The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-06
MORE TESTIMONY
IN MURDER CASE
John IarOran, Friend of Victim,
Is On the Stand All
Day.
GIVES HIS VERSION
OF SHOOTING AFFAIR
His Direct Testimony, However.
Is Shaken on CrGSS-
Examination.

Religious differences between the two
warning factions of the Aus,rians the
Greek Catholic and the Roman Catholic,
were injected into the murder case or
Steve Maerovich before Judge Arm
strong in the Third district conrt. for
the first time Thursday afternoon.
The witness, John Zaroran, was not
allowed 10 go into the subtle difference
for the reason that the attempt to
bring out this point was made by the
defense, on the cross examination of
Zaroran, and rs the state had not ex.
amlned Laroran on this question. his
testimony WAS rejected as being incom-
petent District Attorney Loofhourow
said, however, that Zaroran may be re-
called to testify as to the differences
of the religion OF the two factions.
Zaroran in a large measure corrobo
nesday as 10 the shooting of Popich. He
said that he and three others, with
Poplch several PAGES behind were on
their way from Mike Rogdan s board
ing house to their work at the Highland
Boy when the shooting occurred. AS
they passed Macrovich' S house, Zaroran
said, ne saw Macrovich standing in his
own doorway with n revolver in either
hand. He looked around and saw Popich
walking along behind them, carving his
dinner pail in his right hand and hold
ing his pipe in his mouth with his left !
hand.
Saw Popich Fall.
When several steps beyond Maero- |
v1ch 8 house, Zaroran testified, he heard |
fall. He cried, "Popich is killedl''
Then, after three more shots in rapid
succession, he and his three comrades,
deposltlng their dinner pals upon the
ground, went back to Popich and,
picking him up; carried him to the Bog
dan boarding house: There were two
wounds on Popich, Iaroran said, one in
the left leg above the knee and the
other in the head. Blood was flowing
from both. After tossing the revolver
IN his left hand to Popich 8 side, Maero.
vich- Zaroran said, fed into his house.
The defense cross-examlned Zaroran
at great length and shook his direct
Zaroran said on direct examination that
he and his comrades were only few
PAGES from Popich when he fell, but on
on cross examination he admitted that
their dinner pals were picked up at
the mouth of No. 6 tunnel, around the
bend in the road, which would prevent
them from seeing either Popich or Maer-
oviich. Popich dinner pail, instead of
being upside down, as might have been
expected. was sitting right-side up, !
Iarorau said. The revolver that Maero,
vlch IS alleged TO have tossed from his
left hand to Popich s side WAS lying
about twenty inches away, {
To show that Zaroran S testimony was
likely to be colored against Maerovich,
The, defense brought out that Zaroran s
had known Popich for three years, be- s
coming acquainted with him first at Z
Pueblo; that he had worked and roomed !
Rlth HIM for three months, and that !
hey both belonged to the same religion. {
laroran said he has known Popich's
mother all his life.
Belonged to Same Church. !
zaroran said he belongs to the Ser
nan church, the same as Popich and d
hat Maerovich is a Roman Catholic, r
9ut was not allowed to explain the diff. S
.erence. The head of the Seryian 5
'hurch IS the Greek pope, he said. He 3
'rofessed not to know whether there
las been religious trouble between tho y
wo factions. =
Zaroran was still on the stand at tbo b
lose of court Thursday afternoon. On n
ccount of the difficulty in correctly I
ranslatlng the witness s testimony, the :
ase Is necessarily being heightened. n
ne defense, II is said. will attempt TO I
how that Popich had assaulted Maero.
lcn TWO or three days before the shoot c
ng,, and that Popich drew revolver v
N MaeTovlch Just before the shooting II
ccurred, but that Maerovich was too Z
uick for him, The revolver living by
'oplcb s side, it is said, will bo shown q
y the defense to have belonged TO p
'oplch, and that Maerovich had nothing c
o do with its getting there. +
:, Iaroran created q sensation in court
thursday morning when, while three in p
erpreters were wrestling with ono oF It
be questions, explosively answered in o.
asily understood English q
John Wackstine is tbe negro in,ernro Z;
er who claims to know twentv.seven Il
anguages, and not Joe Mclich as was d.
eported Wednesday. Wackstiue says n
e is an Arabian sheik, p
Maerovich' wife, with the other wit .,
esses not yet examined. is not allowed n
2 the court room, and she presents 81
ltHul appearance as she PAGES up and | e
own the outside corridors, anxious 70 b
c at her husband s side. "
innn | el