Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-17
BELL IS ACQUITTED
Ut the Charge of Numbering Joseph
Mangello With a Mace.
A CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER,
On Which He Is Returned to Jail to
Await Another Trial.
RECORD OF COURT DOINGS FOR ONE DAY

ExPoliceman Matthew Bell was acquitted
yesterday of the charge of numbering Joseph
Mangello with a mace The jury was out
half an hour. Bell is still in jall, having a
charge of involuntary manslaughter to an
swer. The latter will come up very shortly.
The trial, which began before Judge Slagle
Wednesday morning, was resumed yester-
dav morning when the defense opened its
case. o. p. Scaife, Esq, made the opening
speech He claimed the defendant struck
the blow when in great peril of his own life
Inspector John McAleese, Roger O'Mars and
Detective Sol Coulson were called, and testi-
fied to the prisoners good character In
spector McAleese stated that 1t was
the duty of all officers to carry their
maces in their hand, and failure to do so
meant suspension. On croSs-examlnatlon
District Attorney Burleigh wanted to know
if the prisoner WAS not mixed up IN sekeral
scrapes and quarrels, but knowledge OF TINS
was denfed.
Officer Robert Bagley, who assisted officer
Bell in making the arrest, testlned that ne
saw officer Bells prisoner resist arrest, put
did not see any blow struck. The witness
testified that he took q knife from Offlcer
Bells prisoner at the lookup.
Carried an Ugly Weapon.
The knife was produced, and it was an
ugly looking weapon
knife from one of the ltallan prisoners, Dut
could not tell whether it was the one Bell
arrested or not.
Officer Hugh Madison was on the patrol
wagon the night the arrests were made, ana
got knife from one of the officers very
much like the one in evidence. Inc VIII
ness turned the knife over to tEe sergeant
at the station.
Matthew Bell the defendant, was next
placed on the stand and testified that on the
night of the trouble he was notlhed by a
citizen that he could not cross the pavement
because of a crowd OF Italians. He went to
the corner and ordered the men away, put
they refused TO move. The witness arrested
one man and he resisted so that there was a
struggle, ana he hit the man lightly on the
head with his mace. The man did not have
q knife in his hand, but seemed to be trying
10 get one out.
mitted to being in trouble once or twice.
Some other witnesses were examined, but
their testimony was unimportant and the
case was closed.
An Appeal for Bells Life.
Thomas NJ. Marshall, Jr., made the argu-
ment for the defense and asked for accuittal
as the officer simply did his duty and there
was no evidence to show that he had been
guilty of anything other than his duty.
District Attorney Burleigh scored the de-
fendant as being guilty of an unwarranted
attack. which was both cruel and cowardly.
The, city OF Pittsburg, he claimed, did not
send out 800 men with revolvers and clubs
to shoot down men who dld not
do they wanted them. Mr..
Burleign claimed that the italian was at
the time doing nothing to warrant his ar
rest, and his only resistance was to try and
explain to the officer that he had been do
ing nothing wrong. Officers Bagby and Bell
were characterized as being disgrace to
the police force. Judge Slagle's charge was
simply an explanation of the law, and what
few remarks ne did make were rather favor
able to the prisoner.
The jury retired at 3:45, and at Ais re-
turned with q verdict OF not guilty. Officer
Bell was remanded to Jail, as there is still
charge of involuntary manslaughter against
him.