The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
COURT SAT UNTIL DAWN.
ATS A. nj. THE JURY SAID TIAFERA
WAS A MURDERER.

Forty italians tn tho Room All Night who
Were Suspected or Evil Designs Had 1o
Ilcen Acquiitcd-The Police Guard strength
encd Justice GieEcrich stayed Through.
When lawn tapped Mt the windows Of tho
Criminal Court building yesterday morning two
score Italians wcro waiting in the Supreme
Court room to hear tho result of tho Di Sio muir
der trial. They had waited for two weeks, but
the all-night vigil had made the court attendants
uneasy. Rumor had it that IL Pictro Viafera,
the man charged with the murder Of Di Sio, was
acquitted he was not to get away II the forty
could holp It.
Testimony had been produced on tho trial to
the effect that tho bloody imprint Of the dead
mans hand was still visible on tho window pane
OF the little cobblcr's shop in Bedford Park,
where tho murder occurred on the night OF Sept.
30. With no more basis than this, very likely,
arose tho story that a Bloody Hand Society had
been organized by Di Sio's friends to SEQ justice
done. But the police guard in tho court room
was doubled on Friday night and Justice Gle
gerich stayed there until the jury came in at 8
o'clock yesterday morning. Tho verdict was
murder in the second degree-penalty. imprison-
ment for life.
At o O'Clock on Friday night all the evidence
was in. and Lawyer Rosenthal. counsel for the
defendant, began his address to the Jury. A man
who was now a fugitive from justice. he said,
had committed the murder. Assistant District
Attorney Osborne summed up for the prosecu-
ton. He told the jury that Viafera deliberately
shot and killed Di Sio; that the mon were emo
mios In Italy; that Viafera's wife had sworn
that she would not allow hor child to DO born un-
til viafera killed Di Slo; that viafera followed
Di Sio to America and hunted him up at Bedford
Park; that he then pretended to settle the dispute
and proposed q game Of cards. They played the
game known as Z" trezetta' in Di Sio's house. to
see who would be boss Of the Bedford Park colony
Of Italians, and at the end of the game Viafera's
confederate. q man named Rondello, jumped up
from the card table, walked backward into tho
hallway, pulled a pistol from his pocket, and
said: Your time has come" Di Sios wife
and his mother ran to knock the pistol from
Rondello's hand, both receiving bullets from the
pistol, old Mrs. Di Sio being shot In the mouth
and young Mrs. Di Sio being shot In the throat.
Rondello then yelled: "Who is he who has
courage to face met whereupon D. Sio stopped
leaned over Rondello's shoulder TO get good
with blood, tried 10 bold himself up against his
shop window and fell dead, leaving the i'm
prints OF his five fingers on the window pane.
Shortly before midnight the Jury went out.
ants remained on guard all night. among them
being DavId Mitchell, James Osborne, Hal Bell,
in groups, talking in whispers.
At 4:40 o'clock u court attendant announced
that the jury had agreed. Justice GieScrich
took his seat on the bench and warned those
present that no demonstration of any sort would
be permitted. Viafera was brought in and the
jury entered.
Guilty of murder in tho second degree" said
the foreman.
Justice Gicgcrich said the verdict was just,
and the jury complimentod him on his charge.
Three jurymen made speeches on that subject,
Foreman L. VI. Showlcs and Jurors Samuel
Geislcr and Wilson II. Blackwell. His Honor
returned thanks blushinEly. The other nine
jurors showed symptoms OF an inclination to
yer Rosenthal. who wanted to go home and who
moved for a stay of sentence pending the prep
aration of u motion for "A new trial. He got q
weeks time. Then the police cleared the court
room. the doors were locked. and Niaicra was
led ever the Bridge of Signs 10 the Tombs.