The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-03
SERRETTAS TRIAL.
He Shot Salveto Morel1o in
in a Vacant Lot Last
November.
WERE TO FIGHT OVER A GIRL
Self Defense will BE the Prisoners
Plea-A Big Knife Plays an
Important Part.
WERE TO FIGHT OVER A GIRL

The trial of Frank serretta, the New
York barber who shot and mortally
wounded Salveto Morrello, on November
z, in a vacant lot at Westside and High
land avenues, was put on trial for his
life this morning in the Oyer and Ter
miner Court. Lawyer Werner Bruins ap-
peared for the defense. There was very
little trouble in getting a jury. After
three or four challenges and three ex-
cused, the following jury was selected:
William Reishardt, Andrew Gershom,
Ezra T. Hawley, John P Reinhardt,
Edward Z. Earle, Henry Chasmer, Dan
lei E. Reilly, James ~Shanahan, Lewis
Lenholz, Henry Lublong, Harrison White
and Phineas S. Jacobs.
Mr.. Winfield, in his opening, stated the
facts the State expected to prove. On
November z Serretta and Morrello came
to this city to have a fist fight, in order
to settle a dispute in which a young
woman figured. The two men went down
to Highland avenue. On nearing West
Side avenue, Morrelio weakened appar-
emily and didn't wan to go any further,
but Serretta seized him by the hand
and dragged him along. When they
got to the vacant lot at West Side and
Highland avenues, Serretta fired three
shots at Morrello and ran away. Two
newsboys, who witnessed the Shooting,
ran over to the lot picked the wound
ed man up. They carried him over to
Thomas B. O'Neilrs saloon, and from
there he was removed to the City Hos
pital, where he died about $50 A. NJ.
the next day. Chief Murphy. sent De-
tectives to New York and Serretta was
captured that night. A knife was picked
up on the battle field lying in the route
which Serretta took when he ran away.
Morrello in mis- dying statement said
that the only knife wal a small pocket
knife. The knife picked up in the lot
is a long bladed Misunderstanding wea-
pom, with a keen blade and ground down
to a point. 1t is the sort of weapon
Italians usually carry. Serretta, in his
statement made after his arrest, made
no mention of Morrello having a knife.
Mr.. Winfield said that when the defend
ant read in the papers the next day hat
a knife had been found he promptly
adopted the theory of self-defense and
said thai Morrello attacked him with a
knife.
Arthur Cover was the first witness
called. He is a window shade maker,
living in West Side avenue. On the after
noon of the murder he saw two men
in West Side avenue, near Highland ave-
nue.. They seemed to be w~rangling and
were talking in Italian. Morrello, whom
he afterwards saw in the hospital, seemed
to be trying to get away from the other
man. The witness went home.
George Broadmeadow, of No. 81 Forrest
street, one of the newsboys who picked
the murdered man up, testified that he
heard one shot and Immediately after
ward heard two. He saw a man fall
and another man running away. The
witness and George Bond ran over and
picked the man up. He told the witness
that Serretta hot him. BroadmeadoW
and Bond carried the man over
to O'Neilrs saloon.
George E.. Bond corroborated the testi-
mony of Broadmeadow as 10 carrying
the wounded man saying that Serretta
shot him. The witness proved to be
very stupid and Prosecutor Winfield be-
came very much provoked.
How was your face when you were
helping to carry the man?' asked Mr..
Winfield.
Yes, in front of you. | know said
Mr.. Winfield, ..but how was it in rela-
ton to the wounded man. The witness
evidently didn't understand the ques-
ton and was excused.
Mrs Ellen Powderly of Highland ave-
nue. heard the shots fired and went to
the door with her baby in her arms. She
saw a man lying on the ground and two
men running owe toward him. The two
men were Broadmeadow and Bond, who
were going to his assistance.
Captain Thomas B. O'Neili testified that
a woman told him a man had been shot.
The witness ran out and rung up an
alarm from the police patrol box: The
wounded man was carried into the sa-
loon kept by the witness in West Side
avenue. The wounded man was able to
speak and told him who had shot him.
Policeman August Hirtel testified that
he picked up the big knife which figures
in the case. He found it about twelve
feet from the receiving basin over which
Seretta was seen to run.
Captain Cox was the next witness. He
told VIA he had don toward working up
the case after he heard of the shooting.
He sent Detective Larlsins to notify Chief
setting the proper machinery on foot to
hun for the prisoner, Captain Cox went
to the hospital and took Morrello's dying
n Serretta quarreled about a woman,
with their fists. When they got to the
shot him. When Morrello made the state
ment he said he believed ne was dying
from his wounds: The witness told
ABOUT the arrest OIL SeTFeltd III New 10TH
by Detectives Petrosini and Benoil of the
New York force.
Detective Larkins testified as to what
he had done in the way of hunting down
the alleged murderer. Serretto. after his
arrest and while he was in the .Tombs
Court, told the witness that Morrello had
a knife and he shot him. He said he did
It because Morre1io was going to his, the
prisoners house. and he didn't want him
to go there.
Dr.. Hugh M. Hart. who was house
surgeon at the hospital at that time, tes-
titled that Morrello was almost in a state
of collapse from shock and hemorrhege
when he was brought to the hospital. The
witness concluded that the Wounds man
would die. and told Captain Cox and an
other officer that it would be advisable to
get an ante norton statement at once.
They got a statement. Before that
Father Kelly had visited him and admin
istered the last rites of the Church.