Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-10-31
.Joe Bill is Convicted of Murder.
DEFENCE THAT 1T WAS NOT PREMEDITATED,
BUT DONE IN SUDDEN PASSION.
ALLEGED Indely Who Killed Figures In the Evidence
The Case Law Court Appeal.


The Case Goes to the
A shorter trial than had been antici'
pated was had In the case OF Ignazio
Albauese, or Joe Bill, on an indictment
charging him with the murder of biz
wife on the 11th of May, 1911. Begin
ming Monday morning, the trial wat
closed Tuesday night, and before
O'Clock the jury had returned verdict
of guilty Of murder as charged In the In
dictment.
An appeal was taken, and the case
goes to the law court.
Something of what might appear In
the course Of the trial was foreshadow'
ed, for those who were not acquainted
with the facts, by the question asked by
the attorneys for the state OF each juror
before he was accepted. This question
was, "Would you have any prejudice
against returning a verdict Of murder, II
man had killed his wife believing her
to have been guilty of adultery" Al
first Mr.. Morey, counsel for Joe Bill,
challenged each man who answered this
question directly in the negative, but
later allowed the jurors to 60 on.
The shortening of the hearing was due
largely to the exclusion of line OF evil
dence which the defence was prepared
to present, to show the fact of the wife's
infidelity. A large number of witnesses
had been summoned by the defence on
that question, and as they were mostly
rSol;ora THAN taofirnouv Uould havo
come slowly.
Joe Bill, the respondent, is an Italian
now A years old, who has been In the
fruit and other business, ut Lewiston for
about ten years, and nearly ten years
past at Rumford. He has been general.
ly liked BY the Americans, and has bad
much sympathy since his arrest. BE can
not read or write, except as be has learn.
ed to do 80 since coming to the Jail, and
talks English volubly but brokenly. In
the court room he manifested keen
interest in the proceedings, but at NO
time displayed any considerable emo
ton.
The jury having been completed at the
forenoon session on Monday, immedi.
ately after the noon recess County At.
torney Parker opened the case to the
jury. he said that In May last Joe Bill
and his wife Rosina were living In Rum.
ford; that though they were living in
the same house, cross divorce libels
brought by them against each other were
pending in the Supreme Court, then In
session in Rumford. Joe had said that
If these divorce cases were continued
from that term of court he would kill
his wife.
At the close OF the forenoon session Of
court on the 11th of May, the divorce
cases were ordered continued by Chief
Justice Emery. Joe Bill then went to
his house, and just before the afternoon
session of court opened, he appeared al
the court room, and told Deputy Sheriff
Niles that he had killed his wife.
Mr.. Niles took him to the lookup, and
then went to the Bill house, whore he
found Mrs. Bill lying on the bed, with
three bullet wounds. She died about
two hours later, but before dying she
stated that Joe Bill had shot her three
times. She was asked II she had beer
warned BY Attorney Hutchins that Joe
intended to kill her, and said she had
Joe Bill had later made statements ad
mitting the killing, and telling Of the
circumstances.
DR.. j. A. Nile of Rumford, who wal
the first physician to reach the house
after the shooting, was the first witness
He described three bullet wounds which
she had, two in the breast and one In tht
abdomen, and said that she died In con
sequence of the wounds.
He told her she was dying and asket
II she wanted to make any statement
and in answer to questions she said tina
Joe Bill shot her, two or three times.
George A. Hutcbins OF Rumford, at
torney at law, who was attorney for Mrs
Bill in the divorce cases, was the mex
witness. he said that he met Joe Bill
on Monday preceding the Thursday OF
which the shooting took place, and Jo'
paid him certain sum which he hat
been ordered by the court to do in con
nection with the divorce cases. Thii
was in the rooms of the Rumford FALL
Trust Co. As he paid it Joe said that d
the divorce cases were put over h'
should kill his wife. Mrs. Bill haC
already told the witness that Joe hat
told her the same thing.
When Judge Emery decided to have
the cases continued, Joe Bill looked 81
angry that witness informed Judge
Emery of the threats aud asked him Il
caution Joe, but Judge Emery declined
to do so, saying that the result desired
could be accomplished by other means
Mr.. Hutchins then went and telephonet
Mrs. Bill.
Objection was made to admitting th,
telephone conversation with Mrs. Bill
and witness was not allowed to repeat 1t
Mr.. Hutchins was cross.examined b.
Mr.. Morey regarding the matter Of tn
custody OF the Iill children, on whicl
there had been trouble between tn
parties, and other things relating to hi
connection with the case.
| When his cross-examination was re
sumed after recess, Mr.. HutchiDs wa
interrogated rather sharply by MI
Morey as to whether be had circulate
publicly a story that Joe Bill had kille
a man In another state, and fed.
Mr.. Hutchins replied that he had mer
toned to the county attorney and :
some other members Of the bar certai
information which had come to him.
Mr.. Morey asked Mr.. Hutchins severs
questions as to whether be had any fee
ing against Joe Bill, and he aswered ths
he had the same feeling that he woul
against any man who had done what b
did.
On redirect examination by Count
Attorney Parker, Mr.. Hutchins was asl
ed az to what it was that he told, an
stated that be had learned that the chit
of police of Rumford had letter askin
10 the Ignazio Albanese who was thel
was the same Ignazio Albanese wh
once killed man In Buffalo, N. Y. q
learning of that he had disclosed to
few people what he had never before r
lated, that Mrs. Joe Bill had told hil
that her husband had killed . man
Buffalo, N. Y, and escaped through Il
woods, making his way under cover
Albany, and thence to Lewiston, whel
he went under the name Of Joe Bill. 3
had learned of this letter since comir
70 court, and had never before mentio
. ed Mrs. Bills story outside OF bis ofio
LII. Niles of Rumford, deputy sheri1
testified:
On the 11th of May / was In the con
room at Rumford Falls. At 9 minut
, before 2 Joe Bill csme to the door, bar
headed, and beckoned to me, sayin