The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-22
CONSIGNED TO CALL0Ws
Jury Finds Leonardo Rosa Gnilty of
Murder in the First Degree.
ONLY FOUR BALLOTS NEEDED
On the First One the Jury Stood Nine for
Murder In the First Degree and
Three Against Prisoner Was I'm.
moved by the Finding.

At 1921 yesterday the jury in the case
OF the commonwealth against Leonardo
Rosa, who was tried for the murder
of Vito Lausso at Dunmore on Feb
ruary y, returned n verdict of guilt OF
murder In the first degree" The pris-
oner was In the court room when the
verdict was read, and did not seem at
all disturbed by 1t. He leaned over to
one of his attorneys, j. j. II. Hamilton,
thanked him for the efforts made in his
behalf. and then with firm step walked
back to the prisoners box along with
Warden Jay, apparently the least con-
cerned man In the court room about
what had just taken place.
The last scenes in the trial, which
was in progress all week, We're enacted
Saturday morning, After court opened
| eX-Judge Ward completed his closing
address to the jury and was followed by
District Attorney John X, Jones, who
closed to the jury for the common
wealth. 1t was brilliant and exhaus-
tive effort replete with gems of thought
and sentiment so neatly and artlstlcally
interviewer and bearing SO aptly on the
facts as to make the address in it's en-.
tirely masterful argument to prove
that Leonardo Rosa was the man who
shed the life blood of his unfortunate
countryman Vito Lauisso.
Judge Edwards Charge.
Judge Edwards charge to the jury
was clear, able and impartial. He de-
| fined the various grades of murder and
the manner in which the law makes
| Iigtinrtinn hpfwppn them fbnn
viewed the testimony and closed by
| telling the Jurors that their verdict
should convey their honest conviction
and nothing else. After affirming the
twenty-eight law points of the defend
ant the judge sent the jury out to de-
liberate on the case. 1t was then 3.45
in the afternoon. After discussing the
case for time the Jurors selected NJ.
| w. Snyder, a carpenter, of Carbondale,
as the foreman and then took a ballot
as to whether or not they should return
the prisoner guilty of murder in the
first degree. Nine votes were cast in
favor of that proposition and three
against.
Later in the day another vote was
taken which resulted in ten votes being
cast for murder in the first degree and
two against After the jurors had
reached that stage they retired for the
night, and yesterday morning early
another ballot was taken. OneSof the
jurors had changed his mind during the
night and this ballot stood eleven for
murder in the first degree and one
| against. The case was then argued and
discussed at length by the twelve
| Jurors, and at 1910 the fourth and last
ballot was taken. 1t showed that the
jurors were unanimous in their desire
to report a verdict of murder in the
first degree.
Receiving the Verdict.
Tipstaffs Ritter and Tierney, who
We're in charge of the jury, were noti-
fled that the jurors were ready to re-
port and word was sent to Judge Ed
wards, District Attorney Jones' Clerk
Daniels, and attorneys for the defense,
and Warden Jay was directed to bring
the prisoner down from the Jail. At
220 all of these were gathered in the
court room, and Judge Edwards
ordered the jurors brought in. They
were led by Tipstaff Tierney, Tipstaff
Ritter bringing up the rearI carrying the
maps and revolver offered in evidence.
After the jurors We're seated Clerk
Daniels asked the stereotyped question:
Gentlemen of the jury, have you
agreed upon verdict"
1--WE have" responded several, and
Foreman Snyder handed sealed en-
velope to Mr.. Daniels, who in turn
handed it to Judge Edwards. The toll
tn, nf ba hal1 in the court hpnca cnira
had attracted large crowd to the
court room and the face of Judge Ed
wards was eagerly scanned as he read
the verdict. No action of his betrayed
what the paper contained. He handed
it back to Clerk Daniels. who said:
Gentlemen of the jury: Hearken to
your verdict as the court hath recorded
it. You say in the case of the COM
monwealth against Leonardo Rosa that
you find the defendant guilty of murder
in the first degree. So say you all of
you"
I'VE do" they solemnly replied.
The Jury PoIlcd.
"Your honor, we ask that the jury
be polled," said Attorney John G. Nc
Askie, as he stepped before the court.
II was iDllt anu tiCn >
was called and he was asked what his
verdict was he replied, Murder in the
first degree" An effort will be made
to secure al new trial for Rosa, who was
Immediately taken back to the county
Jail by Warden Jay. Not seemingly at
all disturbed by the verdict he ate q
hearty dinner and was quite as cheer
full and happy as usual during the
afternoon.
Rosa is certainly possessed of re-
markb!e nerve. He was never excited
or uneasy during the trial, and Satur-
day night, while twelve men were out
passing upon a matter that meant life
or death to him, Rosa was sleeping as
peacefully as a child. He lay down on
his cot after supper and few min
utes after Z was asleep. He was still
enjoying the great refresher when the
blind door was put on his cell at 0
o'clock.
Judge Edwards commented the Jurors
for the attention they had given the
case and said the verdict, in his opin-
ion, was in accordance with the evil
dence.
Beck and Boschino, the men recently
convicted of murder in the first degree,
were thought to possess remarkable
nerve under trying circumstances, but
they are not to be compared to Rosa.