The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-14
KNIFE OR RBTOLV YER ?.
Vito de FoDzo on Trial for the
Murder Of Grarone in a
Wanton Quarrel.

NltO marie LIE ROMEO was put on trial
for his life in the Oyer aand Terminer
Court this morning Justice Lippincott
and Judge Hudspeth were on the bench
Prosecutor Winfield represented the State
and ex-Judge Hoffman and Alexander
Simpson are looking after the interests
of the defendant. A jury was selected
without much difficulty. There were
four challenges by the State and fifteen
by the defence. Three were excused by
the Court or by mutual consent Of coun-
sci. This jury was selected George
Per Lee. Thomas Egan, William r. Com
way, Elias B. Requa, Charles R. Covert
John McManus, Edward r. Schultz BEN
jaInin J. Evans, Patrick Cronan John
II. Rickerich. julius Ebel and Frederick
Waldman.
Prosecutor Winfield made q brief open
ing, reciting the facts of the murder On
September Z Vito Grarone and a man
named Paternostro came from New York
tc visit a barber who lives at No. GOO
Fcnzo and his wife and baby calne from
Newark to visit Michael Gennelli a
shoemaker, who lives at No. 602 Grand
street. The two visiting parties got to-
gether in Gennellis place and played
cards for drinks. De Fonzo lost and that
made him very angry. After drinking
Lie DSttJ t1Jt 4 OHIO GdQ TO pay TOT II.
De Fonzo and Paternostro went out on
the sidewalk. De Fonzo began to abuse
Paternostro. He pulled roll Of bills
out OF his pocket and told Paternostro
he didn't care anything for his money.
While the defendant was abusing
pfaternostro, Pa Grarone, who had gone
tailor, came back with it. AS he was vas
passing De Fonzo turned on him and
began to abuse him. Grarone took the
beer and left It in the barber shop. Then
ne came to the hall door and asked De
Fonzo what he meant by abusing him.
DE Fonzo called him some vile names and
pulling knife out of his pocket ran at
Gfarone. The latter fed to the rear of
the hail and pulling his trusty revolver
fired shot. He did not aim at De Fonzo
and the bullet penetrated the door sill
De Fonzo ran out to the street but re-
turned Immediately with the knife sn his
upiffted hand. Grarone fired another shot
and then fed out of the rear door and
through back gate into the lot, pursued
py De Fonzo- De Fonzo overlook the
fleeing man and plunged the knife into
his side twice. The blade penetrated
Grarone's heart and he sank to the ground
DEAD. Before De Fonzo could make his
escape a policeman coIlared him and took
from him the knife. which was still drip
pring with his victims blood. In closing
Mr. Winfield said THESE facts may wefi
prompt me to ask when will our people
be free from this kind Of assault?',
WARY hrelst, q very intelligent woman,
was cailed 70 the witness stand first be-
cause sne had a sick baby at home She
testified that between six o'clock and $40
on the afternoon of the murder she was.
sitting on her doorstep at No. 594 Grand
street. she saw De Fonzo coming out of
the nail door. He came out in such a
manner that she thought ne was pushed.
he stopped near the curbstone and stead
ied himself Then he put his hand down
In IN MS POCKET and pulled something out
WftnQcG mas -, l--z= r.. L
she did not see 1t. Grarone was standing
At the hall door and De Fonzo ran toward
nlp- Grarons retreated and moment
atterWard she heard the shots
Michael Gennali, the shoeina ker: told a
story which gave the murderous ARRAY
all the eiemeats of a duel The quarrel
began by Pc Fonzo calling Grarone a
louse Grarone resented the imputation
Fonzo 70 come into the hall The
invitation was promptly accepted as soon
as De Fonze could draw his trusty knife.
Grarone retreated before the knife and
drew his revolver. It was then a oues-
ton of whether the knife or the revolver
would prove the superior weapon as it
was very evident at that stage of the af-
fair that somebody would certainly be
killed. When they reached the rear of
the hall GraTone began shooting AT that
time Gennelli was between the two acting
the part OF peacenaker, but at the first
shot he abandoned the part and the hail
at the same time. Grarone fired four
other shots. but De Fonzo must have a
charmed life because none of the bullets
touched him. The five shots enptied
the revolver, snd then Grarone was at
De Fonzo's mercy. Realizing that fact he
ran out of the back door and had reached
the open when De Fonzo overlook him
and plunged the knife into his heart
Pasquale Casselli, the barber, didn't
see much of the fight. He pulled his wife
away from the two men. She was trying
to stop the quarrel. Then the witness
tired to stop the quarrel but when the
first shot was fired he retreated He said
he was afraid a bullet might strike him.
He saw the knife in De Fonzos hand and
the pistol in Grarone's.
Francisco Casselli the BARRIERS wife, cor
roborated her husbands story. A recess
was taken at one O'Clock