Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-04-11
SMALL BLADE
OF A KNIFE
Was Caprios Murderous Weapon Found
Secreted in Settee in Hall.

who was killed by a patient Wednesday,
which brought out the following addi-
tional facts
That death was directly due to the
wound upon the breast, which punctur-
ed the aorta or main artery; that the
weapon with which the blow was struck
has been found; that the murderous pa
tent fully realizes what he has done,
and that he yesterday remarked that
there were two others whom he would
yet "do," or kill-Supervisor Swank and
w. E. Heller, ar attendant.
The inquest was conducted by Justice
ui-the-Peace ]. 2. Bare. The following
we're selected as jurymen; j. G. Patter-
son, +. G. Voris, John K. Wallize, d.
c. Williams, j. c. Mipcemoyer and
Theodore Hoffman.
DR.. Meredith, Superintendent of the
Hospital, was the first witness sworn.
He was in another part of the building
when the murder was committed and
his evidence related chiefly to the insane
patient who did the killing.
Caprio, whose Christian name in the
commitment paper is given as Joseph,
was admitted to the Hospital on June
90, 1898. He is native of Italy, SO
years of age; he has been in this county
IL years, and is naturalized. He is a
married man and the father of six chill
dren His last residence was at Hawley
and he was committed to the Hospital
by the court of Quarter Sessions of
Wayne county.
Caprio's condition, DR.. Meredith ex-
planned. is stationary aud admits of but
little hope of recovery. His mania is
marked by delusions of prosecutions.
He is always fault-fnding and he fire.
quently has trouble with other patients.
The history of his case shows that he
was insane when boy. He had already
been afflicted one year and was under
sentence for commitment of crime when
adjudged insane and sent to the Hospit
al DR.. Meredith gave it as his opinion
that Caprio was insane at the time of
the murder.
Roy Rishel, whose home is at White
Hall, this county, who is attendant in
Caprio ward and who assisted DR.. John
ston, was sworn. The physician was
sitting on the side of the bed with his
left side next TO the patient. When he
resisted Rishel took his left hand, the
patient keeping his right hand conceal
ed under the covers. This hand DR..
Johnston was trying to get hold Of but
before he could accomplish it the patti
ent quickly withdrew it and dealt the
jaw The doctor arose, but not until
as proven by the wounds on his
body he received three other blows
from the murderous patient. As to the
latter the attendant, who confessed that
he was very much excited, was able to
give little information. Indeed, so far
as his knowledge went there might have
been but one blow struck. He saw moth
ing in the patients hand resembling a
weapon of any sort.
Rishel struggled with the patient
while Dr. Johnston ran into the hall and
called Harry Huntington, another at
tendant. Huntington arrived just as DR..
Johnston tainted. At this juncture the
patient was dropped and the two at
tendantS gave their attention to DIR.
Johnston. He soon revived and said he
did not think he was hurt seriously, al
though the blood was flowing freely
from the wound in his face. The second
faint followed when the physician was
carried to room seven doors further
down the hall where DR.. Robbins was
called and death ensued.
Meanwhile, for period of twenty-five
minutes, the patient was alone and had
ample opportunity to leave his room
and secrete the weapon.
Harry Huntington next testified. His
statements coincided with former tes-
timony.
W. +. Heller, the attendant who put
Caprio to bed Wednesday, next sworn.
The man had fever, he said his tempera-
ture being 100. He requested the at
tendant not to tell the doctor. The pa
a.. Il ,,l. %,l~A ltnN,N IN
this way, ii seems, he acquired marked
hatred of the doctor. Heller had heard
him threaten Dr. Johnston a dozen times
1t was as late as two weeks ago that he
threatened to kill him.
A knife blade at this point was pro-
duced, which the witness identified as
one he found yesterday morning effect
ually secreted in a crack of the settee
stationed in the hall just outside of
Caprio's door. 1t was about an inch and
a half long, the small blade of an ordi-
nary pocket knife. Around the heel
or end connecting with the handle a
piece of string was wound several yards
in length.
Mr.. Heller stated that they make it a
practice to search the patients, even eX-
amining the lining of their clothing, to
see that they have nothing about them
! by which they can inflict injury upon
themselves or others. Beyond a few
nails and the like nothing has ever been
found on the person of Caprio. Mr..
| Heller stated that he himself had ex-
amined his clothing as late as Tuesday
1 last. After the murder he asked Caprio
what he had used in his assault on DIR.
Johnston. lie said that he reached into
the doctors pocket and got hold of his
knife with which he stabbed him. The
story is absurd, as Or. Johnston's knife
was found in his pocket.
! Caprio fally realizes that he has kill
ed DR. Johnston He is utterly free from
. Continued on Fourth Page.