Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-05-26
GIRL TELLS OF
HER SAD LIFE
Mrs TerranOva Describes Days Of
Drudgery and DishOnOr
SHE KILLED UNCLE AND AUNT

New York. May 2s.-Josephine Ter
ranova. the girl wife who killed her
uncle and aunt. WAS called 10 the wit |
ness stand IN her trial before Justice
Scott and a Jury in the supreme court
The girl was calm when she began
the telling Of her life's history in TO
spouse 10 the gentle leading question
Of her counsel. former Judge Pslmieri.
She said she was years old when
she came 70 America and her uncle
and aunt took her 10 their home. She
then told how they abused and beat
her and said. Il always worked.
worked. IN the winter time I was
made 20 get UP at 4 o'clock. I did
everything in the house. ! scrubbed.
troned. washed. cooked and made the
beds. Sometimes he had &c boarders.
Up TIL the night before I was mar
ried I worked. on Friday night was
scrubbing the floor, and the next day
was married"
Then she told Of her dishonor and
shame. IL was a heart-rending ac-
count. so much so that one woman
threw 90 her hands and fell over In
n dead faint For moment the wheels
OF justice paused while Dr. OHanlon,
the coroners physician. who was
present. rushed forward 20 attend her.
The woman was carried out and the
testimony continued.
The witness said that her husband
was led 20 suspect what her relations
with her uncle had been because or a
remark which the latter made. She de
clared that her uncle's mistreatment
covered a period OF about six years.
and that 10 continued up 20 and "a.
GLIDING the night after her civil mar.
rinEe to Terranova-
She told Of the circumstances which
led her 20 kin the uncle. Gaetano. and
her aunt. Concetta. She said that her
husband after listening u her con.
fession. told her that she was nc
longer his wife and thereupon left
her. She remained alone during the
following 10 days. subject, she said. &c
the influence OF Authorizations. 10
which her uncle appeared. Whenever
he appeared voice said: XIII him.
Each night. the witness continued
she would dream or imagine that she
was in the presence Of God. and there
again she would hear the words: XII
your uncle
AT the end OF 10 days. the girl said
she went 20 her mothers house and
was turned away. Then the mysterious
voices became more insistent and
their directions more pointed, telling
her 10 buy a knife and a revolver and
kill When armed and on her way tc
their house for this purpose. she said
ahe crossed herself three times and
prayed 70 know whether she was DO
ing right She confronted her uncle
calling him traitor" and he replied
You are an outcast"
She remembered little OF her attack
but asserted that she began 20 stab
when her aunt came between her and
0aetano. She did not remember which
one she struck first
Under cross-examination by Assist
ant District Attorney Ely. the witness
said that she had been unable 70 run
away from her uncle's treatment. G.
abe desired 20. Her aunt, she said. had
told her that there was no harm In
her relations with Gaetano. Justice
Scott. who is trying the case. cues
toned the girl about the voices she
claimed 10 have heard. and she told
him that they came like a ringing in
the ears.
Johnson Again Convicted OF Murder.
Towanda. Pa. May 16.-The jury in
the second trial OF Charles johnson for
the murder and burning Of Maggie b.
johnson. on September Is, 1904. re-
turned verdict Of murder in the first
d&Eres. The trial occupied eight DAYS