The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-12-18
THE DEFENSE
HAS BEGUN
With Two Witnesses in
Barre Murder Trial.
WAS MUCH STRUGGLING
A. Valvi Testified there Was cOnfu-
sion Near Door Where Corti
Was Shot.

Montpelier, Dec l8.-After using parts
Of five days to put in its testimony, the
prosecution in the trial OF Alexander Gar
etto charged with murder, unexpectedly
rested its case this forenoon, and the de-
fense put two witnesses on the stand be-
fore the noon recess. The state did not
produce all the witnesses that had been
subpoenaed. This shortening Of the pros
ecution's side Of the case viii bring the
trial to a close sooner than expected.
States Attorney John II. Senter pre-
sented this forenoon two bullets, one Of
which he said had been taken from the
body Of Eli Corti, aud the other was the
one which had slightly wounded Emilio
Vochini. AS an expert witness on the
subject, Frank r. Dawley was placed on
the stand lie said that both the bullets
were 32-calibre, center fire, Smith & Wes-
son make The prosecution then present.
ed the first bullet as evidence, to the ae-
cepting Of which the defense at first OBJ
jeoted and then allowed to be entered
without objection. with this the state
rested its case.
The witnesses put on the stand this
forenoon by the prosecution were Samuel
Novelli, Angelo scampini, f. r. Dawley,
Mary Corti, widow OF the man who was
shot, and recall 10 Conf The de-
fence put on Caesar Brussa, who was in
jured at the Socialist hall the same night
that Eli Corti was shot, and Amedeo
Volvi
Speaking without the aid of an interpre-
ter, Samuel Noyelli testified that he had
been in business with the deceased for
five years and did not know whether he
was an anarchist or socialist. He saw
Corti at O'Clock the night Of the shooting
and saw him again at the hospital the fol.
lowing day. Cross-examined he said he
did not know Corti was the first secretary
Of the anarchist circle II Barre and didn't
know that be was connected with the or
ganizati0n.
Angelo Seampini testified that he knew
Corti and that he saw him at the hospital
the same day that Corti died Corti told
me that be was dying and took his hand
which was cold / asked him who shot
him, and he said "Mr Garettto." The
cross-examination brought out that MIR.
Scott, Corti's wife aud Corti's brother
were in the room at the time the man had
said that. Mr.. Scott took the statement,
the witness being the interpreter.
Mary CoTti, widow of the man who was
shot, was placed on the stand, but was
kept there only briefly. She was asked IL
she knew what clothing her husband had
on the night Of the shooting. She replied
that she did, whereupon she identified a
pair Of trousers which she said her hus-
band wore the night of the tragedy. The
defense did not question her at all. Mrs.
COrti answered the questions with the aid
Of the interpreter, aud her replies were
scarcely audible Many of the questions
were answered with nod or the shaking
Of the head.
The state recalled John Conf who got a
severe cross-examinatio0. The witness
said that he knew Pocetti but he denied
that he said to him, This Is the evening
when his followers, or henchmen, will
catch t." The same question was put to
him in different ways but the witness
stuck to his story that he had said nothing
Of the sort to Pocetti.
Shortly before ten o'clock four witnesses
for the defense we're brought in and
sworn. Garetto, who had all along been
intent on the proceedings, showed even
more interest now, and while the first two
witnesses were testifying he did not take
his glauces from them The men were
Amedeo Y0lvi, Albino Cont, Caesar Brus-
sa and Francisco Brogini.
Caesar Brussa testified that he went to
the Socialist hall alone few minutes be
fore O'Clock on the evening of the trou-
BILE He saw Bernasconi and GarettC
there, the former arriving first. Garetto
took chair and went to the right of the
door He sat astrde the chair resting hi
arms on the back, He had cigar in hi,
mouth and cap on his head. The anar
chists began 10 Insult, asking why tn,
/ priest had not come to the church and /
he had gone away to eat macearoni Thl
1 witness said that he remarked, "Be pa
tient, It is only after Z O'Clock = Thel
they twitted on not having a bell on thl
chruch, and Bernasc0ni said that none
would be raised for the bell
Msrtin0 Rizzi said, "Why should W
wait? They're all fakirs and priests. w
should break them to pieces Thea Ber
nasconi said that # they wanted troubl
they ought TO 90 outside as that was n
place for trouble inside After that Vo
chini and another man went for BernascC
nj; about ten began pounding him crying
"Give it to him; throw him down; XII
him They are all eowaros and fakirs
The witness said he tried to stop RlE
who had knife in his hand. whereupo
the latter struck him on the head maxim
a cash two and one-half iaohes long. II
went out OF the ball holding his heaC
} When he got half way down the stairs b
heard two shots fired There was crow
at the door, who we're making a greG
noise when he went out. but he didn
= know whether they we're doing anything
, "Did you say anything when you weI
struek9n tsYes mama. mama. the assal