Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-03-23
GIRL NOT HELD On
MURDER CHARGE
Self-Defense Established in Case
Of Poultney Miss Who De
Tended Her Honor.

roultncy. March 2O---Miss Carmola
Covna OF this village aged II years,
who has been in Rutland county jail
since March 10 on the charge of the
murder OF Luigi Ncrmillo, aged A5
years whom she shot on February l6
while they were alone in the house of
Dominic Covina. the girls father, on
the ground that he attempted to feloni-
ously assault her. was this afternoon
discharged by city Judge Fred G.
Swlnnerton OF Rutland on the ground
that the girl acted in sclf-dcfense.
There was long hearing in the case
to-day at tho office here OF w H.
Rowland, counsel for tho respondent.
Attorney General John O. Sargent of
Ludlow and states Attorney b. L.
stafford of Rutland appeared for the
prosecution
Vermillo was not expected to die
from his wound He was taken at
once 10 tho Albany, ~ y, hospital
after tho shooting and seemed TO be
making rapid recovery until March
0. when blood poisoning set IN and
he died the night of the nth. The
girl, who ho0 merely been under the
surveillance Of her counsel before
that was then placed under arrest.
Miss Covina told q straightforward
story when she was put on the wit
ness stand by the defense Of the
annoyance and insults she had been
subjected to by Vermillo before shoot
ing him. Her story was related
through Deputy Sheriff Pascal Rlcci
IS interpreter rs the girl cannot speak
t-A 1
the statement she gave Mr.. Ricci soon
after the shooting. The girl was neat
" dressed and she made a good ap-
pearance on the stand
TELLS OF ATTEMPTED ASSAULT.
Miss Covina said that on the morn
ing the affair occurred Vermillo did
not get up and 80 20 work when the
other boarders IN the house did. hav-
Ing remained away from the slate
quarries. which were nearby. for Il
few days because of illness When he
arose and went downstairs the CIR
was in her bedroom which was on tn,
lower floor, combing her hair Yer
milo entered the room unbidden anl
asked her to go out into another room
but she refused and ordered him I,
Homework a little later the man OF
fered her 50 in an insulting way an,
asked her to 20 upstairs with him
She did everything that she could t,
make him desist but he continued t,
annoy her and even grabbed hold o
her and pinched her.
Finally she went into her room an,
pvt inside of her waist a revolve
which her brother had given her.
had been hanging on the wall. Sh
shot Nermillo as he stood near tn
window looking out at her request
She was I'm tho middle of the room a
he time. As soon as he was woundo
Ncrwillo left the house. lie turned a
If to come back once and fearing hin
the girl shot twice in the air to frighte1
hin, according to her testimony. Yer
milo went to q neighbors and tn
girl ran out of the house screaming
The first witness for the prosecute
was Edward II. Randall OF Poutney.
civil engineer, who showed blue uru,
he had taken OF the Covina premises an
he explained the interior Of the house D'
a. J. Greenwood testified that Verml
vas brought TO his office on the mornin
y February 16 lie described the wount
which he thought was made with A 3.
calibre bullet, a short distance from tn
center of the mans back and on tn
shoulder blade.
FIANCT STOOD by HER
DR.. =. II. Stone. director OF the stat
laboratory Of hygiene at Burlington
testified TO performing an autopsy o
Nermino's body. He said that the woun
looked as though the man had been she
~ short range. To substantiate thi
Miss Covina was again placed on tn
stand AMI she testified that Vernilo ma
hold of her when she fired.
Giovanni Villan Miss Covina's fnauc,
was the only friend with her during tn
trial, her parents not being present