The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-05-28
FfIIPPl and JOHNSON Roth
GUILTY OF LESSER GRIMES
Bodily Harm Intent Proven in Ore
Case and Confessed in
Second One.
MATT wITELLA NOW ON TRIAL

In the circuit court IN Houghton yes
terday two more men, Alfred Felippi
and John Johnson, were pronounced
guilty of assault to do great bodily
harm, less than the crime of murder"
which has been the result i'm each of
thee four cases of assault with intent
to murder" that have been heard dur
ing this the first week Of the May
term of the tribunal In the Felippi
case IL was the jury that after two
hours of elaboration, found the young
Italian guilty but i'm the Johnson case
the court and the state prosecutor
granted the request of Attorney CAL
braith for the defendant that the
charge be modified and his client al
lowed to inter- plea of guilty to the
lesser charge.
As related i'm thse columns yester-
day, the Fellppi case went to the jury
just before the court adjourned at
noon and they notified the judge of
their agreement upon the verdict at
$3.50. In addition to finding the lad
guilty of the lesser offense than
charged in the Information filed by
the state, the jury recommended the
prisoner to the mercy OF the court
Attorney Dennis G. Donahue who
fought the case hard for his clieI-,
was the recipient Of much credit for
the able manner i'm which he handled
II. The statute provides that the putt
ishment for one found guilty OF this
offcnse shall be imprisonment up to
ten years or a fine OF $500 or both in
the discretion of the court 1t is said
that the boys friends among his
countrymen OF Hancock and Franklin
will raise a purse to pay his fine If
the Judge sees ft 10 fine him.
johnson Pleads Guilty.
When the case of john Johnson.
charged with intent to murder Lillian
Kirby" in a South Range resort last
February, was called. Attorney Gal
braith, representing the defendant, Of
fered to plead guilty to the charge of
assault to do great bodily harm but
Prosecutor Macdonald would not con-
sent, so the trial proceeded. II was
found that there were not a sufficient
number of jurymen left in the regular
venire to I'll the panel. so the sheriff
summoned three talesmen from the
persons present In the court room at
the time two of whom We're used upon
the jury. LILLIAN Kirby" the COM
planning witness, was the first one upon
the stand an presented a rare spec
tacle for a circuit court gathering |
The prosecutor had her appear upon
the stand in wrapper and this was
removed from the upper portion Of the |
womna's body down TO the waist 10 !
permit the jurors 10 note the cuts on |
her body, alleged to have been made |
by tia defendant
The complaining witness wa follow |
ed to the stand by Drs Written and |
Paine, who attended the injured wom- |
an. They described the cuts as ser |
ious but not dangerous wounds. Marie |
Cornell, Lillian Roberts and Madge /
Beitela, inmates Of the South Range |
resort in which the trouble occurred. |
then testified as 20 the occurances at
the place that niEht and they were
followed 10 the stand by Angelo Ros-
zio. With the testimony OF the latter
in the state rested its case. Before
starting the defense Attorney CAL
braith again offered to have a plea Of
guilty of the lesser crime entered for
his client and the judge and Prescott
Ing Attorney Macdonald held a whis-
pered conference, after which it was
that the state would agree
10 this procedure. The jury was OK
cused and the former plea Of Johnson
was entered. he being taken back To
his cell 10 await sentence
Besides Felippi and Johnson the
other men who have been found guilty
pf this charge are Joseph Acotti, the
Calumet man who shot his wife, and
Peter Antilla. also Of Calumet. who
assaulted Lena Ola. Acotti. like Fell
ppi was found guilty by a jury. while
Nntilla's case was similar 10 that OF
Johnson.
Wiitela Guilty OF Assault.
when the court convened this morn
ng il was found that the case Of Esau
Isomaa. which was the next one on
The calendar, would require so much
lime II was feared that the court
would be unable TO dispose of It today.
go they passed on 60 the next one on
he list. This is another assault with
intent 10 murder case. in which the de-
'endant. Matt Wiitela. was accused
II striking another resident Of Huron
own on the head with a piece Of iron
n a row over game Of cards.
Attorney Kiskiila for the defendant
hen put his client on the stand and he
old the story Of the fight as he saw II.
All the testimony had TO be taken in
finnish and translated to the jury. Az
er his testimony had been heard the
Judge and the prosecutor conferred
With the result that the prosecutor an
Iounced that he would be satisfied If
ne jury found the man guilty OF as
ault and battery. The judge then ask
d the jury If they wished to retire to
repare their verdict or announce It
rom the box IL was decided they
you'd announce II from where they
'ere and a formal verdict was preferred
y the clerk and read. the jury affirm
~ that IL was their verdict.