The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-14
STRAIN WAS
TOO GREAT

her presence after she had brought in
some coal and sent the young Moresco
| girl down cellar for potatoes
While the Moresco girl was in the
cellar. Mrs. Rose appeared from an
inside apartment. which one, Mrs.
| Bevilacqua could not say.
They had some words and finally
Mrs. Rose picked mp a poker. rushed
| at her and threatening to kill her,
raised the poker to strike her. Mrs.
Bevilacqua had continued in her habit
of carrying the revolver. that she
might protect herself from Mrs. Rose.
1t was in her pocket then. and see-
ing Mrs. Rose approaching her with
a murderous threat. she drew forth
the revolver and fired. Whether she
| fired more than once or what else she
did after the first shot was fired. she
could not tell. Nearly every question
propounded to her concerning the
events subsequent to the first shot
| brought forth the answer. II don't re-
| member"
Mrs. Bevilacnua also told. I'm rc
sponse to questions by Mr.. Horn. that
a short time before the shooting she
gave birth to a child and that the
babe only lived twelve or thirteen
days. incidentally, she related that
while lying in bed. herself and her
child very i'll, Mrs. Rose came to the
Moresco house almost daily and stan
| ing at the foot of the stairs would
| scOld and threaten her. one day Mrs.
| Rose worked herself up into Il fury
while scoldng from the foot Of tho
stairs. and started to go up to carry
out some of her threats. Mrs. Mores-
Il
but before retiring from the scene she
gave vent to her feelings by picking
up Il basin belonging to the Bevllac
quas and breaking it into fragments.
An attempt was made to bring out
| that Mrs. Sykes, the owner of the
building. ordered Mrs. Rose to keep
off the premises. but this was ruled
| out.
CONTRADICTED BLOCH. :
Officer Bloch was pointed out to
Mrs. Bevilacqua. and she was asked
| If she had made "A statement to him
| that Me want to kill that woman:
she no good" She denied ever hav-
ing spoken to the officer. and did not
remember OF his having spoken to her.
| He might have said something. but
she wouldn't understand it, she said
in conducting an examination Of Mrs.
| Bevilacuua, the prosecution permitted
of the widest latitude in the matter
of framing questions. and when it
| came to cross examination Mr.. Jones
was as kindly in his tones and manner
as one in his position consistently
| could be.
| once when she was answering 81
don't remember" to question after
| question. propounded by Mr. Jones,
| Mrs. Bevilacque unclasped her hands,
! threw them on her knees, palms up
| wards, and said in the most despair
| ing of tones, You can do with me
what you wish. but | can't remember
| any more" 1t could be interpreted
| from her words and demeanor that she
would rather give up to the worst fate
| that could come, than to further put
up with the terrible ordeal she was
undergoing.
Mrs. Bevilacqua is from Calabria,
| Italy. and speaks "A dialect not un-
| derstood by MI Morosini the regular
| court Interpreter. Dominick Pesanti
| a young man employed in NosburS &
| Dawson's office, who is wel-edu-
Gated Italian. and who spent some lit
tie time in Southern Italy, was Sc
| cured to do the interpreting, and did
| it very well.
| 1t will doubtless be a great relief
| to the court and jury to have the
| case disposed of by a plea of guilty.
| After the scenes of yesterday, it is
safe to say. no man would want 70
be put To the task of bringing in any
kind Of verdict, except acquittal,
| and to bring in an acquittal would
| only be made possible, ii Is safe to
say, by the exercise of the EXTREMIST
| sympathy.
The testimony of the common-
wealth's side concluded yesterday
with a statement from Mrs. Carmlne
Battisto. mother of the dead woman,
| In The effect that Mrs. Bevlacqua had
| thre atenad. Mrs. Rose With an axe. ana
again with revolver, within two
months of the time of the shooting,
and an expert opinion from DR.. S. p,
I.ongstlieet that If the wound behind
the ear had been first inflicted. Mrs.
| Rose could not have moved from the
| spot where she was standing,
MIR. BOYLES' ADDRESS,
The opering for the defense was
made by Attorney Frank Boyle. lie
| gave a clear and concise outline of
the theory Of the defense, as detailed
| above, laVing particular stress upon
The threats and annoyauces that Mrs.
Revilacqua was subjected To by MHs,
| Rose.
Character witnesses were then put
on. Mr. and Mrs. j. l.. iIoagland, T.,
Il. krugerman, Mrs. Sarah Taylor,
| Mrs. Annie Jeffreys. Albert Traub,
Mrs. Kate Rokelcamp, William JEFF
freys, MIS-. Ellen Mcdonald and Mrs.
Mary Traub, testified that they knew
| Mrs. Bevilacqua well and that she was
a woman of good behavior peaceful
and uuiet. Some of them were ready