Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-10-25
Benz Has Strange
Story When Plac
ed on Witness
Stand.
KILLED TWO ME
Prisoner Says He Did Mel
Know What He Was Doing
Until the Next Morning
When His Deed DaWned
Upon Him-- Has
Had Typhoid.
Special to the EVENING NEWS,

Special to the EVENING NEWS.
New Brunswick, Oct. 25. That
the defense in the Marino Benz mui'
der trial have determined to set up
an insanity plea was determined to-
day when DR. ]. Warren Rice, of
this city, took the stand as an In "
sanity expert and testified he had
visited the county jail On three &C.
casions to examine Benf He tes
titled he had found the prisoner de-
plorably weak, mentally and he hGd
learned the prisoner had been in the
habit OF drinking large quantities Of
beer and whiskey every night, be-
fore the alleged murder took place.
Dr. Rice said this indulgence hna
weakened the mans stomach and
affected his brain
DIR. Rice and Prosecutor Booraent
had lively tilt on one occasion, but
Justice Bergen overruIed the qlies@s
tions and answers and ordered the
states counsel to push the case With
all possible speed The justice stated
morrow.
Lewis HfIdebrand, warden A tha
jail, said Benz had asked him several
lli1lGS 10 lct d1QLItf DlAS03ipi5t f7ffrN4 Il
with him. for he dreams terrfbse
things at night and is afraid
DR.. j. e.. CnttreiI. OF Perth Agahos
testified to ndministe to Nalt
before his arrest, and on every coca
sion be had hesn treated fea sl,ifep-s
tic fits.
Guisippe Sealone and Monni O.
rulto, both Of Perth Amboy, safsT
Il q n
was subjected to FITS,
DR. william T.. Itss4s..ss. /, OF fss-s u
Amboy, was called by the defense All
an insanity expert and testified fhat
he visited Benz In the latfer's cell
Sunday and Monday and believed
him to be an epileptic DIR. RAMSAY
said Beni could have killed the men
while in an epileptie fit and not be-
come conscious of his deed until af-
forwards. On cross-examination DR.
Ramsay said what he had testified ag
to the mans condition was based On
the mans personal statement. The
defense then rested.
DR.. A. T.. Smith, OF this city, who
has been in the court room By Pros
ecutor Booraem's side for the entire
day, was not called in rebnttal, as
expected. Miss Sallie Lobel, OF
Perth Amboy, was recalled and said
a man had accompanied Benz on the
night of the murder when he bought
a revolver at her store Benifs
friend paid for the weapon.
At 1920 o'clock Prosecutor Boor
aem began his summing up and ask
ed for conviction In the first degree.
Justice Bergen will charge the Jury
about o'clock and Is expected 10
wait for two hours, at least, for 9
verdict.
Benz shot and killed Augustine
Minno and Augustus Pascarelli aIsd
seriously injured Frank Minno In a
dream. So he declared on the Wilt
ness stand in his own behalf yester~
day afternoon In his vision he SAW
the men coming after him to shoot
him down and he had shot to defend
himself. He didn't know anything
had no control of himself and 1t was
not until the next day when the
events of the dream came to his
mind that he realized what he had
done.
1t is probably the slrst time
dream has been blamed for double
In this state. Benz said that
he was subject to these dreams; that
he was subject to commissions, hav
ing had four IN the past fve months
He attributes his mental condition
to an attack OF typhoid fever which
he had some years ago and offers the
statement that a sister has been III
an insane asylum In Italy since she
was two years old.
The events before the shootins 6
We're not a part Of his dream. He
said that he had left the boarding
house to go TO show and that he
had locked the door Of the place
after him as the boss Of the house
had told him a few days before hat
The last one out should lock the
ioor. Then Minno brothers and
had let on the street and
nad demanded to know why he had Z
locked them In They teia him b e =
they were rot pigs that had "a be
locked in. Frank Minno had struck