preventing their escape.
1t has been intimated that an eye wit
ness will state on the stand that he saw
old man Copina with knife before he
was hit. 1t is probable that the defense
will be self defense and mistaken
identity. 1t is said that evidence will
be offered to show that the Italians at
tackled the Murrays with knives. Owing
to Saturday being special term day, the
trial will not be resumed until Monday
morning.