The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-10
WAS ABUSED ON TROLLEY CAR.
Cigar Was Thrown in His Face and A.
tempts Were Made 10 Throw Hin OH.
IN FEAR OF BEING SHOT HE LEFT CAR
Claimed He Was Sci Upon by Five Men and 10
Protect Himself Opened Knife With Teeth
and Jabhed Once With II.

The fate OF Pedro Iaselli. alias Jas
well, who has been on trial the past few
days for the murder of George Collins
last October in East Providence was
placed i'm jurys hands late this after
noon. Yesterday afternoon Coroner
Harmon 5. Babcock of East Providence
produced the dying statement of Col
Inns to the effect that he and another
party got into an argument on an cleo
tric car, and that when he left the car
by one door the other party left by the
other door, and n short time after
stabbed him. There has been no strik-
ing by Collins, according 10 his state
| ment.
The taking OF testimony i'm the case
| was concluded about an hour before
noon. The defendant was the only
| witness called i'm his own behalf to tes-
tify I'm regard To what happened on the
ear or what took place. He proved "A
! very fluent talker. Mr.. Milers argu-
| ment 10 the jury was a careful one and
| II brought out every phase Of the case
that was favorable to the defendant.
Attorney General Tanners argument
! was characteristic one: tn O was "A
! calm review OF the testimony. and the
/ case for the state was made as inn
| pressive as was possible.
This morning Sergt. Adams Of the
| East Providence police again took the
/ stand at the opening of the court, and
! said Collins had the reputation of being
/ n very quiet man. To Mr.. Miller wit
ness said the parties who had testified
| for the state told him Collins was y
! quiet fellow. They never told him that
| Collins got drunk. Witness did not
know that he had ever heard the par
| ties he questioned say what Collins
disposition was when he had been
drinking.
William Cory was recalled by Mr.
| Tanner To ask for particulars concern
ing what took place after Iaselli ard
Collins left the car. Mr. Miller objected
To the questioning Of the witness on
this point, as he claimed the ground
had been fully gone over yesterday.
Judge Wilbur permitted the question
but 1t only brought out the fact that
Cory was three feet ahead of Dyer.
who testified to hearing Iaselli say
something after the parties had all left
the car
The state then rested Counsel for
the defendant asked that the knife IN
the possession of the police be put in as
evidence. 1t was agreed that it was so
introduced.
Mr.. Curtis said i'm his opening re-
marks that IL was impossible for the
knife to have produced the wound that
the state claimed was responsible for
the death of Collins. IL would be shown
MIR. Curtis said. that Iaselli boarded a
car at the corner of Dean street i'm a
perfect sober condition, having had no |
drink that night, not even a glass OF |
beer: that near Wayland avenue the !
deceased took his cigar and deliberately |
burned the defendant on the throat: |
that the defendant put up his hand To |
guard himself, whereupon the deceased |
started a row which the motorman |
stopped IL would be shown that the |
defendant came out of the car because |
he was afraid of bodily harm. and that |
there was a row i'm which Iaselli was
punched, and that while Collins was i'm |
crouching position after much vio-
lence was used on the part of Collins |
the latter was stabbed.
Pedro Iaselli. the defendant testified |
he took n car for his home i'm Rumford
on Saturday night. october LIST, lt 1880
o'clock from the corner of Dean street |
and Broadway. He got on the right
side OF the front platform. lie was
alone with the motorman when Collins
got on the car at Market square. Wit
ness before that night did not know
Gcorg Collins. -Four or five young men !
got on the car. one of them threw /
which one These young men pushed
him and kicked him. Once ono Of the
young men took him by the coat TO
throw him off the car: another took
hold of his feet To throw him over the
dash board. He testified ne did not use
liquor. but the young men were drunk.
Witness was twice pushed. n second ef-
fort was made 20 throw him from the
car and he was pushed lgd pounded
about until the motorman interfercd. |
The abuse was long continued until the
young men were put OF the front car
and he was put inside. This was some
time before the ear reached Rumford
When tho ear got near the church iu
l,umford four mon got off the car and
when tho last left the car he. witness
left d. The last 20 leave tho car trippcd
witness and started TO beat him. out
side tho car four men besides the ono
that struck him jumped ON him and ono
of them got his finger I'm his mouth. I
When witness saw the whole five jump
on him ne took the knife out not TO
strike or cut any one I'm particular. but /
Just 90 defend himself from the vigor-
)ur and malicious actions Of the young |
men.
Witness knew officer Adams and
ADAMS and three or four got in front |
" him. but he did not understand what
hey said Witness denied telling Mr.. |
Adams he had been drinking. To At
Tanner witness said there
we're gates on both sides OF the car
platform The men raised him only
'oot and a half from the floor of the
platform This was done twice by two
men and another man tried ~ once
more. When witness bumped against ,
he mOtorman the car was stopped ana