Morning journal and courier., 1894-01-12
 BOSSES DEFENSE BEGUN.

ROSSIsS DEFENSE BEGUN.
 The Trial of the Alleged Murderer of
 Thomas Cochrane Rapidly Draw-
 ing to . Close-Important Evidence
 Introduced by the Derense-The
 Point Made That RossI Used no
 Knife Until He Had Been As-
 saulted-The Trial Will be Resumed
 To-day.
 The defense in the trial of young Gia- como Rossi charged with the murder of Thomas Ooohrane began yesterday and 1t is expected will consume the entire morn ing ssssion of the court to-day. It Is pos sible that the arguments in the cage and l the charge of the jndgs may be made this l aftsrnoon and the case given to the jury late, but 1t more likely that the case will 90 over until Tuesday morning, when the judges charge will be made and the case given to the jury.
 When court opened yesterday morning the last witness for the prosecution was put on the stand. This was Henry Cech rsne, brother of the dead man. His tes- timony was substantially the same as that
 of the five other young men who were with Cochrane on the fatal afternoon of July 3, 1892. He had more to say about what took place between his brother and Rossi. He first knew of the trouble between tho two when he heard someone say, Tom, my's in the gutter" He looked back and saw Rossi standing over Tommy. He ran
 back to assist his brother. and as he was al- most ct his side Rossi lodged by him and plunged knife into Tommy's stomach. Henry eaid he then pitched into Rossi, striking him several times. The witne ss also repeated how he took Tommy to Dr. | Luby's of1ice and how on the way Tommy told him he was dying and asked him to
 bid his sister goodbye for him.
 At the conclusion of this testimony the case for the defense was commenced and Attorney Case called Anteineste Del Grego, ! . fifteen -year-old girl, to the stand. She testified that on the day in question che was playing on Wallace street with several others and but short distance from the steps where Rossi and his friend were sit ting. While they were there the girl said party of seven Irish boys came up Wal lace street. As they passed the step where Rossi was sitting, Tommy Coohrane stopped and going up to Rossi, said, "What are you sitting there for, you -
 replied Rossi. Tommy Cochrane, the witness said, then walked towards the rest of his friends, few steps, and turning rapidly around came
 back and struck Rossi in the face. Rossi tried to ward off Tommy's : blows with his arm and as he did so, Tommy grabbed Rossi's necktie and pulled Rossi up onto his feet Rossi then grabbed Tommy and pushed him backward into the gutter. Then, the wit ness said, the seven Irish fellows came &bo~> ol1 my looked up and doubled up his fists as though he meant to strike Rossi. Some of | the Irish fellows warned Tommy to look l out for knife, whereupon Tommy replied. II don't give --- for his knife <" ! This scared the witness ,she eaid, and she l ran into the house. On cross examination | of the witness, some contradiction on the
 witness' part were brought out by ex Judge Blydenburgh who assists the state.
 The next witness called was Nlcollette
 De Angslis, who was also one of the party.
 Her testimony was merely corroborstive of | that given by the previous witness.
 Officer George Hyde, who arrested the
 accused in Chelses, was called by the de. | fense to testify to the explanation Rossi
 made to him for his running away. Judge
 Wheeler ruled that the evidence could not
 be introduced in that way, and MT. Case
 took an exception. The latter stated that
 his object in introducing the testimony was
 to countersct any effect Rossi's running
 away might have on the jury.
 Jennie De AnRslis and Mamie De Angel
 Is, both of whom saw the stabbing, testi
 fed that they heard Cochrane call Rossi 6 vile name and the latter tell Cochrane te ! go away. She also saw Cochrane take hold of Rossi and both fall into the gutter. ! After the trouble they saw Rossi running i, away, and at the time Rossi's hands were bloody and he was bleeding at the mouth Alfonso Pslligino of East street, the next witness, was an important one for tho prisoner, ss he saw the fight He said: q !. was sitting on the base of the fence ir : front of the Catholic church, directly op
 posite from Rossi and the other fellow, or
 tho afternoon of the stabbing. My brother
 and 6 friend were with me. We were sit | ting, talking. I saw someone grab Ross f ! and heard him saying What are you do ing there, you - - - Italian. ,, Rossi said 'What have I done? Then tn, , fellow went away toward Grand avenue He came back again and grabbed Rossi by
 the throat and lifted him up and strucl
 him with his fist in the mouth. They | They both fell and five or six fellows cam, back and lifted Rossi up and pounded hin about the head. Rossi tried to dodge ani 3 ! his hat was smashed over his head. Ross cried out: Draw back or I strike yDt 3 ! with knife.' At this Rossi drew knife l One of the fellows said: T don't care IT, for the knife; give it to him; give i
 l to him."
 The testimony of this witness established ! the fact that the knife was not used b, Rossi until after he had been assaulted by 7 Cochrane The claim of the state is tha } it was used prior to that time. The testi , mony of the previous witness was corrobo
 rated by his brother, Pasqusle Pelliglno who was also an eye witness of the affray The last witness of the day was Pete Romano, who testified az to the peaceablt disposition and good character of the ac : cused. At the conclusion of his testimony court adjourned until this morning.