The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-09-28

GO TO JAIA !
Inquest on the VIM. Penn Murder Ended
Yesterday.
SIX OF THE PRISONERS HELD
The Remaining Eight Committed to TAIL For
Inciting to Riot and on other
Charges, After a Hearing
Following the Inquest.

The inquest into the death Of joseph
Rutkowski, who was foully murdered at
VIM. Penn last Sunday night was concluded
last night. difference Of opinion has arisen
as TO the correct name Of the deceased, but
the question was settled yesterday afternoon
by the relatives Of the deceased, who stated
that the name as spelled in the tirst report
Of the case by the HERALD was correct The
proper name is "Rutkowski" Ii has been
published as "Rutkaskas" This explanation
is made in Difference to the wishes of those
most concerned.
The inquest was continued in Bender's hall,
VIM. Penn, yesterday afternoon. Deputy
Coroner Cardin, Deputy District Attorney ].
}. Moran, Court Stenogapher Martin Moore,
Court Interpreter Moses Rosenstein, Justice
Green, Of Wm. Penn, several reporters and a
multitude of witnesses we're in attendance.
None Of the men under arrest were present.
The inquest was conducted in the assembly
room on the third floor Of the Bender build
ing and the witnesses were kept in an ante.
room. They were summoned before the in
quisition, one by one, and as the examination
of each witness was concluded the interro-
gated was escorted from the place.
w. b. Durbin, Esq. was in attendance at
the inquest as counsel for interested relatives
of the deceased. None OF the parties under
arrest were represented at the inquest bv
counsel. 1t vas stated that the ruling made
by the Coroner on the preceding day. and
the character of the evidence submitted at
that session, led the only counsel employed
to decide that he would abide his opportunity
in court.
Although fifteen witnesses were examined
during the afternoon there were no deyelop
ments Of a sensational character. The
testimony was interesting however. in that
it failed to sustain the popular belief that the
murder of the victim was the result of
plot, or that there was an organization in
existence with the murder of persons OBJ
noxious to Its professions as one of its aims
Several witnesses were examined on this
point among them parties expected to give
such information if they had knowledge
of it, but the probing in that direction
failed, although many people of VIM. Penn
produce excellent arguments sustaining the
belief that the examination was not up-
reasonably directed.
A resume of the evidences leads to the con-
viction that at least six men started out on
Sunday, last, to clear their path of all sup
posed distractions. Whether the tour was the
0ut-growth of an organized band, or of a pro-
miscuous deliberation, the evidence fails to
reveal. But one thing appears to be certain
the murderer of Rutkowski and the ac-
eessories to the crime are in custody.
Of the many witnesses examined yesterday
ten were women. None could say they saw
the fatal blow struck, but more than ma
Jority of them brought all of the men held
by the Coroner's jury close to the scene of
the murder, and fixed weapons in the hands
of at least two of them. A nine-year-old bow
gave damaging evidence against two of the
men. He testified that he saw Raleigh
Bubnis with an axe under his coat and that
he saw the prisoner Brazowski fire two shots.
This was before Ratkowski was struck. The
firing of the shots frightened the boy and he
ran home. The witness only knew Raleigh
Bubnis, his brother, Thomas Bubnis and
Brazowski. There were other men in the
crowd, but he did not know them
Mrs Eva Kavalofski refused to be sworn
when called, her claim being that she was in
a delicate condition. She was told that her
claim was not an exemption under the United
States laws, Notwithstanding her contention
that it was under the laws of her native
country, She persisted upon her refusal, but
when told that she would be in contempt of
court, and liable to Imprisonment, she took
the oath. She stated that Anthony Matchu-
lis, one of the accused, and one of her
boarders, reached home at 1890 Sunday
night The murder is fixed between seven
and eight O'clock. She also testified that she
was in bed with her husband, but she heard
Matchulis say, while he was at the hydrant
outside the house, gave 1t to him, aud he
was stretched out" He added II hit him
with the jumper and stretched him out"
Who Matchulis was talking to the witness
could not say. She recognized the voice of
Matchuls.
The widow Of the victim was called to the
stand, but she was so weakened by grief over
her husbands death that her examination
had to be dispensed with.
The verdict rendered by the Jury was as
follows I'VE find that the said Joseph Rut
kOwsk met death on Monday morning,
September 25th, 1899, from the effects of a
wound on the head received on Sunday even
ing, September "a 1899. by an instrument of
some kind in the hands of the following per-
sons; Andrew Koras Raleigh Bubnis, Matt.
Bubnis, Anthony Matchulis, John Stenkawicz
and Peter Stenkawiez"
After the inquest Constables Bolin and
Peters came to town and, with assistance
took the fourteen prisoners to the office Of
Justice Green at VIM. Penn, where all were
given a formal hearing. The six men
mentioned in the verdict of the COroner's
jury were committed without bail on charge
Of murder and the other eight were com
mtted on charges of riOting, melting to riot,
discharging fire arms, carrying concealed
deadly weapons, etc, This commitment will
keep them within the jurisdiction until they
can be called as witnesses on the murder
trial. The men we're brought back to town
aud kept In the lookup until this morning,
when they we're taken to the Pottsville jail.
Gas mantles 10, l5 and 20 cents. At
Brumms. 9-22-tf