The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-15
WAS SENTENCED TO death
Death Penalty Imposed On Murderer
BOSchinO.
JUDGE REFUSED A NEW TRIAL
Immediately After Dischnrsing the Rule
Judge Gunster Sentenced Boschino to
Be llangcd-Dute viii Dc Fixed
by Governor Hastings.

Murderer Joseph Boschino was re-
fused a new trial and Judge Gunster
yesterday morning sentenced MIN 10
be hanged. The crime of which ne was
convicted was the cold-blooded ana
willful Staying of fellow country
man, Francesca Conforti, at Bunker
Hill. Dunmore, on Sunday evening.
Nov. IL, 1894.
Boschino, Conforti. Rocco salvatore
Antonio Imbriano and John Prignan-
no met together in Rinaldo Lallfs sa-
loon. on Duck" or Willow street. Dun
more that Sunday afternoon. Confortl
had been out with two or three other
men to the parochial residence OF Rev,
Gerald MoMurray. pastor OF St Mary $
church. to make arrangements Tor the
funer raj of child. On the way home
Conforti dropped into Lallfs resort and
Joined the others aforementioned IN
few rounds Of drinks. About $50 they
left for home. all bound in the same
direction, as they all lived at Bunker
Hill.
When they reached the Pennsylva-
mia Coal company's breaker, at No. 6,
they began to iostle one another about
on the road. Conforti and Boschino
locked arms and indulged in a light
wrestling scrimmage. The latter was
thrown down and after he arose he
whipped out razor and attempted to
slash right and left with it. Rocco Sal
vatore caught hold of him and prevent
ed him from using the blade. Things
had apparently been smoothed over,
and Boschno left the group and start
ed on ahead of the others.
Killed from Ambush.
Conforti went up the same path ira
versed by Boschino. and when he got
ft.ny a ~
road from which the path diverges.
Boschino stepped out from behind a
clump of laurel bushes and shot him,
killing him instantly. He fred two
shots into his vitim's body and then ran
away, firing from his revolver as he
was escaping down the wagon road.
Th. murdered man uttered one shout
of agony and fell dead. The bullet
pierced his heart.
Bosch ino remained in hiding for two
weeks. and was captured at the house
of an italian in Forest City at the end
of that time. He was tried at the
January sessions. 1895. of oyer and ter
miner court. 1t was the first murder
case in which District Attorney John
r. Jones took part by virtue of his Of
fee Attorneys Ward & Horn and L. p.
Wedeman represented the defendant.
The trial of the case before Judge Cum
str took up twelve days and verdict
of murder in the first degree was re-
turned by the jury.
Immediately a rule for a new trial
was granted: the rule was argued be-
fore the succeeding argument court
the three Judges on the bench. The de-
cisio1l of the court was that Boschino
had a fair trial and was not entitled To
a new one: He was brought down from
the county Jail yesterday morning and
he took his place before the bar of JUS
tica. In discharging the rule for new
trial Judge Gurster said he would be
pleased to give (Boschno a second trial
If the first had exceeded the bounds of
Justice. but the court was convinced
that the verdict was a just one and it
should not be disturbed.
Sentence of Death Pronounced.
The murderer was asked If he had
aught to say why the sentence of the
court should not be pronounced upon
him according to law. Attorney George
S. Horn, his counsel. replied that Bos-
chino cannot talk English. Judge Gum
ster then pronounced sentence as fol-
lows:
THE sentence of the court is that you.
Joseph Boschino. be taken hence to the
Lackawanna county prison, there to re-
main until the time shall be fixed by
executive warrant for your execution;
that then you be taken to the place of
execution within the walls or yard of
said prison, and there to be hanged by
the neck until you be dead: and may
God have mercy upon your soul"
The supreme court will be appealed to
and the arguments will be made next
February, when the higher court meets
to hear appeals from Lackawama
county.
Judge Gu1ster's voice trembled and
he seemed much affected when pro-
nouncing the death sentence If Bos-
chino understood the terrible import of
the words uttered, his face gave no evil
dence of the fact. The law directs that
the governor shall fix the date for the
execution, but it is not likely that he
will name day until after the supreme
court has passed upon the case