Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-06-24
A TEXAN ON THE JURY

"A i IAdlV O1V l. l1G u ~ LII L
HOW HE WON THE OTHER JURORS
OVER TO HIS OPINION.
The Verdict In an italian Homicide Case
Which Astonished the Court and Law
yers In New York-Convincing "Kill or
Be Killed" Logic.
sit was known as the murder Of the
feast of the turkey" said Assistant Dis.
trict Attorney Hal Bell, who handles
all the italian homicide cases In the
criminal courts "The murdered man
was Nunzio Iallas, and he was stabbed
to death ON the afternoon Of Nov. 26,
1895. The man who killed him was
Giuseppe Ladierre. ! put Ladierre ON
trial In the criminal branch Of the su-
preme court The indictment charged
him with murder In the first degree.
His counsel, Lawyer Palmierd, offered
to enter plea of guilty to manslaugh-
ter in the first degree, but the plea was
not accepted, as it seemed an easy mat
ter to convict the defendant. There was
no denial Of the fact that Ladierre
stabbed Iallaz to death with knife IL
inches long.
AFTER the iurymen had been sworn
I learned that one Of them, big, hand
some fellow, was Texan. When !
found this out, I became satisfied that l
would have hard job getting convic-
ton, for when you get full f1edged,
raw Texan on jury in murder trial
he'll simply decide the case according
to his own judgment, regardless of law.
He has only TO be convinced as to
whether the murdered man ought to
have been killed. The actual crime has
| nothing to do with the case. The Texan
has his own ideas about such matters,
| and, knowing this, I was sorry to think
/ had full fedged, raw Texan on the
jury trying Ladierre.
1.-THE story that the jury got from the
witnesses was that Ladierre met Iallaz
| on One Hundred and Fifty second
street; that the men had a wordy quar-
rel; that Ladierre slapped the face Of
Iallaz; that Iallaz drew big knife
from his belt, and then ensued scuffle,
| the knife falling to the sidewalk; that
both men fought to get 1t, and that La
DEERE, being the quicker OF the two,
got hold of the knife and plunged it in
| to Iallaz, who died from the effects OF
the stabbing. These were the undis-
puted facts that were given to the jury,
and we all Delleved tnat Lao1erre Woulo
be convicted OF at least mansiaughter.
But the jury promptly acquitted the
man after Lad1erre showed tnem on tne
witness stand the way IN which ne ole
the killing.
De1endan5's counsel, Lawyer ram
ler1, was greatly snlprlseu az sne VET
dict- Justace 01eeericn was unapie =
understand sucn actlon on sne jury
part. Bus beiieveo knew me seoree 9
IL ali, ana 10 satisIy myse1 ! Deean !.
quiet ineeseagaSaon' wnaon has lesui'eo
IN my learning onac was rien' IA 10y
nrst oeileI. Inc handsome man 1ron
Iexas JUST gave the otner Jurymen Se
understand tnas ne was tnere. ne Was
not to be ouiiled. he was not 70 De out,
voted either. II the Jurymen wouion
listen to the way tney settleo t.inlne
cutting scrapes IN Iexas' ne Wouiu see
about 1t; see TO IL tnat they Wouio'
flunglng knlfe into a man heart-
that was notning. Inc questlon To De
decided was, ola the deceased deserve
the piunges According 10 the IeAan'
| ne d1d. OF the i've man Wouidn DC
| allve. II Laolerre nao no5 Killed lallaz'
| probably lallaz might nave klleo La
DEERE. This was case, the Iexan ar
gued, Where quickness won tne natsle,
and qnickness should De rewarded no,
| oensufeo. Aaoleffe slmpiy goe III LIS,
STAB, argued the man from Iexas' ana
ne ought TO DO compi1men5eo On nls
stabblng speed.
| There were two little men on thal
jury and they believed the verolc'
should be murder IN the nrst degree.
The Texan just roared at them, ano
they SUNK away 70 a corner OF tne
room. Inc other Jurors packed away
toward the wall Inc Dig ieAan incl
made Speech tel4lng tne jurors now
they ran things DOWN III my ssate'
and the other II jurors stooo opel
mouthed' gazing IN wonderment: az
Par'ies' anu n"neinS piInAo'' anu s"ss
e ~, - ,;....S o,t,,, p.Ss
A.. -. p.55 sos+ so;a ho,d 49,.
AA1C1, WuCA ouAu JOoV SoAN AO - AAenS