The Jersey City news., 1899-12-16

I tedf0us method IS wearisonle to tie courts
and greatly hampers the speedy disposi-
tion of criminal cases.
Such, in brief, is the element which to-
day works the anthracite coal mines Of
the keystone State. People have watch
ed with foreboding the great increase in
murderous assaults and the frequency
with which murder was reported, but not
until Joseph Rutkofska quiet young
foreigner, who had been married less
than year. was foully murdered on Sun
day evening, Sept a, did the people of
the coal regions know that two murder
GUS factions had taken root among them,
maintaining organizations for violence.
Rutkofska lived in a modest little home
and worked daily in the mines. He was
a Zukas -Four weeks before the date OF
his murder a wedding party met at his
home There was beer. of course, and
drunken men as a result. Among those
at the party were ROLLS and Matt Bub-
mis-. They are Proprenokas. a dispute
arose between the Bubnis brothers and
Rutkofska, resulting in fight The day
following Rutkofska had Rolls Bubnis
arrested, charged with malicious mis-
chief. The justice, however, dismissed
the case.
Bubnis determined on revenge When
he was arrested, he told Constable Jo-
seph s'eters that he would kill Rutkof-
ska. He kept his word. Bubnis and
probably a score of others of the Propre-
nokas faction entered into conspiracy
to do away with Rutkofska.
On the Sunday of the murder they pa
raded up and down the streets of VIII
liam Penn, making dire threats upon the
Zukas The leader of the gang was
Andrew Coras The Zukas leader in
William Penn was Frank Wylouas. AS
Coras and his fellow Proprenokas march
ed up and down they yelled as they pass
ed the house Of Wylouas, Come out, Zu
kas king till we make sausage of you,'
AS evening came the frequent visits
made to the saloons had thoroughly in
famed the brains of the crowd. Shots
were fred to terrorize the people, stones
were thrown. ROLLS Bubnis carried an
ak; others of his party had clubs. Short
" after Z o'clock Rutkofska came out of
his home and stood at the front gate.
His sworn enemies soon discovered him
and marched to where he stood.
Moving close to the gate, one of the
cRowd engaged him in conversation, while
ROLLS Bubnis quietly raised his Ak and
brought it down upon the nnsuspecting
Rutkofskas head, crushing his skull and
scattering his brains over the board walk
in the yard.
Then the crowd quietly dispersed.
There was no running away or hunting
places of safety The entire crowd of
Proprenohes adherents walked up the
street, while dying Rutkofska was car
ried into the hotsc.
The murder was well planned, and of
the nine men who stood at the gate while
the fatal blow was struck all noted their
parts we'll They had entered into a con-
spiracy to murder. Their purpose was
accomplished, and they were satisfied
there was one less Znkas to interfere
with them. Eleven men were arrested.
Nine, have been tried. Two-Ioe Skutchas
and Adam Romanaitis-proved alibis and
were discharged. Seven others Michael
Brososky, aged 81 years, married; An
thony Machulas, aged SO years, single;
Joseph Saehinski, aged q years, single;
Address Coress, aged % years. single;
Peter Stenkowicz, aged 21 years, single;
Anthony Stenkowicz, aged 80 years, sin
gle, and julius Stenkowicz, aged 26
years, single--weie one week ago found
guilty of murder in the first degree. Rol-
lis and Matt Bubnis are awaiting trial.