The record-union., 1891-02-10
GIUSEPPE SCATINTS SLAYER.
Frediani, the Aged Lime PeddIer Viii
Plead SeIf-Defense.
Seven Jurors Secured From the Regu-
lar Panel-Forty Special Jury
men Called For.

Fleets place in Department Two OF tne
Superior Court yesterday. and will con-
tinue there until the trial of Eduardo
Frediani for murder is concluded, Judge
Van Fleet being tired and in need OF
a rest
Frediani's trial was commenced in the
forenoon, and the entire day was con-
snmed in the work of impanelling jury.
Last evening when an adjournment was
taken only seven jurors had been secured,
and the regular term venire had been ex-
hausted.
Frediani-whoi it will be remembered, is
the aged Italian lime peddler who fatally
stabbed Giuseppe Scatini, an L-street
saloon-keeper, last November-is repre-
sented by Grove L. Johnson, while Dis
trict Attorney Ryan and his assistant,
ex-Judge Buckley, are looking after the
interests of the people. Mr.. johnson i'll
examining the talesmen is pursuing his
usual exhaustive and thorough method
of questioning, and the case in conse-
quence is proceeding slowly.
FREDIANI's DEFENSE.
Frediani,s defense will be that he
stabbed Scatini in defense of his own life.
This was made evident in the course of
Mr.. JohEson's examination of the jurors,
an idea of the extent Of which may be OBJ
tanned from the following, which COM
prised portion Of the set OF questions
propounded to J. c. Baumgartel, one of
the talesmen:
"Where do you reside?"
"Freeport."
"Your business?"
Farmer"
"Do you read, write or speak the
Italian language ?o
u
ibid you ever live near, or mingle with,
Italians or Portuguese ?'
mo, not particularly. There are
number of Italians down near my place."
rs your hearing atfected?"
s.No.n
man because he is simply accused of
crine?'
"Noo
"or because he is accused of murder?"
''No.n
''Were you living in Sacramento in
November last?"
'Yes, a portion of the time"
'sDid you take any of the Sacramento
newspapers at that timeT
"Yes.n
Read about this case?"
mo"
Twill you give this defendant fair
and impartial trial?"
81 will.'
NOT AFRAID OF NEWSPAPERS.
"Are you afraid of newspaper criti-
cism?"
''No, SIR"
'Would the fact that the newspapers
have censured and abused juries for ac-
quitting persons charged with murder be
liable to affect your judgment in this
case?"
"Would the fact that there are other
persons at the present time awaiting trial
for murder, and should the newspapers
say that the people needed protection and
that these murderers should be disposed
of summarily-would that affect you,
eitther?''
''Have you any prejudice against man
because, in a case of this kind, he enters
plea of self-defense?'
Mo-
"Do you believe in self-defense when
necessarily"
Il do.n
'Have you any prejudice against man
who would use knife in defending him
self?'
"None''
Etc, etc., etc.
A SPECIAL VENIRE.
It might not be amiss to add that Mr..
Baumgartel was not accepted as a juror.
regular term venire were Fred. Kolliker,
William CounSman, Herbert Melvin, A.
Logan, c. Kellogg, David Poorman and
G. NJ. Ackerman.
Attorney Johnson asked that instead of
calling upon the Sheriff for a special
venire of jurors from the body of the
county, the court order that they be
drawn from the names just selected by
the Supervisors for the new panel. Mr..
Johnson said he had every confidence in
the Sheriff, but he considered the Fredi-
ami case most important one, and he
thought the better way would bo as he
suggested-there would be no trouble,
then. 1t was not good plan to put SO
much responsibility upon the Sheriff.
District Attorney Ryan said he had only
one objection to offer to Mr.. Johnson's re-
quest, and that was that it would cause too
much delay. Many of the persons whose
names were on the new list, lived at Gait,
Elk Grove, Isleton and other places, and
1t would take three or four days to get
them in town.
Mr.. Johnson insisted that the ends of
justice would be better reached in the
manner suggested by him.
Judge Catlin, however, said that in
view of the fact that most of the witnesses
in the case We're foreigners, and their tes-
timony would have to be taken through
misunderstanding the trial to drag
along slowly-he did not feel disposed to
add TO the delay by going into the new
jury panel.
He'then ordered that the Sheriff sum-
mon forty special jurymen from the body
OF the county, and have them in court
to-day, when the trial will be resumed.