The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-23
Jose pbine TtHaROVa Takes
Stand in her Own Behalf
ADMITS NUMBERING UNCLE
Tells Narrowing Story of Treatment
BY Uncle and Aunt-Says Strange
Voices Commanded Her to
Commit Murder.

New York, May 22-Josephina Terra
nova took the stand today In her own be-
half at her trial ON the charge of hav-
ing murdered her aunt
The defendant said that she came to
this country when s years old, going 10
live with her uncle and aunt, the Reggios.
Il did not go TO church or school," she
said. FOR seven years after | came to
America. Ny uncle and aunt would not
let me. | wanted to go. | did every
thing washing. serubbing. everything
and sometimes there were ten, eleven and
sixteen boarders in the house
DO you remember one winter morning
when you were about 11la years old?" she
was asked.
The girl replied that she did; that her
aunt had taken her to the uncle's room
that day
THAT is what l am on trial here
about" she added
As the girl told of her uncles treat
ment. a woman spectator tainted and the
court proceedings were interrupted by the
resulting commotion. The girl hesitated
in giving her testimony. saying that she
was ashamed to speak of it.
Aunt Forced Her.
She said her aunt had forced her to
obey her uncle and had beaten her. break
ing a stick during one of the whppings
and making the witness so sick she went
To bed
The girl said that she was never per-
mitted to play with other. children, and
was forbidden to talk English or asso-
ciate with the boarders in the house. She
said she wanted to go to her mother. but
was not permitted to do so.
The Witness said that her huahaEd Was
led to ssspastss y sat ~4ter. relations with
her uncle had been because OF remark
which the latter made. She declared that
her unces mistrea tment covered a pc
rlod of about six years and that IL con-
tinued up to and including the night after
her civil marriage to Terranova She told
o. the circumstances which led her to kill
her uncle and her aunt. She said that
her husband, after listening to her con-
fession, told her that she was no longer
his wife and left her. She remained alone
during the following ten days, subject,
she said. to the ,.fluence of hallucina-
tions in which her uncle appeared. When
he appeared a voice said: XIII him."
Each night she would dream that she was
In the presence of God and would hear
the words, XIII your uncle.'
Mother scorned Her.
At the end of ten days the girl said
she went to ,her mothers house and was
turned away. Then the mysterious
voices became more nsistent and their
directions more pointed. telling her to
buy a knife and a revolver and kill.
When armed and on her way to their
house for this purpose she said she had
crossed herself three times and prayed
ta know whether she was doing right.
She confronted her uncle, calling him a
"Trator." and he replied You are an
outcast."
She remembered little OF her attack.
but asserted that she began to stab when
her aunt came between her and her un-
Gle, Gaetano. She did not remember
which one she struck first.
Under cross-examination by Assistant
District Attorney Ely the witness said
that she had been unable to run away
from her unces treatment as she desired.
Her aunt, she said. had told her that
there was no harm in her relations with
Gaetano Justice Scott. who Is trying
the case, questioned tine girl about the
voices she claimed to have heard and she
told him that they came like ringing
In the ears.
The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.