The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-11
ROSA ADMITS HIS GUILT
Judge Edwards Fixed the Crime as
Of Second Degree.
MURDERER SAVES HIS MECH
Plead Guilty In Open Court When Ar.
raisncd-YOuug Married Man Charged
with Very Serious Crime-T.
II. e. Mnloncy Not Guilty.


torneys James ]. II. Hamilton and
John q. McAskie. When District At
torney John X. Jones called the case
for trial the defendant and his attOr-
neys approached the bar. The plea OF
guilty entered was as follows:
Now, Feb. TO- 1896, the defendant IN
open court asks leave 10 withdraw his
former plea of not guilty in this case and
10 substitute therefor plea of guilty to
the several counts in the indictmeG,
against him ard prays the conit TO deter
mine the degree OF crime.
The confession was signed in. plain
writing by Rosa and was witnessed by
Mr. McAskie. The court allowed the
plea to he entered and made II decree
as follows:
The defendant. In his own person and
In open court, having been convicted by
confession of the crime charged in the
indictment in the above ease. the court, in
witnesses heretofore examined in this
case determines the degree of the de-
fendani's crime to be that of murder in
the second degree.
Presumption OF the Law.
The presumption In law is that mur-
der does not rise above second degree,
unless proved, and the burden Of proof
Is ON the commonwealth. Distiit. At
torney Jones was not Il party to the
defendants plea Mr.. Jones conducted
a strong ease, for the commonwealth at
the first trial and secured Il conviction
that meant death to the defendant.
When Rosa elected tn plead guilty the
court was bound tn accept II, and under
the circumstances the court would not
be justified in fixing the prisoners guilt
of the first degree: although Judge Ed
wards could iiX the first grade If he be-
lieved the evidence warranted 1t. Rosa
will be sentenced next Saturday morn
ing to. doubtless. the full penalty
twenty years in the penitentiary.
William Il, Woolsey. of the North
End, was put on trial on the charge of
feloniously assaulting Mary Boston. a
girl under 10 years of age. He was in
dicted for statutory rape. District At
torney Jones represented the common
wealth and Attorneys George w. Reale
and Frank l.. Boyle, the defendant
The girl will be 16 next April. Woolsey
is married man. apparently 2G years
old and is respectable looking. The
grave crime lie is charged witk Is of
entering the house on Theodore street
In the North End. where the girl lived
as housekeeper for her three brothers,
their parents being dead. on the morn
ing OF Nov. last at 80 and that he
accomplished his. base purpose forci-
bly,.
Girl Tells Her Story.
The girl has an innocent face and
her cheeks were crimson as she sat
IN the witness box and told her story
WO0lsey lived next door and at 6 o'clock
On the morning in question her brothers
went to work in Storr's shaft in Dick
son. She was alone in the house when
a rap come to the door at 13O and the
defendant appeared when she went to
see who was there. He asked her if the
boys were home. She says she was
afraid of his looks and told him one of
hei brothers was upstairs i'm bed He
came in, nevertheless, and called her q
lar. saying, that he saw the three of
them going to work.
He caught hold of her and dragged
her to the front room where with force
ne oVerpowered her and committed the
outrage She screamed and shouted
ana he threatened to kill her If she
disclosed anything about the occur
renee He remained in the house three
hours. AS soon as he went she left to
go to her brothers house, where she
informed her sister-in-law of what ham
pened
Bridget Boston. wife of the girls
)rother, was sworn and she corroborat-
"a her win regard to coming to see her
ilsit The girl did not admit to the
witness that he accomplished his pIr-
pose. She testified before the alderman
nat she was ashamed to tell the truth.
Defense Will Charge Conspiracy.
An older sister of the family was
sworn as to the case and gave testi-
nony with reference to bringing the
;irl to DIR. Gardners office to have her
examined. The girls brother swore she
$ not yet l6 years of age. The case
viii be resumed this morning. when DR..
'ardner will go upon the stand. The
lefense Will urge that it Is a conspiracy.
Thomas Henry Clay Maloney, the
'ersatile correspondent. was tried for
'eatins his father and was found not
'uilty. The jury divided the costs.
halOney. ST., swOre that his son i'm a
most un1liaI manner struck him under
ne ear with his fist and sent him
prawling on the floor. This happened
me sunday evening a few months ago.
The defendant told his story of how
I happened He saw the old man came
lone soaked" and he tried to put him
o bed. After getting him to bed the
I'D man fell out on the floor and got
lis head hurt.
verdict of not guilty was taken i'm
wo cases against Matthew Fadden. of
)lyphant. His wife. Anr Fadden was
he prosecutrix. They are young cou-
DE, married only four years. and got
long well and happily until i'm an evil
'lomeiit Matthew was elected constable
lie drank liquor to excess after that
nd treated his wife shamefulIv. so that
he was compelled to leave him. She
lad warrants sworn out for him for
ssault and battery and surety of the
'eace. ana the cases We're marked down
or trial yesterday. They met in the
Orridor OF the court house. shook
ands and made up Matthew promised
o take the pledge and be Il better hus-
and In future. The cases were
uashed and he will pay the costs. Dis
rict Attorney Jones gave the defend
mt word of advice when he was
eaving the cour! room not to get back
gain or If he does he will regret IT,
Ion. c. p. O'Mailey was attorney for
'adden.
Several Assault and battery Cases.
Lewis p. Williams was found guilty
I assault and battery on d. w. Waugh
II. 1t was an ordinary case. Both are
oung men and one assaulted the other.
Iartin Syron and James McC;inty were
ried In No. . before Judge Gunster for
ssault and battery without any provo
alton upon Nelson Anderson. They
lead their own case.
j. NJ. Badders was tried for assault
nd battery upon +. j. Gibbeny. At
Drney T.. c. Newcomb represented the
and Attorney w. S.
Iulslander the defendant. The case
'ent to the jury at adjournment Glib
eny was driving a beer wagon along
'apOuse avenue one evening last No
ember soon after dark and before he
new where he was at Badders came
long and ran into him. One of the
hafts of Badder's buggy pierced the
reast of one of Gibbeny's team and
illed the animal. When Gibbeny got
own Off the wagon to attend to the
ying horse Badders used his fists on
i'm with much force for not getting
ut of the way.
The arson case against w. q. Bate