The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-13

1925, he stated that he aroset 'abou
a. M. hitched up his horse ant
drove out to deliver beer About II
Il. m. he returned and sold half bo,
Of beer to Miskus. He afterwarl.
went to Luken's place Oh Lloyd stree,
where he played pool with Strigus.
Z EXPECTED TROUBLE.
Miskus came In and asked witness
for more beer and witness sent lie
zofsky to the barn for IT, He lef,
1.uken's about o'clock and wen,
home, getting his dinner about | go
Miskus came to boarding house
about 2 o'clock and wanted more beer
saying that Gerska, Miller and party
were ut his house and that IL anything
should happen to him lNtiskus) that
defendant should help hin.
| About 4 y. m. witness; drove to Mis-
kus' house, leaving his horse and
| wagon in frcnt. Witness secured the
empty bottles from the house and on
his way out Mrs. Lee told him not to
! give them more beer. He then drove
TO Roche's and turned in the empty
bottles. and about $40 p. m. drove
back TO the barn and put up his horse
| and fed him, going from there to his
boarding house.
From there he went to Eurone's s
house and called on a girl there, stay.
ing until about 9 o'clock, when he
went back to Millcr's. where he board
ed, got his supper and went to bed.
After going to bed he was awakened
by John Burtush. who wanted more
beer, but witness refused TO get up.
He went to sleep end got up about :
O'Clock next morning, went to his barn
and cleaned his horse and wagon.
About s o'clock Majilirski came along
and told him that Miskus had been
killed down by the culvert. He Went
down and saw the crowd around the
body, and supposed that Miskus had
been struck by a train. He was told.
however. that there had been foul
play.
He went to Gerska. saw blood on his
coat, and questioned MIN about the
accident. Witness then called cor.
oner's attention to this blood, telling
him that Gerska had been at Miskus
the day previous. Upon this the cor
cner caused Gerska's arrest. Witness
was present at coroner's inquest and
was sworn. He denied all CONVERSE
ton with Lezofsky about keys or
trouble with Miskus. as Lezofsky tes-
titled. He also denied having been
near Tripp's crossing and meeting
Campbell.
DENIED CONVERSATIONS.
On the day Of his arrest he was ut
tiOrdon's house, having sold some jew
elry to Buchta prior thereto, and dur
ing the conversation Gordon had taxi
en- the witnesses satchel, which he
went after He there sold Il ring to
Mrs. Gordon. Shortly afterwards he
was arrested by Constable Smith for
disorderly conduct and assault AMI
battery, and while in the station house
the warrant charging him with mur-
der was served. On cross examinu-
ton an effort was made to secure
an admission as to conversations with
the county detective. The witness,
however dneied having any converse
ton with Mr.. Leyshon on the day
after the killing.
Mr. Thomas endeavored to break
down his testimony relative to his
whereabouts on the 11tl; and 18th of
March, 1896, but the defendant adj
herred to his original testimony At
this point the defense rested.
The commonwealth then called
Charlie Miller brother of the prose-
cutor. who stated that defendant ad-
mitted to witness that he had killed
Miskus, but wanted witness to use
his influence with his brother Andrew
to withdraw the prosecution. Witness
admitted on cross-eXamination that
he had endeavored to influence the
defendants attorneys not to act for
him in this case. He told Mr.. Lewis,
the Republican candidate for district
attorney, that he would he defeated il
he took the case.
County Detective LeyshOn was also
called in rebuttal, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Anthony Miller in sur-rebuttal. They
testified that Nerushas was in bed
in their house when John Burtush
came for more beer about II o'clock
on the night of the killing.