The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-10
COLOMBO MURDER TRIAL
ERROR IN THE INDICTMENT MAKES
A CONTINUANCE NECESSARY.

Much Time Consumed in Empaneliing a
Jury-Extra Panel of Twenty Men-To Go
Before the Grand Jury Again-Another
Trial Jury to be Impaneiled-New Bill to
be Drawn To-day.
Joseph f. Colombo was arraigned
yesterday morning in the superior
court, criminal side, before Judge
Shumway for the murder of his wife,
Alice Colombo, on July 16, 1895.
State Attorney Williams was assisted
by Attorney John A, Doolittle.
| A great deal of time was consumed
in empanelling a jury of twelve men.
An extra panel of twenty men, in adj
d1tion to the regular panel, was in at
tendance. The defense excused a great
many men, to start with, who were
also excused by Judge Shumway upon
their own application, two on account
of illness and one because of business
pressure, When one-half the panel,
SIX, had been chosen six had been ex-
cused by the court for cause; the de-
tense had excused five peremptorily,
and the state two A short recess was
taken at this stage of the proceedings.
Only nine jurors had been chosen
| when the entire panel was exhausted.
Sheriff Spiegel was ordered to summon
in talismen for examination. The tails
men summoned were ex-Alderman a.
| Maxcy Hitler, Joseph H. Mcdonald,
John B. Deibert, Wells j. Bray and
| Daniel Rowe, all of this city.
| Mr.. Hitler said that he had read of
| the case and the impression he received
was that it was a brutal murder. He
was accepted, as he stated that he
would try the case fairly and that any
| impression he might have had would be
| removed by the evidence in the case.
Mr.. Rowe was challenged by the state.
Wells ]. Bray was accepted. Mr.. Del
| bert was challenged by the defense.
Joseph H. Mcdonald stated that he
was somewhat opposed to capital pun
ishment, but if the crime was estab-
lished he would not hesitate to bring
| in verdict of guilty. He said, how
ever, that he had formed an opinion
| that Colombo was guilty. The judge
| excused him. Recess was taken until
2 o'clock.
| The jury selected is made up as fol-
| lows:
| Gilbert Van Sickles of East Haven,
| Herbert Parmelee Of Guilford, Albert
| c. Brewer of Guilford, Daniel O'Brien
| of Branford, Wilson B. Coe of Madison,
| Henry B. Lamphier of Branford,
| George S. Russell of Wolcott, Samuel
| F. Bradley of East Haven, George 0.
Ellis of Middlebury, Allan Maxcy Hill
| Ter of New Haven, Wells J. Bray of
| New Haven.
| At three o'clock the twelfth juror,
| Charles 8. Shaw, was accepted, thirty
having been excused.
Mr.. Williams was very much annoy
ed. The Indictment was read to the
ed and it was found that the town of
Derby had been named as the place
where the murder took place, instead
of the town OF Bethany. The clerk
was stopped in the reading by State
Attorney Williams, who said that the
only way out of the difficulty was to
assemble the grand jury and have
new bill drawn.
The court took a recess for fifteen
minutes, at the end of which time Judge
Shumway excused the regular panel of
the jury until Tuesday at 10 o'clock
a. m. and discharged the talesmen. A
new bench warrant will be issued for
the appearance of Colombo, and this
morning the grand jury will meet
when new bill will be drawn.