Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-01-07
MURDER IN The FIRST DECREE
Grand Jury Finds True Bill Against Lyme Men for Kill
ing Woman--N Norwich Town Man Sent to State Prison
pleas of Guilty and Sentences.

The grand jury finished the evidence
In the case against the two men charg-
ed with killing woman In Lyme, De-
cember z, or Wednesday afternoon,
after having been two days in session
At eight minutes to three it was re-
ported to States Attorney Hull that
they were ready to report, and upon
his informing the court, the petit jury,
which had been assembled to start the
trial OF case, was excused until their
report had been heard. They were es-
corted in by Deputy Sheriff Casey, and
through Foreman Thomas NJ. Shields
presented their report, which was a
true bill for murder in the first degree
against Michael Ridisz and John Ju-
rasz, who it is claimed killed Katie
Yurkegicz in Lyme and threw her body
into a swamp hole Were it.was found.
The report was accepted and the grand
jury discharged with thanks and paid
off By Clerk Parsons.
Tho accused men were put to plea,
charged with murder, in the presence
of the jury, and pleaded not guilty, A.
], Grant acting as interpreter.
Burns Woman Under $1,000 Bonds.
When the superior court opened on
Wednesday morning States Attorney
Hull presented Mrs. Addie Burns Of
New London, stating that she had
asked that she be put to plea.
She was presented on the charge of
statutory rape in aiding and enticing
to New London from New Haven May
Burns, aged is, and keeping her in her
house Of i'll repute for immoral pur-
poses. She pleaded not guilty.
The sum of $4,000 was urged by the
states attorney as the bail, speaking
of the terrible crime and the fact that
it was hardly thought possible to exist
in this state. For rape, Judge Wheel
er fixed the bonds at $4,000 and for
using the girl for immoral purposes
$4,000. The judge stated that the PEN
atty might be thirty years in prison.
The arrest Of the Burns woman, who
at one time was IN the bagnio business
in Norwich, was told Of in Wedne sday's
Bulletin. Bail was furnished by G. H.
Platt and she was released in the aft
ernoon.
Pleas of Guilty and Sentences.
This case and the general interest in
the court business filed the court room
with spectators, who, with the large
number of witnesses summoned, oc-
cupied about all the available space
in the large court room during the
most Of the day.
James Brown, George Green and Ed
ward Thompson, who on Tuesday
piedueu guilty 70 inert IrOlH the person
in Preston, were presented and Attor-
ney Gardner spoke for them. All three
told the court that they had been ar
rested for intoxication. Thomas Bald
win Of Norwich Town, who was rob-
bed, told Of being on his way to Hall
vile to look for work, when he was
held Up and robbed.
All three were sent to state prison
for one and not more than three years.
Charged with assault upon the per-
son of Hattie F. Hoy in New London,
Sept. II, George Fontanata, aged 10,
pleaded guilty and was given six
months in Jail.
County Probation Officer Mansfield
spoke for him, as did the states attor-
ney. who said there were extenuating
cir cumstances in the case.
Pleading guilty to shooting James
Neeson with a pistol in New London.
December 1, Patrick Curran, aged 80,
was given a year in jail. Attorney
Smith spoke for him, saying that he
was all right until his wife died and
his daughter went wrong, when he
took to drink, and was under the in
fiuence of liquor when the affair occur
ed, and he remembers nothing of il.
Neeson received only a slight wound.