The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-28

The jury empanneled by Coroner ].
j. Roberts to inquire into the cause of
the death of Michael Rusnock, the
Marshwood miner, who died at the
Lackawanna hospital Sunday morning
of scalds. which were said to have
been inflicted by Mrs. John Rusnock,
his boarding mistress, decided last
night that Mrs. Rusnock is in no way
Culpable.
The six good men and true, Michael
Bosak, Llewellyn Davis, James Oskins,
p. II. Gibbons, John ]. Murray and
Anton Glinsky, further decided that
Rusnock himself was the only one ac-
countable for his death, and that it
was while making an effort to attack
the boarding mistress, with a caldron
of boiling water, that the heated
liquid splashed out and inflicted the
terrible burns which killed him.
The testimony of several disinter-
ested witnesses was heard, and they all
told the same connected story, which
was in effect that Rusnock uuarreled
over his board bill: that he was very
much intoxicated, and finally struck
Mrs. Rusnock with an ash shovel, fol-
| lowing this up by picking the kettle
| of boiling water off the kitchen stove,
and swinging it about. The kettle lid
| was detached at the time, and as a
result the water splashed out.
At the conclusion OF the inquest Mrs.
| Rusnock was taken before Squire
| Cummings and given a hearing on the
| charge of manslaughter, preferred by
! County Detective Thomas Leyshon.
| Squire Cummings heard the evidence,
and discharged the case.
There was a general feeling of SYM
| pathy for Mrs. Rusnock yesterday
when she was arrested. and the room
| in Prokopovitzs hotel at Olyphant,
when the inquest was held last night,
was crowded with her friends, who
| evidenced their good will in a hearty
| fashion when the favorable verdict
| was rendered.
At the inquest the commonwealth
was represented by Assistant District
Attorney w. Gaylord Thomas and
County Detective Leyshon. Mrs. Rus
nock's side of the case was looked
after by Attorney James j. O'Malley.
LEYSHON NOT CONVINCED.
County Detective Leyshon was much
chagrined at the turn that affairs took,
and even after the inquest declared
that he was not satisfied of Mrs. Rus
nock's innocence
Mike Drabis, jr., the first witness
called, testified that he was present
at John Rusnock's boarding house
Friday night, Aug. II, and heard the
quarrel between Mrs. Rusnock and
| Michael Rusnock. Michael, he said,
was intoxicated, and quarrel with the
boarding mistress about his bill There
were angry words between the two
and then Michael seized small
shovel, lying nearby, which was used
for putting coal on the fire, and struck
Mrs. Rusnock on the head with 1t.
He followed this up by running ia
the stove and seizing the kettle, which
was full of boiling water. He swung
this blindly behind his back and the
water splashed out, the kettle lid
being detached, and inflicted several
scalds on him. He then staggered out
of the house and went to the home OF
a neighbor and spent the night there
The witness was a young boy, and
he told his story in a frank. straight
forward manner which had a very
convincing air of truthfulness about
it. He stoutly persisted in his state
ments on a very rigid cross -eXamina-
ton by Coroner Roberts, Attorney
Thomes and Detective Leyshon.
DR.. Nelson Newbury was ther
sworn and testified that he was ac.
quainted with the Rusnock family
having at times treated various of the
men boarding at the house. DURING
his absence from home Aug. II, DR.
c. w. Wunder, of the Lackawanna
hospital staff, who was attending tC
his practice, was called 10 see TO Rus
nocks injuries and recommended thai
ne be taken to the Lackawanna hos
pital.
John Reginsky, of Moosc. the mex
witness examined, was at John Rus
nock's home on the night of the scald
ing. He was upstairs the time The
quarrel started, but came down wher
the tumult became very noticeable
On arriving at the foot of the stair,
he saw Rusnock strike the woman or
the hand with shovel and then seiz,
the caldron of water He swung /
IN the air and the caldron splasheC
over himself.
SIGNIFICANT STORY.
Mrs. Peter Dubee, of Moosic. swor
that she knew Mr. and Mrs. JOIN
Rusnock and Michael Rusnock, thei
boarder. The last time she saw Mich
ael alive was on Aug. II, when h