The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-04
+ 49,
SERRETA'S DEFENSE
His Counsel Claims That
Morrello Provoked
the Quarrel.
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE
She Turns Out to Be serreta's
Sister and the Family Swear
Morrello Insulted Her.
WOMAN IN THE CASE

with remarkable rapidity in the Oyer
Terminer Court yesterday afternoon
The State closed with the testimony OF
Detective Morris Benoil. who assisted in
the arrest of Serreta; John Haupt, a
nurse at the hospital; Chief Murphy and
County Physician Converse.
sHaupt'testide that only a small pocket
knife was in Morrello's pocket when he
was brought to the hospital. Chief Muir
ply testified to the statement made by
Serreta that he armed himself with the
revolver before starting for the fight.
DR.. Converse described the injured mans
wounds. There were three bullet
wounds, two in the leg and one in the
abdomen.
After recess Lawyer Bruins opened for
the defence and made an able address,
He said the defence expected to show
that Morrello was the aggressor and that
the. defendant only acted in self de-
fence. Morrello provoked the quarrel
which led up to the tragedy and had
time prior to November I and had even
sent him a challenge.
The first witness was Domenico Leoni.
who seemed inclined to be a tough. He
testified that he heard Morrello quarrel
4 NAN ~ - -
York. Morrello said he would a
Serreta's revolver away from him and
slap him in the jaw. Morrello asked
Serreta if he had received a letter from
him and why he didn't answer it. Nor
clio told Serreta that he had no Sicilian
blood in him and that he was NJ good.
MorrelIo wanted him to go and fight
then. but Serreta said he would see him
on Sunday.
On cross-examination the witness said
that he knew about the shooting at nine
o'clock that night. A detective told him.
He identified Detective Larkins rs the
man who told him.
Vito Leoni, a brother of the previous
witness, testified that he was playing
cards on the day of the shooting at No.
sill East Eleventh street, New York.
Morrello entered the saloon and asked the
witness if he kne where there was a
saloon With a side door as he wanted to
take a woman to ave a drink. Nor
relic returned in about t-hree-quarters of
an hour and stood in front of the barber
shop cursing and swearing. He said if
he could get hold of Serreta he would
give him a good licking. serreta came
along a few minutes afterward and
Morrello got hold of him by the coat.
Serreta said, LET me alone, I have a
mother and sister to support Serreta
said ne would see Morrello IN Sunday,
but Morello insisted that he must go
then. The two walked toward Avenue
c. On Cross-examination the witness
said that Morrello was half drunk.
Joseph Farrino of No. 507 East Eleventh
street, New York. who was in the barber
shop at the same time, corroborated the
testimony of the previous witness. Nor
relic called Serreta insulting names be-
cause. he didn't answer a letter and a.
postal ica arda serr sa 1 r9id m nloTber an 20
sister to support and he didn't want any
trouble. Serreta said he would meet
Morrello on Sunday. but Morrello in
sisted on having 1t out at once.
Tony Mimomi, an architect from No.
63 Elizabeth street, testified that Morrello
tod him that he was looking for Serreta,s
blood because Serreta had put him out
of his house. Morrello pulled out a knife
and said he was going to Kill Serreta:
T The wines b{n an 5die Md to get s dhd f FAT w aMas
not make any difference 81 he had a
dozen more knives. Morrello was drunk.
The witness saw Serreta two days after
himself. He told him of Morrello's
threats.
PENDANT. was the first witness to throw
any light on the identity of the woman
who has been mysteriously limited at
The woman turn rms, out to be Serreta as
testified that Morrello was in the habit
of calling at the Serreta apartments once
or twice a week. His visits became OBJ
jectionable after a while, because he was
usually drunk and used language which
was unfit for a girl to hear. When OBJ
lection was made MorrelIo said It made
understand English. One night in Octo-
Der when Morrello was in the house the
defendant def of tbs ca Iigbti home Mo and turned ned OFT oft
fence at that and the defendant told him
he had better leave the house and never
come back. Morre1lo felt insulted and
afterwards sent the letter and the postal
card.
Mariana Serreta, mother of the de-
fendant testified that she had known
He had been at her house about six
times in all. He was generally in a
bad condition. and acted like a loafer,
using language unfit for a girl to hear.
The witness told her son about it and
asked him to forbid Morrello the house.
Her son told Morreno not to come there
Beatrice Serreta, the defendants sis
ter, coroborated her mothers testimony.
The defendant was called to the stand.
ton, and told of the circumstances which
led up to the fatal ARRAY before the court
adjourned. This letter is supposed
to be. the challenge sent by Morrello,
after he had been ordered to keep away
from the house..
"october "a. 1895.
81 take pleasure in writing you as l
have been waiting for you SO long with
out seeing you. / want to make an en-
gagement for Sunday. If you have any
Sunday at Tenth street and avenue A,
at F. M. If you don't come my opinion
of you will be that you are not aTman.
/ went to see how able you are to face
person. I won't sign my name.
you know it well, If l do you would
give it to the police"
Serreta resumed the stand this morn
ing. He told of, Morrello accosting him
on the afternoon of the fatal day and
Insisting that they must go and have it
Out. 'Ildidn't want to 60" he continued,
and told him that I would see him on
Sunday. He caught hold of my collar
and insisted that 1 must go with him.
G. Morrello wanted me to go to Har-
lem, but I said would not go there. He
suggested Jersey City, and I said all
right. When we got off the ferry boat
we walked along some streets and got
up on the hill. 1t was dark when we
reached the place where this thing hap
'pened. .Morrello stopped OF the way and
I waited for him. I walked up and down
the sidewalk. When we reached the lot
Morrello took hold of my arm and said,
Come with me- He began to abuse
me and said l was no man, no good.
asked me the reason why 1 forbid him
coming to my house. I said I was boss
He drew his knife and ordered
me to kneel down, saying, Don't you
know I belong to the Malta and am e5irg
to kill you? He came toward me again
and | shot him. ! went away, and after
walking around for a while got on a