Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-16
BELLS TRIAL BEGINS.
The Ey-0fficer to Answer for the Death
of Joseph Mangello.
SOME CONTRADICTORY TESTIMONY.
MsyfOwer Owners Object to the Finding in
Wishartis Suit.
GENERAL NEWS OF THE DAY IN COURT

Martin Bell, the ex-colored policeman, was
put on trial for murder yesterday before
Judge Slagle in Criminal Court. On the even
ing of April l3 last he assisted in arresting q
number of Italians on Washington street.
One of them, Joseph Mangello, was hit on
the head with a mace, cutting the scalp.
Erysipelas set in and caused his death ten
days later at the West Penn Hospital, where
he bad been taken the day after his arrest
Bell is alleged to have hit him without
provocation. District Attorney Burleigh is
prosecuting the case, and 7. NJ. Marshall. Jr,
and o. P. Scaife, Jr., are defending Bell. Yes
terday morning was occupied in the Sc
lection of a jury, and the first witness was
called at l o'clock. DR.. Jacobs testified to
dressing Mangello's head and ordering his
removal to the hospital.
DR.. Sterrett, of the hospital, testified to
the mans condition while there; that
erysipelas set in and caused his death. He
also held a post mortem for the Coroner, at
which the cause of death was clearly proven
60 be that illness. Then a number of wit
nesses were put on the stand, who mixed
things up in woful manner. Some of them
testified Bell ran up and hit Mangello when
two other officers had hold of him. Others
testified no other officers were there. Some
testified Mangello struggled and refused to
go, while others said he did not, and alto
gether the Italians contradicted each other
IN the most glaring manner.
Saw the Whole Affair.
Angelic SabiIli was the first one called.
lie keeps a store at 81 Washington street,
where Mangello boarded three days before
the trouble. Mangello had come from the
country with two others and had no work.
About O'Clock the witness was in the store
and heard Mangello was arrested, ana, walk
ing to the door, saw Bell hit Mangello on
the head with a mace. They were few
feet away at the time and Mangello was call
ing to the witness to ask the officer why he
arrested him. Another policeman came
along and Mangello was taken away. He
next saw him ut the Eleventh ward station
with his head bandaged up.
William Shootman, Il l7-year-oh boy, works
at barber shop at "a Washington street,
and saw the arrest. He said two men had
Mangello five minutes before Bell arrived,
and as the latter came up he said, mo use
foolIng with that man" and hit him on the
head with his mace. On cross-eXamination
the witness said that the two men that ar
rested Mangello could not hold him; that
one of them was colored and one white and
the white man had citizens clothes on.
There was a crowd of 25 Italians on the
street Bell took Mangello to the patrol
box.
Roxy sabilli, the 9-year-old son of the
storekeeper, was next called. He said Man.
CELLO had just come down an outside stair
way from the house to the street and an in
stant later was arrested by a white man.
Bell then came up and hit him. He did not
Angelic Caprari testified that he had come
10 the city with Mangello and had gone to
board with Sabili. He came out of the
house with Mangello, intending to go down
TO the Union depot, but just as they reached
the SidewalkOfficer Bell caught Mangello and
without a word hit him on the head with the
mace. Mangello called to Sabilli to know
what he was arrested for.
He made no resistance, but hesitated long
enough to call to Sabilli. Then Bell hit him.
No other officers were near at the time. On
saTsa ion II Tod Gtafo
ment, and said he did not see any other
policeman or white man holding Mangello.
Pietro Caprari, brother of the last wit
ness, testified to about the same thing, ex-
cept that he saw a black man in citizens
clothes have hold of Mangello, and that
afterward Bell came up and hit him.
Struggled With the Officer.
Pietro Mondella was in the store, and
heard the noise on the street. Going to the
door he saw Mangello under arrest, and saw
Bell hit him on the head. Five minutes
later he saw another policeman come up.
lie repeated the statement on cross
examination, and said Mangello stood there
five minutes calling to Sabilli and refusing
to 60 with the officer, and it was for that
Bell hit him.
Nicola Gleason also saw the arrest. No
body had hold of Mangella but Bell The
latter held him about three minutes, while
MangellO called to Sabilli before he hit him.
\ juror here asked if Mangello was
knocked down, and the witness said he had
duc1ed his head, but did not fall. g. j.
Fluker, driver of patrol wagon No. 2, testi- |
fled that on the evening in question the
wagon had hauled nine Italians from the |
box near the arrest One of the prisoners
had blood on his ccat collar. Officers |
Bell and Bagby- had put them in the |
wagon. He did not see any white |
officer there. Coroner's Clerk Grant Miller |
identified the clothes of Mangello which he |
received at the hospital after Mangellos |
death. There was blood on the coat collar.
IA nfNr1lI- 2 h har.o tod
having no more testimony to offer. The de-
fense will go on this morning. The Jury was
locked up, but before retiring Mr.. John A |
Renshaw, the grocer, who is one of the t.
asked Judge Slagle if there was not some
accommodations to be made for their com
fort Judge Slagle said they would be pro-
tected from all harm and that nice easy cots
would be supplied for their repose.