The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-08
REVIEW OF THE LAST YEAR
Work That Mas Done in Disposing Of
Criminal Cases.
BUSINESS is NON UP TO DATE
During the Year sos True Bills We're
Returned aud 613 We're Ignored,
Seven Murder Trials Names
OF the Defendants.

District Attorney John r. Jones was
just a year in Office yesterday: he en-
tered upon his duties as the representa-
tive of the commonwealth in the Grim
inal proceedings in the courts of Lacka-
wanna county, on the first Monday of
January last year; the date of the
month was the 7th. He was elected by
very large majority the preceding No
vember
Mr.. JONES' looking back over his first
year as district attorney, feels Satisned
with the record he has made. During
the year he drew 1888 indictments and
not one of them was quashed.
During the year 1895 there were
twelve weeks Of criminal court. and the
grand juries were in session seven
weeks. The grand jury which con-
Nened for the week ending January I6.
returned SS true bills and 81 ignored
biils; the grand jury which convened
for the week ending March Is returned
S- true bills and ~ ignored bills; the
grand jury which convened for the
week ending May 2s returned ls5 true
bills and 100 ignored bills; the grand
jury which convened September . and
was In session till the Goth of that month
Diils returned 23O true bills and 279 ig-
hored bills: and the grand jury for week
ending November 3 returned GO truo
bills and "a ignored bills. The total
number of true bills for the wear was
0!a. and the total number of ignored
bills was 6i3
Eleven Murder Cases Tried.
seven murder cases were tried dur
ing lS?o. each one occupying, on an aver
age. one whole week in court room No
l. Joseph BoschinO, tried In February.
was convicted of murder in the first
degree and is now under sentence of
death. This case was taken to the Su-
preme court by counsel for defendant,
and will be argued on Feb "a next.
Joseph Rotosky was convicted Of
murder of the second degree and was
sentenced to seven years in the peni-
tentiary. Joseph Remniski was ac-
| quilted of murder because the guilty
party had fled.
Leonardo Rosa was convicted of mur-
. der of the first degree, but upon appli-
cation of defendants counsel for new
trial and argument of the same. he was
granted a new trial for the reason that
Frank Agli. Italian detective. had not
stated the defedant's confession in full
upon the witness stand. His trial will
probably take place in February.
Pasquale Perretta was convicted OF
murder of the second degree. and was
in the penitentiary.
Joseph. alias John. Wisniski was con-
victed of murder of the second degree.
and was sentenced to seven years in the
penitentiary.
The McrOlO Murder Case.
CrezenzO Merolo was convicted Of
murder of the first degree. and rule
for new trial Is now pending, but as
the evidence was overwhelming as to
his guilt and as to his identity there Is
very little chance in his favor. his
lawyers have abandoned all hope. and
the case will probably end here when
the court decides the rule for a new
trial. Mr.. Jones states that there was
no case ever tried against a murderer
in Pennsylvania whose guilt was more
clearly established than In this case.
Besides the cases above enumerated.
about 200 cases came over to him from
his predecessor. All the above cases
have been disposed of with the excep-
tion of about thirty. which remain to
be tried at February sessions next. The
criminal work of the country Is now
practically up to date. The district at
torney has devoted about all his time
during the past year to the duties Of
his office.