The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-13
SAVED THEIR HUSBANDS
Heroic Action Of the Women Shop
lifters Arraigned Yesterday.
But They Took Thst Step Only After
They Had Been Assured That the
Charges Against Their Husbands
WoHld Be Dismissed.

", anu SdTt6 koudtd. the ehiec AeoAAoa'
women charged with stealing from the
stores of Langstaff & Perry. Collins &
Hackett. Goldsmith's Bazaar, the Globe
Warehouse. and Finley's Boston store.
were sentenced by Judge Gunster to
year each in the county Jail.
Last summer Chief OF folice Simpson
arrested these women and their hus-
bands, Peter Spota. Andrew Lodato and
Philip Lodato, at their homes In Green
Ridge. and about $500 worth OF goods
were unearthed in the cellar and from
the garrett The six persons were sent
to tail in default of bail and were IN
since last June. Soon after their incar-
ceration the little child of Mrs. Spota,
or Locarro as she Is called In the indict-
ment died.
When the case was called yesterday
afternoon a jury was sworn. There
were five charges of larceny and re-
ceiying against each defendant. Attor-
news John T. Martin and George s. Horn
represented the defendants. However,
before the case was opened q compro-
mise was effected and the three women
entered pleas Of guilty after receiving
assurance that their husbands should
be declared not guilty. ...
The womeu's Self Sacrifice.
This self-sacrifice on the part of the
poor women won for them many friends
| in court. District Attorney Jones agreed
| to accept this plea, ne not having strong
evidence to connect the men with the
crimes. The jury was first sworn and
yerdicts Of not guilty were taken IN
favor of the men.
| The woman came forward. two or
them with sucking infants. and tney
were given seats before the bench. AT
torney Martin made plea to the court
in which he told of the death OF the
little child of one of the unfortunate wo-
men. He asked the court to be as len
lent as possible and consider that tney
have been already long period IN
Jail, and that now In this month, when
all the world is thinking Of peace on
earth, is an opportune time for the ex-
| ercise of mercy. The husbands Of the
women broke down completely and
cried. The poor women were weeping
from the time they were brought before
| the court.
| Judge Gunster, before passing sem
tence, said that IL the men had been
found guilty he would not hesitate to
send them to the penitentiary for the
full term allowed by law. In exercis-
ing clemency toward the women he
would have to take. into consideration
| that duty was owing to the COM
munity as we'll. These thieveries had
been continued and persisted in for a
long time He sentenced them in two
of the five cases. In the first case he
ordered them to pay a'fine of 500, the
costs Of prosecution, restore the stolen
| property, and spend nine months in the
| county jail. In the second case each
was sentenced to pay a fine Of 81 and
spend three months in jail. Sentence
was suspended In the other three cases.
Demarko Murder Recalled.
| John Corrello. Dominick Demarko.
Nicholas Demarko, Michael Rich, Jo-
the six Italians who were in the county
Jail on the charge Of riot since last
June, when they were concerned in the
drunken fight at Jessup in which
Michael Demarko lost his life at the
hands Of Pasquela Perretto, were taken
before court and verdicts Of not guilty
entered in favor Of all of them. The
county will pay the costs. They have
been well punished already, having
been In Jail since Sunday, June 80, near
| ly six months. -
| Judge Edwards directed the jury to
find verdict Of not guilty In the lar
ceny by bailee case Of Herman Harpeles
of Lackawanna, against 8. Cohen and
/ Nav Tnvoho pk
with taking flour belonging to the pros
ecutor. In the three assault and bat
terry cases preferred by Stephen Miller
| against the Scruper family Of Marsh
wood, verdicts Of not guilty were re-
turned. In the case against Arthusie
Scruper, the prosecutor must pay the
costs. and among Jacob and Frank
Scruper, defendants and Miller the
prosecutor, the costs were equally div
ided.
Henry Returned Not Guilty.
| Patrick Henry Of Old Forge, was called
| for trial before Judge Gunster charged
with carrying concealed weapons. Mrs.
Ann Edwards was the prosecutrix. Ex-
Judge w. II. Stanton defended Henry
and District Attorney Jones represent
| ed the commonwealth. The charge
against the constable was that one day
he went to serve writ at the house Of
Mrs. Edwards and being refused adj
mittance to the dwelling threatened to
force his way at the point Of q revolver.
The constable denied the presence of a
revolver In his pockets at the time. He
said 1t was q policemans club. The
| Jury found q verdict Of not guilty and
put the costs on the prosecutrix.
| Jeschuka Macholius and Nagalia
| Nanyteki were tried on the charge Of
stealing seven chickens from Mrs.
Sarah Collins, Of Bellevue. 1t was a
trivial case and the jury brought in
verdict Of not guilty.
Just before adjournment in the main
court room the cases of the common
wealth against Alex Lefcofski, charged
with felonious wounding, and Alex
Kessler, charged with assault and bat
terry, was called. George Single. or
McCloskey is the prosecutor District
| Attorney Jones represented the COM
monwealth and Attorney M. A. Nc
Ginley the defendants.
A Woman Caused the Trouble.
The prosecutor was the only witness
heard in the case. There was q large
crescent shaped indentation on his FORE
head as a memento Of the picnic held
at Greenwood on Monday. July 20 last.
The morning Of the picnic McCloskey
and Miss Ludeweka Yankowski. q Pol
ish maiden Of Greenwood, appeared at
the clerk Of the courts Office and got a
marriage license. They intended to be
united in q few days.
About o'clock that evening Nc
Closkey took his afiianced to the picnic
and there they met Lefcofski. who had
been suitor for her hand. Words
arose and later in the evening Lefcofski