Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-05
RIVAL FACTIONS
THREATEN FIGHT
Greek Colony Divided Over MUIR
der Trial and Promise
Trouble.
BOTH DIVISIONS ARDENT.
Prisoners Friends sialwart in His
Cause While Other side Demands
Penalty Prom the Law.

The biz Greek colony Of workers In
Bingham canyon particularly Of those
employed IN the Yampa smelter. Is
divided into two hostile armies which
threaten TO clash in open warfare over
the trial of John Kothiaftis. charged
with having murdered Peter Gets
early on the morning OF Dec g. 1905.
The corridors on the fourth noor N
the city ana County building were
damned this morning with crowds OF
Greeks who excltedly talked among
themselves They were divided into
two rival camps. one espouslng Kothl-
arts cause. and the other a. earnestly
ocndemning the accused Kothiaftiss
enemies swear that II he escapes pun
ishment BY the law, they win take mat
tiers into their own hands. and revenge
Setis's death. Kothiaftis's adherents.
however. are lnoensed az what they de.
clare the purpose Of the other side 10
convict the defendant on perjured tes.
umony. and say that they will d. |
everything in their power to prevent it.
The trial Of kothiaftis has assumed /
important proportions in the light of
recent disclosures, and may end fin a
sensational denouement. Deputy sherins
are keeping close watch on the oppos-
lnE crowds Of Greeks, 10 prevent ttou-
bic The trial probably VIII last a
long tine, as - Greek witnesses are YET
10 be called by the prosecution. and
the defense may summon as many
more
The cross-examination OF Mike Cietis.
brother OF the deceased. was continued |
ny Attys. s. A. King and schuIdcr Tor
he defense this morning In going over
tne testimony given BY the witness al
the preliminary hearing, Il developed
that Mike Getls statements NJ ina
time differed greatly from those made
on difect examination az the present
inaL The contrast was noticed mar
iicularly IN regard TO Nike Getis's les
timony as TO what he did after ne
heard the shooting, how he found his :
brother, and how many people were
here &
srORMED WITH QUESTIONS. /
Atty King showered the witness with :
storm Of questions and Getis contra !
icted many important statements
which he had made on iiminary hear =
ng Getis explained the discrepancies | v
n his testimony at the trial BY saying q,
nat the interpreter who translated his y
esumony az the preliminary hearing =
I'd not understand him =
The next witness Tor the prosecution J,
vas John Pan0usis, An employe az the I,
thmpa smeltcr. lie said that he knew i
'eter Gctis for 4 months prior TO the !
alters death, and that they lived az a
he same boarding bOuse IN Bingham .
'anyon and THEN beds We're In the 4
anne room. About IS DAYS before Gets ! Il
vas killed. Panousis said, he saw an
Their shooting serape in the same
ouse. Peter Getis, George Hondro-
oulos and Panousis were sleeping n =.
he same room whea the shots were tt'
red Panonsis said that he saw the y.
AN who stood u the doorway and flred ~
he shots, but that he could not recog- y,
lie him. owing 20 the darkness Pam ~
1sis said he saw the Hash OF the gun "
nd that the weapon was directed to ~
ards the beds where Peter Gctis and -
ondropoulos were sleeping. Pauousis ~
I'D that, after the shooting he went ~
the bedroom whore kOthlafts had "'
zen sleeping the night before. but that ~
othiaftis was not there yet -,
Panousis said that he saw Gets lying =,
the bed, after he had been shot, 10 ~,
iys after the above occurrence. and n
AZ Gets said 10 him: Telephone 20 III
y father and tell him 10 De- here AZ nl'
o'clock. because am going to die" ~,
The defense al this point iuterposed ~
renuous objections ~ the admission GO
Panousis testimony regarding what 10
ater Gets told him on the morning sh
the tragedy after he had been shot. hf
he attorneys for the defense contend on
that the state had not laid "a good sii
undation for the Introduction Of DO
Is testimony. inasmuch as II involved / pc
dying statement aud that The state sts
ID failed to previously show thai Pc
ter Gets knew hc was going 20 die | sh
len he talked 90 Panousis KC
Judge Lewis granted The request 81 | M
q ATTORNEYS FOR the defense thar thcy thi
allowed 10 first cross examine pol
lnousis. I'm the absence OF the jury. hc.
fore Peter Gets statement to him tra
uld be admitted. 4