The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-17
A REMARKABLE DEFENSE
Dave Zanini Made q DR.. Jekyll
and MI. Hyde Plea.
HE FOUGHT LIKE A TIGER
Assaulted Aiiprandi With . Billiard Cue.
but Says He 10 . Cooling. White
Winged Dove Of Peace When
In His Right Mind.

There was a remarkable Ease on trial
In Judge Ciancy's court yesterday. or
rather a remarkable defense in an ordi-
nary case. Dave Zanani, an Italian, was
on trial for assault In the first degree.
His victim was another Italian named
L. o. Aliprandi. The evidence showed
that zanani nearly beat Aiiprandi to
death with a billiard cue. Zanani does
not deny II. but claims that when he did
IL he was not Zanani but a pocket ed.-
ton of Mr.. Hyde. and he knows moth
ing about h assault, had no motive
for IL. and that when in his right mind
he would not harm anybody.
A1iprandi rum a saloon I'm Chicken
Flat. the aristocratic suburb OF Walker
VILE. Zanani was one OF his customers
and also occasionally assisted In tending
bar. He lived In the cabin near the sa-
loon and Aliprandi occupied a room in
h saloon building. IN the 18th Of last
September-it was on Sunday night
Aliprandi retired as usual after his GUS
toners had all gone home. His nephew
occupied the room with him.. Aliprandi
had not seen Zanani that night, but
about IL o'clock at night he was rudely
awakened by a violent blow on the
head. He attempted to jump up and
was knocked down by several more vio-
lent blows over the lead. He recog-
nized Zanani as his assailant and called
for help and the young man in the room
tackled Zanani and held him, although
he fought and bit like a tiger. After
he had been subdued he asked for n
was given permission to go up into the
loft over the saloon to get his shoes, and
IL becam evident that he had been hid
Ing up there during the evening n
came down the ladder when he thought
Aliprandi was alone and sound asleep.
A~liprandi's head was frightfully beaten
up and he was laid up In the hospital
nearly a month. As a motive for the
assault. Mr.. Connolly, for the state, at
tempted to show that Aliprandi was
paid a large sum of money the day be-
fore the attempted murder and that Ia
mani was aware OF IL and a shown an
unusual interest in IL. The defendants
attorney. Mr.. Wines. however, objected
to any testimony on that point, for the
reason hat the information alleged an
assault with intent to kill and not with
intent to commit the robbery and that
therefore the testimony offered was in
competent and the court sustained the
objection. At the conclusion OF the
states testimony Mr.. Wines told the
jury that the defense would admit the
commission OF the assault. as alleged by
the state, but that there was absolutely
no motive for the crime inc that Zanani
was not responsible for his action; that
for several days prior to the assault he
was unconscious of What he did; that
his action was unexplainable n that
he absolutely knew nothing about II.
Something was wrong with his head.
Anton Donati and several other wit
nesses testified that he had acted queer
for several days prior to the assault
and that he walke about with his head
hanging down. When asked what was
the matter he shook his head. waved
his arms and said. Something" After
he had tried to kill Aliprandi he was
asked why he did IL and he replied that
he did not know and knew nothing
about IL.
lanai himself was put on the stand,
and. through an interpreter. he declared
that his mind was an absolute blank as
to the assault. He SAT- he had been hit
on the head with a rock while working
In the Snohomish mine some years ago
| and had not been altogether all right In
his head ever since.
The trial had not been concluded
| when court adjourned for the day. The
Jury in the case is composed OF Richard
Treleven. Mike Shea, NJ. ID. Roach,
| william Gore. John Cook. Edward Tenn
by, Dan Sullivan. Richard Kent, III. b.
Cain. w. H.. Rule, w. F. Eslick and X.
c. Levin.