The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-13

The first witness of the afternoon
was II. S. Hutling. constable of the
Thirteenth ward, who made the arrest
of Mrs. Beviacuua. Constable Huf-
ling testified that he learned from
Samuel Sykes of a woman having been
murdered on Capouse avenue. and he
proceeded to investigate. He found
Mrs. Bevlacqua in Mrs. PrioMs house
nearby, and as soon as he entered.
Mrs. Bevllacqua crouched down be-
hind some other women who were
present.
lie approached her and asked her,
Are you the woman who did the
shootinS?' She only shrugged her
shoulders. one of the other women
suggested to the officer that Mrs.
Bevilacqua was afraid of him. He
spoke reassuringly and then repeated
the question. Are YOU the woman
who did the shooting?' BY action.
rather than words, she admitted she
was.
Thereupon the constable ordered the
other women to leave the room. and
as they left Mrs. Bevilacqua darted
INTO another room. He rushed after
her and got his foot inside the door
| just as she was attempting to slam
| he would have TO hold her in custody.
She became very faint and he feared
she was about to swoon away He
got her glass of water, which she
drank. and which revived her some-
what.
She was very nervous and excited.
and 1t was with difficulty the officer
could get her to speak.
tnl. "a. ~
she pleaded piteously to the officer.
He replied that he would have to take
her to Jail. At this. Mrs. Bevilacqua
tlared up and said, you take me. the
Italians fix you
WITHDREW WITNESS.
Mrs Susan O'Reilly Priori. in whose
house Mrs. Bevlacqua sought refuge,
was called to the stand to corroborate
the story of Constable HuhinG, but
after the preliminary questions had
been asked. Mr.. Jones withdrew hes.
saying her testimony, if now devel-
oped. would be immateral.
Mrs. G. J. Sykes. of 1885 Penn ave-
| nue.. testified that between . and 10
| o'clock on the morning of the shoot
ing. Mrs. BevilacQua came to her
home and summonng the witness to
the door asked. you woman Bevilac-
qua house,"
Mrs. Sykes understood this to be an
inquiry as to whether or not she
owned the house rented to Mr.. Be
vilacqua. and she answered in the
Affirmative.
Come. come quick" cried Mrs
Bevilacuua. Mary lay like this" She
accompanied her words by indicating
with the aid of the babe she was
carrying in her arms. that Mary was
lying helpless.
rs she sick" Mrs. Sykes inquired
mo. she lay like this and Mrs.
Bevilacuua repeated the motions she
had gone through before.
There was an Italian named Joe
working in Sykes back yard. cutting
wood Mrs Sykes accompanied Mrs.
Bevilacuua to the back yard. and
with Joe acting as interpreter, she,
Mrs. Sykes. learned that Mary Rose
had been killed by Mrs. Bevilacqua.
RENTED HER a HOUSE.
ON cross examination it was brought
out that Mrs. Sykes orcc rented a
house to Mary Rose. Some time be-
fore the shooting. Mrs. Rose vacated
it and moved away. The Bevilacquas
took another of the Sykes houses in
that neighborhood, and Immediately
the visits of Mrs. Rose tn that neigh
bnrhOod were resumed.
1t was attempted to bring out that
Mrs. Sykes had at one time, not long
before. ordered Mrs. Rose to keep
away from TIE BevlacNua premises.
but Judge Halsey ruled this out as
being the subject of direct and not
cross examination. Mrs. Sykes will
be called by the defense.
Police Sergenat Richard Edwards,
formerly captain of police. told that
he reached the scene of the shooting
between 10 and II O'Clock, When he
found Mrs. Revilac0ua in the Prlort
house. he asked her, Are YOU the
one who shot this woman"' Mrs.
Rcvilacqua answered Yes" and then
added, "No take me to Jail | want
to see my man
The officer asked her what she had
done with the revolver, and all he
could get out of her was "Me throw
He and the other officers, together
with the newspaper men, searched for
the revolver, and it was found, as de-
scribed by Reporter Rafter at the
morning session
ALLEGED CONFESSION.
Mounted officer Joseph Bloch was
called TO the stand To testify To q
confession alleged to have been made
to him by Mrs. Bevilacqua. The de-
fense asked for an offer, and then OBJ
jected 10 the testimony, on the ground
that the officer had not warned her
that what she would say would be
used against her
For over an hour, Mr.. Jones and
Mr.. Comegys argued pro and con the
question of whether or not ii Is re-
uuired that an admontion of this kind
must be given To make the confession
admissible as evidence, Mn Jones
held that as long as there was no
duress or inducement, the confession
Is admissible. Mr.. ComGys contended
that while the rule for an admoni-
tion may give way In some cases, 1t
must be shown that the confession
was purely voluntary. In this case
IL had not been offered to show that
the absence of those things would
leave the confession a purely Volun-
tary one. Mr.. Comegys further held
that il was not offered TO show that
the woman understood clearly the ma
ture and effect of the questions she
was asked
The court over-ruled the objection
and admitted the evidence.
Officer Bloch was then examined at
length by MI Jones to show that he
had used no duresS or made no prom
Use or inducement to bring out her
statement. Then be was directed To
give the conversation.
WAS IN CUSTODY