New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-23
SAYS GOD CRIED KILL. .
TerGnOva Girl Tells Thrilling Story
an Her Ozcn Defence.

More shocking in its portrayal Of a life Of drudg-
cry and abuse than ever had been heard before in
the Criminal Courts Building the testimony
given yesterday in her own defence by Josephine
Terranova, the Italian girl who is on trial for
Staying her uncle and aunt, GaetanO and Concetta
Reggie So revolving was part OF her story in de-
scripton of the degradation to which she had been
subjected at the age Of eleven in her uncles home
that one OF the women who had been most eager
70 get seat IN the courtroom fell off her chair in
q faint and had 20 be carried out
The prisoner answered the questions Of her conn
sell Mr. Pamieri, in fairly good English and with
apparent eagerness TO tell the worst When she
came 20 that part OF her story that described her
husbands desertion Of her after her confession 10
him she said she heard indistinct voices and then
saw a vision OF her uncle. Then she heard the
voices again, and they said XIII him! XIII him.
Q.-Eow long did this continue? A-Eight or ten
essS 1 Gould not eat The voices kept saying
o,Did you see God at that time? Ayes, I
Q.-what did He say? Akin your uncle. &"
That's what He said
Q.-Could you bear His voice? Al could hear
Him saying TO XIII my uncle.
The prisoner said she finally dressed herself and
started 10 go 10 her mothers home. She met her
young brother-in-law the way and gave him
her wedding ring 40 one else spoke TO her She
was crying in the street but no one seemed to
care Her mother refused 10 take her in Then
the voices told her TO buy knife and a revolver
and she went TO n pawnshop in Park Row On
the way she heard another voice She crossed
herself and asked: rs that Your voice, Iord?'
and she heard the answer Yes"
ami 9TT bo3,. did you see when went to your
60 upstairs TO my aunt. l wouldn't go because the
voice told me not TO- l heard the voice tell me ~
was an outcast Afterward went upstairs.
o@Who did You stab Tst @ A staPO d6n TEX know
9-What did you do then? Al took the re-
Q-Why? A-The voice told me.
Q-Did you try TO shoot Reggie? Ayes. He
FaebySd bed, my 3,. hand LAM, and shot in The air
Q.-What did you do then7 Al went outside
a. 49, saw the people; they talked to me and told
Sagena maj Soa had told me to do what did and
81. .W f did you gO7 Al was walking on the
:. Q.-Did you have anything to eat? Al bought
hSe ef T,s worth Of cakes that is all.
otter two days voice told me to 20 TO NV TofbeIS
80 a, eIH "eht mere and the policeman came
mar and then went with him my
T., S,io you near any voices since you have been
Q-And do you see anything in your ee1Ip
les; ] see my uncle and my aunt on the vans ~
my cell. Ny uncle leaning on bis eheelv ans OF
,, 80 l mere do you notice him? Al see him on
IN the wall. and see him there. N''SAS
Asked By her counsel II she thought she had dons
wrong IN killing her uncle and aunt the prisoner
replied: No"
DID you think you were doing right7"
did do right Anything that God tells me 20
do IS right
the questions of Assistant District Attorney Ely
readily. She showed confusion when asked "a
explain some contradictions Of her story in other
Justice Scott asked some questions about the
voices she SAID she had heard. She said they were
IKE IKE r.eslnS 81 bells, indstinct az FIRST, but dis
iiEet AFTER her husband left her.
to-day in an efort to prove faaf sue vac SnHa
at re TINE she slew nef aunt and uncle