The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-12-19
His Trial For Murder is
Nearing an End.
DEFENSE ALMOST OVER
Il is Expected That the Case VIII Ga
to the Jury By the Middle Of
Next Week.

Montpelier, Dec 19.-At the conclusion
Of the first week Of his trial on the charge
of numbering Eli Corti at the Socialist
hall in Barre on the night Of Oct. last,
Alexander Garett0 was the most cheerful
today that he has been during the trial
He smiled on several occasions when
humorous features came up IN the trial,
and dnring the recess and after the con
clusion Of the days testimony he greeted
/ his friends cordially, appearing more at
ease than usual. His wife, who has been
a constant attendant at the trial, and sev.
eral others, were given an opportunity to
speak with him briefly before he was Ia.
ken away to his cell Garetto was eau
toned by one Of his attorneys not to speak
/ Of the case.
The court room was completely filed
with spectators during the brief session
this forenoon, nearly all the spectators
| being Italians from Barre Among the
number were several women, Mrs. Corti
being present.
The case is very near its conclusion and
il is probable that with few witnesses
for the defense and some in rebuttaI the
testimony will be all In, aud that before
the middle of next week. Judge Stafford
said that the trial Of the case ought to be
concluded by the middle OF the week, and
there appears TO be no reason why the pro-
gramme win not be carried out as he
stated.
The court was adjourned shortly before
II O'Clock this forenoon until 2 O'Clock
Monday afternoon, as there were no other
witnesses to be examined at that time.
The jury will be kept In confinement over
Sunday, being in charge of the sheriff Of
the county.
The gist Of the testimony today was
that there was disturbance near where
Garetto and Eli Corti stood in the Social
ist hall. One witness, Mrs. Brogini, stated
that the dead man spoke 10 jest at the
non appearance Of this speaker Of the eve
ming.
Louis Brussa saw Alexander Garetto at
| the Socialist hall on the night of October
last. He was two or three steps from
the door, smoking a cigar He heard
much talking. Someone told Bernasconi
to toll the bell as it was already I
o. clock. Others yelled "fakirs, charla-
tans One man asked Bernasconi 70 60
outside but the latter refused
AS his brothar, Caesar Brussa, went
out be saw men striking Garetto. He
heard two shots fired, saw Garetto and
others get out aud saw Eli Corti draw
back holding bis stomach.
@ What position was Garetto in when
they were striking himP
A. He was working his way out,
q, Ia what way were they pounding
him?
All over, where it was most handy
1 @. You stated that Corti and his broth-
er we're in the crowd, who do you mean by
Corti2
A. Eli Corti.
O. Was Eli Corti in that crowd that
was pounding Garetto9
A. Yes.
The witness said that he saw Movalli
and that he saw Eli Corti a moment after
the shooting. The latter was standing
near the door, and had his hand on his
/ stomach. The witness was sharply cross
examined by States Attorney Senter as to
his testimony before the grand jury which
! Investigated the case He admitted that
he said nothing before the grand Jury as
to Garetto's being hit.
Joseph Perolini was not an important
witness, as he left the hail soon after the
disturbance in which Bernasconi was
struck, as he did not like to mix up in
fights His dog went out with him, which
statement raised laugh ia the court
room, Garetto, the respondent, joining In.
Emilia Cont, with face wrsathed In
smiles, was on the stand next and she told
her story with dramatic interest, as she
went through the various movements of
what she did at the hall that night, she
having gone there with her husband She
is a socialist, and she said the anarchists
insuIted the socialists with such things as
AIsn't the spy coming? Amt you going TO
ring the bell?n Nj Rzzi made the state
ment sAll you Socialists are towards, y
and some raised the window and cried,
Throw him lBernasconi) out She saw
them pounding Garetto and then went
right down stairs, II was SO scared. y
i q. Did you hear Eli CoTti say any
thing? The witness replied that he said,
"Ain't the priest coming2n and other
things She was at the foot OF the stairs
when the shots were fired.
Chief of Police Brown OF Barre was
called to the stand He said he went to
the police station the night of October 8,
aud found Garetto there. With the re-
spondeut were officers Wood and MoPhee.
The witness said that the respondent sat
in a chair at the station. There was
blood on him, and on his head was a cut
or two cuts, the witness could not tell
which. The chief telephoned for a doc
tor. and questioned the man about the cut
on his head,
The witness was then taken off the
stand, but was later brought back, testi-
flying as to what Garetto said to him the
night Of the occurrence. Garetto told
him that the anarehIsts took away his re-