The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-18
THAT NINE MURDER.
Developments Before the AIdermau-The
COroncr's Inquest Today.


Yesterday morning big crowd was
present in the mayors office to attend
the hearing of the accused persons in
the Yiesty murder case, in which Yies-
ty was killed and coal thrown on him
in the Blackman mine. as described in
yesterdays Tribune. When the hear
ing was about to be begun, Assistant
Superintendent Chase, Of the Lehigh
Valley Coal company, told the mayor
that if murder had been done in the
mine vt was l50 feet beyond the city line,
and therefore out of his jurisdiction.
Mayor Nichols then sent the accused
before Squire Thomas. Chief Briggs
being the prosecutor and Mayor Nichols
the examiner. The hearing took place
in Squire Thomas little Office, which
was crowded with people.
The accused persons, five in number.
all pleaded not guilty. They were not
coed English speakers, and Joseph
Paukztis, Of Edwardsville, was sworn
as interpreter. John Hughes. the
pumprunner Of the Blackman mine. was
the first man sworn. He said that An
thony Zenitz, who is suspected Of hav-
day evening and said his "butty" had
been shot, by which Mr.. Hughes under
stood that he had been killed by a
premature shot. Hughes said he went
back with Anthony and found Yiesty
dead, under half a dozen or more Jumps
Of coal Weighing about thirty pounds
apiece. Zenitz would not touch the
dead man. When found. his clothes
were on Are in two places, and Hughes
exttnguished the flames and saw that
the body was taken home in an ambu-
lance. The body laid fifteen feet from
the face Of the chamber and there were
signs of a shot having been recently
fired. The hat and the lamp Lay ahead
Of the deceased. and the coal found
on him could not have possibly fallen
from the roof, as It Is solid rock in this
place After taking the body home, the
witness, John Farland, Mr.. Thomas.
the foreman, and John Wilson, fore
man, who assisted him, all went back
to work. Anthony remained at the
house with the corpse. The wife did
net seem to be much affected by her
husbands tragic death.
Thomas r. Thomas, the mine fore
man, was examined and said that the
accused man and the dead man worked
in two chambers thirty feet apart He
said that he (Mr. Thomas) had ex-
amined the chamber and found that
two shots had been fired, one in the
center and one on the left Of the cham
ber, and the latter one might have
thrown the coal on the body as it lay.
Deceased had worked a month in these
mines. George Bonsavage told the wit
ness that when he and the other miner
left, only Zenitz and Yiesty were left
behind in the mines. Reese Thomas,
son Of the witness, saw the dead man
preparing cartridge little after
o'clock Friday evening.
Probably the most important witness
Of the day was Roman Dausher, the
undertaken. He said that Anna, wife
Of the dead man, and John Osbein, one
OF the accused, came to him on FRI
day night and the woman said her
husband had been killed in the mines,
and wanted the witness to bury the
body. Went at once to the house, and
found the body on the floor under a
uIduhet.. II uau Deen WaBneu, ana
when Dansher asked who did 1t, the
widow said the companys men. Mrs.
Yiesty refused to allow the clothes to
be removed in order to embalm, saying
they could be cut where necessary. She
said she was too poor to buy other
clothes for the dead man. and wanted
the body buried at once. but finally
agreed on Sunday, as 1t was impossible
to do SO. Anthony. who was present,
told witness of the accident, but he
was suspicious, as the widow showed
no grief. When witness went on Sum
day to bury the body, one Of the Lith-
uanians said the man had been MUIR
dered. Dansher then went for DR..
Weringiris, who cut bullet from
Yiesty's breast. The police were sum-
moned and the arrests made. When
witness asked the widow who had shot
her husband, she said that maybe Joe
Coslett, Of Whiskey Hill, had done it.
Some more evidence was taken but
1t was merely corroborative Of the fore
going, and Squire Thomas held all five