The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-16


 At one o'clock today for the noon re- cess. all the evidence in the case of Napoleon Bissonnette charged with murder ina the first degree had been submitted to the jury. The afternoon session will be taken up with the ar gurnents of the counsel. which will. it is expected. go into the session to- morrow morning. and then be followed by the charge of the court This morn ing following the testimony of Napo- leon Blssonnette. evidence in rebut- tai was produced by the state. Bis sonnette had finished his direct testi- mony yesterday afternoon and then was put through a scathing croSS-ex- an,fnation by States Attorney Jud- son The examination was carried 10 this morning.
 < lBsssonnette's story was shaken con- siderzbly during this examination, particularly so when he came to the pulling apart of the incidents leading up to the shooting. Here Bissonneue could not seem to remember whether he shot Demery while the latter was still holding his throat or not He does remember that when he pulled the pistol from his pocket. that Dem cry had a hold of his throat The two girls who witnessed the shooting have stated that when the shot was fired Denery had his hands by his side
 In the rebuttal Albertina Bissonnette was called back to the stand and stat ed that her father had talked to her mother about having the revolver 10 protect himself from her brothers Captain Arnold. Patrolman Prout and William Dunn. the man who held Bis sonnette, all stated that Bissonnette had told them that he had to shoot Demery or be killed Superintendent of Police, Eugene Birmingham on the rebuttal stated that he had given perrnir to carry a revolver to Bisson- nette in 1sos. but that the accused had never spoken at that time about the threats of his brother-in-law-
 The testimony of this morning as given Is produced follows. Bisson- netre being the first witness called:
 ''If you wanted to have Tfna's money to pay the bills yourself. why did you pay over your money to your wife?' asked Attorney Judson-
 The witness could not answer.
 You had the lawyer send a letter to your daughter telling her to pay her money to you or sherin would I put her out of the house q''z z~-r-7---7---ss f
 "Tes. sir,'' replied Bissonnette-
 You were angry because your daughter sought refuge with your brother-inslaw?"
 -sT was not
 You did not see Rome from the day he said he wac going to kill you till the night of the shooting7"
 .sI did not see him"
 "You passed his store quite often in going to work You did not expect | him to rush out and kill youZ"
 NO, I did not
 s-You remember you told the jury | the day after he threatened to kill you. | ,ou want to get a permit to carry i revolver. And yet you now say you did not fear to be killed when you passed his st0re?"
 sswell. I was prepared to protect my self then"
 You testified yesterday that Rome came to your house after the birth of your next to last child and threatened | to kill you Did you believe he was going to Kill your"
 He might have killed me. but didn't believe he would"
 -I'n call your attention to the testi, raony of little Ava that you would | come home with a piece of steak and | eat 1t alone. while the other members | of the family had bread"
 ..sSow let us come to the shooting. | When did you load that revolver?"
 .'I loaded it on the day bought it.
 ssDid your wife and Tina ask you why you carried that pistolg
 'sThey did not-'
 siThey never mentioned the pistol?"
 sslSo, sir" 1
 Did you not say that your wife's brothers were after you. and that you were prepared for them?"
 NO. sir.''
 'sYou had no objection to your brotber-in-law calling on your wife?"
 T had not
 Tt didn't make you angry for Rome to tell Tina to take care of her moth-
 Tt did not"
 But you said You're the boss'?"
 s~Yes"
 ..why did you say it?'
 Just a passing remark as I. would say it to anybody"
 ''Demery said he was the boss. Did that make you angry?"
 '+No."
 what did you say?"
 He said You little schrimp. you want to kill my sister. to starve her to death I'll kill you'.''
 Didn't that make you angry?"
 Not angry. but scared me"
 Then what did he do?"
 He grabbed me by the neck. put ting one hand in the back and one in the front"
 will you show us how he held you It by taking hold of your ss,vna 9Tn Peck bS tss,n hold of some one else's neck Then what did he do?"
 He lifted me up. with his hands, out of the chair"s
 You then stood up. How far from you2"
 Plight in front of me"
 You heard the testimony of Tina and Aiva that he took you by the neck by one hand and then he let go. and you got up. Is that so?''
 Tt Is not"
 You say he had you by the throat when you pulled the pistol out?''
 Yes"
 --Now. I want you to explain to the jury how a shot went horizontally through the neck. as testified to- though the man is a head taller than you. and you say he had a hold of your neck?'' ID
 T don't know if he had a hold of my neck when the shot was fired When I pulled the pistol from my pocket he had hold Of my neck"
 stWas he choking you so hard that you could not see what you were do- fngg's
 T could not see what I was doing. h he had choked me so hard" l., How is it that you had so much i strength after the shooting when your wife and Rome tried to take the pis-