Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-04-28
YOUNG man
MURDERED
Terrible Crime Committed
Yesterday Morning.
Michael Choro. of Upper
lehigh. Shot and Killed by
Thomas Smith--Louis Dim
Arrested as an Accessory.

~ SSISSi CS CkIi NSSSSSSI .
Michael Choro, of Upper Lehigh, was
shot and killed at 12. 40 o'clock yester-
day morning by Thomas Smith, OF Free
land. The murderer was Immediately
placed under arrest, and short while
later his companion, Lewis Dim, also
of town, was taken in charge by the
police and held as an accessory.
The shooting took place alongside the
botting house of Andrew Grula, on
North Ridge street, and was the sequel
to disturbance which was begun at ST.
Mary's Greek Catholic church on Fern
street few minutes previous.
Yesterday was Easter Sunday in the
Greek Catholic Church, and, following
their annual custom, the members of
st. Mary's congregation attended mid
night mass, which began at 12 o'clock
Saturday night.
During the services Smith and Dim
arrived at the church. Both had been
drinking during the evening. They
took up a position near the church gate,
and shortly after their arrival the con-
gregation began its procession around
the edfice, this being a part of the SER
vices.
Both young men, it is alleged, were
smoking cigars and stood with their
hats on their heads. Several members
OF the congregation, as they passed,
requested them to remove their hats.
and received very discourteous replies.
BLOW STRUCK NEAR THE CHURCH.
Finally Choro stepped from the pro-
cession and lifting the hats of Smith
and Dim from their heads, placed them
in the young mems hands and said:
Hold your hats there or go away"
Dim Immediately drew his hand from
his pocket, claspng an unopened knife,
with which he struck Choro over the
eye, intiicting an ugly cash, from which
the blood flowed freely.
Both at once ran northward fearing
the anger Of Choro's friends. Choro
followed, and after lenathy chase
in the darkness, the three came
together in Grula's lot, in the rear of
the Italian church.
What took place there and along the
side of the bottling house has not yet
been made known officially, but shot
was fred and cries of anguish were
heard by the neighbors.
Grula's lot opens on Ridge street and
on the alley in the rear, and is used by
people who want to reach Fern street.
As the shot was fired Michael Degan, of
North Fern street, and John Zeparko,
of South Fern street, were on their way
to the church. They had reached the
lot and heard the shot, and running for
ward grappled with Smith, who still had
the revolver in his hand.
POLICE HEAR THE SHOT.
The shot was also heard by Chief of
Police Charles ODonnell, who, with
Attorney George Mclaughlin, was
walking up Centre street. They ran up
Main street, and upon reaching Ridge
were directed by the calls for help from
Degan and Ieparko to the scene.
The chief disarmed Smith, and, upon
the latter's offer to resist arrest, threw
him to the ground and dragged him to
Ridge street sidewalk, where he recog-
nized his prisoner.
BY this time a number of people had
gathered and Smith was in danger of
receiving summary punishment for his
crime. He was hurried to the lookup
to avoid further trouble.
Mr.. Mclaughlin, finding Choro was
apparently dying, hurried for a physi-
clan, and returned with Dr. McCarroll,
but the man was then beyond all human
aid, having died in less than ten minutes
after receiving his wound
The body was placed in Grula's bott-
ing house and a message sent to Deputy
Coroner McKelvey, of Hazleton.
Dim ARRESTED.
In the meantime Dim had disappear
ed but was arrested an hour later at
his home by Officers O'Donnell, Welsh
and Molik and Burgess Boyle. He was
placed in the lookup with his com
panion.
A pocketknife of unusual size and
billy We're found on Dim. Tho hats of
both men were found near the scene of
the shooting, also Smiths false teeth
At 1.3O o'clock the services at the
church ended and when the congrega-
had been killed many angry threats
were made Stephen Wocansh, organ.