The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-11-18
SLAYER SAYS
MIND WAS A
BLANK
Joseph TelescO, Who Gave
Himself Up, Petted by
His Relatives.

| Joseph Telesco, who shot and killed
his brother-in-law, Nicholas Arcalotta,
| at 1879 South Canal street, one week
ago. was committed to jail without bail
by Judge Howell in the First Criminal
! Court today on a charge of murder
Telesco, after being in hiding in this
! city since the tragedy, surrendered
himself to the police early yesterday
morning.
Telesco has little to say about the
crime, claiming that his mind was a
blank about the whole affair. That in
sanity will be his plea is the opinion
of the police, gathered from their at
tempts to get. him into conversation.
What motive he had for killing Area
lotta the police were unable to def
nitely determine. Telesco made no
mention of his having consulted coun-
sci.
Detective Sergeant Cordano talked
with Telesco this morning and last
night. and as near as he could learn
Telesco suspected Arcalotta of being in
a conspiracy to rob him, as he claims
was taken from him by highwaymen
some time previous to the killing. Te-
lesco said that this angered him and
brought about a more bitter feeling
a gainst his brother-in-1aw.
All attempts to get some statement
from Telesco in regard to the shooting
proved unavailing. Any inquiry along
this line would result in Telesco piac.
L v7< !, 1a, - A1% cid ~ bfe,I h,
and declaring that his head bothered
him. He claims that his head painet
him and had before the tragedy.
The police are satisfied that TelescC
never left the city, and he himself ad
! n1its that he was in hiding with hii
friends He was cleanly shaven ant
wore an overcoat when he gave him
self up. Telesco claims that inn
mediately after the shooting he wen
to sleep in the barber shop in the Law
yers' building, where he was employed
as bootblack. On Monday night HI
says he slept in the stable OF frien(
named Cintelliat at 200 Newark street
Chief Weimer, of the prosecutors staff
says this is not so, as he himself wa
there looking for him.
Telesco says that he slept a secont
night in the stable, and from that tim
until early Sunday morning he claim
that his head bothered him SO he coul'
not remember where he was hiding
The police think he was in Newarl
street for the greater part of the time
Telesco says he slept on Saturda,
night in the house where the murde
was committed, and then early in tn
morning he even went through tn
streets and went to the police head
quarters unmolested. When he wen
to the desk Telesco had his hat pulie
down over his eyes.
He told Sergeant Tracy that he wa
the man mixed up in the shooting i
Canal street, and Tracy prompti
placed him under arrest.
During his search for the prisone
detective Sergeant Cordano, in conver
sation with several of Telesco's friends
created the impression that the polio
believed that Telesco was insane, an
that il he surrendered they would pu
him in an insane asylum. Cordan
told this Saturday morning to frien
of the murderer at the house at 1s
Canal street, and the latter followe
him to the street and questioned hir
about 1t. The police believe that thi
ruse is responsible for his surrender
though Detective Sergeant Farrell. VIII
was working on the case, says that h
had information last Wednesday tha
Telesco would surrender.
Relatives of Telesco called at head
quarters yesterday afternoon bearin
fruit and cigars for the murderer. Thi
morning, in the First Precinct Court,
sister Of Telesco. Mrs. James CarlerI
OF Garfield, called to see him.