The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-05-08
CHIEF MARTIN STOPS
WRONGFUL CONVICTION
Ohio Officials at First Inclined to Ig-
more Gary Officers Suggestion, Say
ing They Had the Right MANN
Meantime Emil Sasista, Guilty For
eigner, Goes to Minnesota.

After being tried in the courts of
Steubenville, O.. for the murder Of
police officer and innocently sentenced
to the penitentiary for life and later
retired and acquitted, Chief Of Pc
lice Martin yesterday landed the real
murderer in Gary.
On Christmas day 1897, at Steuben-
vile, O., a police officer, whose name
could not be learned at the local po-
lice station, was shot and killed in
broad daylight in the business section
of the town, after he attempted to
seperate two men who were fighting
Both men attacked the police officer.
one of them shooting him. In making
their escape one of the men was
wounded in the leg by a bullet from
the officers gun, the other escaped.
The injured man was locked up in
jail and after being confined there sew
eral months received his trial and was
| sentenced to the penitentiary for life
He protested his innocence and said
that the shot that killed the officer was
fired by his companion. He received
his second trial and was acquitted the
other day
Murdered Dragged of Deed.
The real murderer's name is Emil
! Sasista. 81 years old, and up to a few
weeks ago has been employed in Gary
! for the past six months The Gary
police learned Of his part in the crime
| through officer George Nestrovich Of
| the local police station, who gained his
| information from a boarding house
boss where Sasista remained while in
Gary. Sasista openly Dragged many
times of killing a police officer in
Steubenville. o., and said if the Gary
police gave him any trouble he would
put bullet through them.
Chief Martin wrote to the Ohio au-
! thorities asking them if an officer had
been shot there, and saying that he
could give them information which
would leading to the arrest and cap
ture of the real murderer. Steuben-
willie police treated Chief Martins let
ter as joke and sent back the fol
lowing reply:
Chief Larkin's Letter.
Steubenville, O., Feb. 5, 1909.
]. D. Martin. Chief of Police,
Gary, Ind,
Dear Sir:-Your letter of Feb.
2 received and contents of same
noted as to having an off1ced shot.
This is fact, and we have the
man who shot and killed the Of
ficer in our Jail. having been found
guilty and sent to the pen" but
was brought back ana granted a
new trial. He has some friends
who wish to make ii appear that
he is the wrong man. We know
the officer shot the man who shot
him after he was wounded, and he
was still bleeding from gun shot
wound when captured, about ten
minutes after the shooting. There
is not anything in this story of
your man. Thanking you for same.
Respectfully yours,
MARTIN J. LARKIN.
Chief of Police.
Chief Martin again notified Chic
Larkin that he had positive informa
ton that he could arrest the real nuI
derer. His letters were all ignored
Last night Chief Martin received
telegram from Steubenville saying
Arrest your man without delay. II
is badly wanted"
About three weeks ago Sasista le
Gary and went to a small town
Minnesota where he is now employe
and where Chief Martin can lay hanC
on him at any time, but 1t is now tin
for Chief Martin to laugh, as there
a reward for $500 for Sasista's captur
The officers of both cities are no
in communication with each other.