The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-06-21
POSSIBLE MURDER AT WILKES
BARRE.
WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO RE AN ACCI.
DENT MAY PROVE A TRAGEDY.

WILKEsBARRE, Pa, June I6.-The
most ingenious murder ever commit
ted in this county came to light late
this afternoon just as the coffin lid
was closing over the victim and the
pall-bearers were preparing to carry
the coffin to the hearse. The victim,
Andrew Yocksha, a prominent Hun.
garian boarding boss, had been killed
by Anthony Gimitis, so that Gimitis
could marry the widow, with whom
he was in love. BY a mere accident
the murder was discovered just at the
last moment. Gimitls has been in
love with the wife for some time, but
she would not encourage him, telling
him she was a good wife and loved
her husband. The men worked alone
in connecting chambers in the Black
man Mine, having discharged their
la borers on account Of slack work.
On Friday afternoon Gimitis spread
the alarm through the mine that his
friend had been killed by tall OF
coal. Several miners went to the
place and extricated the body, which
was under heap of coal. 1t was
carried to the home on a stretcher,
and Undertaken William Roma was
called in. In dressing the body he
found the face badly burned and
blackened, but he was surprised to
find few bruises on the body, consider
ing death was due to being crushed
under coal.
The funeral was to have taken
place this afternoon and a number of
friends gathered at the house to at
tend the services. While waiting, DR..
Vernagis, friend of the dead man,
was talking with the undertaken, who
mentioned to him the peculiar fact
that the fall of coal had left no bruises
on the body. The physician, who
knew about Gimitis' partiality for the
widow, suspected something was
wrong and asked if an examination
had been made. The widow said
'No,' and Vernagis objected to the
body being carried out of the house
until some physician had looked it
over.
In oider not to cause suspicion Yer
nagis said it was a mere form that was
required by the authorities, and, the
undertaken siding with him, the widow
and friends reluctantly agreed to post
pone the funeral for half an hour.
Vernagis put all out of the room ex-
cept the undertaken, and together they
examined the body. Despite their
suspicious they were amazed to find
three bullet holes in it, one in the
forehead, which had been effectually
hidden by the face being burned, and
two in the breast, which could not be
seen by casual examination on &C
count of the hair. Startled by their
| find and anxious to get Gimitis arrest
ed, they agreed upon a plan to avoid
suspicion. Undertaken Roma an
nounced that it was too late to hold
the funeral on that day, while Verna-
gis sent for the police, who arrested
Gimltis. The fellow was greatly af.
fected and pleaded his innocence Sc
volubly that the police are sure he is
the right man. They now believe
that the murder was committed be.
cause Gimitis thought he could marry
the widow that, beng alone IN the
mine with Yocksha, he shot him and
then, with his mine lamp, burned and
scorched the face TO hide the wound
in the forehead and give the impress
ion that an explosion had occurred,
and then piled mass Of coal over
him and gave the alarm
This evening, in searching the
house, they discovered cartridges con,
tanning bullets the same size as found
in Yocksha in Gimitis' trunk They
also believe that the wife is an acces
sorry and that her grief has been assum
) ed. She has also been arrested. They
think she has hidden the pistol with
which the deed was committed, bur
overlooked the cartridges.
THE FOURTH AT SALTWATER.