The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-16
trial IS ALMOST At AN END
Ruminishy Murder Case Mill Go to
the Jury Today.
JACOB SKORUPA'S TESTIMONY
lie Was an Eyewitness of the Fight and
Excnlpates Defendant from All Blame.
lie Brings a Serious Charge Against
Constable William DOughcr.

If Joseph Ruminisky is guilty of the
crime of killing old man Adolph Gaus,
at Archibald, last September, there has
been no evidence to substantiate the
allegation.
DR.. Van Doren, of Archibald, was
sworn as the first tSwitness yesterday
morning. On the day after the slaugh-
ter at Gaus' house he was sent for and
he found the old man in a semi-un-
conscious condition; he examined the
patient and found confusion of the
flesh on the head There were four
stab wounds in the left side and a COM
pound fracture Of the fifth rib, which
might produce death. Gaus was in a
very feeble condition, owing to loss of
blood, the wounds on his body and
liquor.
The doctor swore that the wound on
the head, Mn his opinion, would not
cause death. Mr.. Mckinley reminded
him that Coroner Kelley testified to the
finding of compound fracture of the
skull when he conducted the autopsy.
If that was SO, the doctor admitted
then that his diagnosis had been an in
correct one
Adam Weiss had conversation with
Johnny Gaus the day after the affray
occurred. The son told Weiss that he
had struck his father on the head with
an iron bar and feared that he had
killed him. Mrs. Weiss came home after
visiting the Gaus household to see how
badly the old man had been injured.
She told her husband that Ruminisky
would not be clear of the crime.
Ruminisky Shed Tears.
Ruminisky was present while she was
talking and he cried. The witness was
at the bedside of the old man when
he died. Johnny Gaus said in the pres
ence of the witness and his mother that
he had done the assaulting; He de-
MED knowing anything about the knife,
but in the same breath he told his
mother where to find it. Squire Thomas
j. Gildea, of Archibald, testified briefly
and identified the knife and iron as
the same which Constable Dougher
brought to his Office. With this testi-
mony the commonwealth rested.
Mr. Mckinley, for the defense, before
opening moved the court to reduce the
degree in the indictment from murder
" JuuSc ATcIl re-
fused this motion for the reason that
even if the defendant did not strike the
blow he might still be party to the
assault. Attorney Mckinley opened his
side of the case to the jury. He made
a short speech, but told the jurymen
that he proposed to offer evidence that
will entirely clear the defendant.
Miles ]. McAndrew, of Archibald, was
the first witness for the defense. He
had an interview with Adoph Kloss
in which the latter said he saw, when
he raised the window, two men running
away from Gaus' house. Kloss swore
on the stand he saw Ruminisky and
Johnny Gaus standing on the street.
Squire Gildea was recalled and he
swore that Mrs. Gaus was drunk, both
at the coroner's inquest and at the
hearing.
Ruminisky Pointed Out.
Constable McHale, of the Second
ward, of Archibald, heard that Rum
inisky had been implicated in the mur-
der, but when he went to the house of
old man Gaus to get some facts, he
there saw the defendant attending the
old man and rubbing him with lni-
ment and whisky. Adolph Kloss point.
ed Ruminisky out as the one who had
done the stabbing and thereupon the
constable placed Ruminisky under ar