Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-10-24

| case On October 5, a house that was
being moved by Louis Doto1o was
wedged between these trees. On the
| morning of the 5tn Selectman Stanle
and Town Attorney McKenna were
| there and agreement had been made
! the day before that one of the trees
! was not to be cut, but on that morn
/ ing the foreman of the job was cut
| ting the tree Witness previously
| warned Dotolo that the tree must not
| be cut. The foreman was in the tree
/ with an axe. the axe hanging from
limb of the tree. He reached for and
/ secured the axe and threw it behind
| him. He then attempted to pull the
man down and as he did so Dotolo
struck him over the back with a. piece
! of eordwood, that was submitted in
| eviderce. The witness reached the
!. axe, which was lying on the ground
and then started for Dotolo. He was
/ then overpowered by Stable and a
! gang of the workmen. Agreement mad
| been reached the day before that one
/ of the limbs on another tree might be
| cut and the fence removed. butt that
no other tree was to be mutilated.
In response to queries from Attorney
| Agard. DR.. Critcherson said that wren
| he came ont of the house that morning
| Selectfnen Stable, Town Attorney Nc
| henna and Contractor Dotolo were
| there. Paid no attention to Doto1o ur-'
! til after he had struck him with the
/ hlg club. Had not spoken to Dotolo
/ that morning up To time of assault
/ He was struck between the shoulder
| blades by the club. Then Dotolo ran.
| WitEess did not know what Selectman
| Stahie was doing at this time, but
earlier lie had advised Dotolo's, man
20 proceed with the work of moving
! the house Dotolo stood by and wit
ness reached fer man in tree Dotolo
struck him once with the big club.
He had no chance to use the axe as
the Italian workmen swarmed on him.
As soon as. he got free he ran into
| the barn, got his gun, and then came
out, but did not discharge the weapon.
He was indignant because the Tree
was being cut after it had been agreed
there would be no mutllation of that
particular tree. When Dotolo struck
him the blow was accompanied with
an oath by Dotolo.
Deputy Sheriff William H. Casey
testified that he saw bruise on the doc
tors back, when in the Office of Pros
ecuting Attorney Hewitt. The big
stick presented in court witness re-
| ceived from DR.. Critcherson He was
not at the Critcherson place at the
time of the assault, but, was called
there soon after by telephone by DR..
Critcherson
Harold Davis Critcherson, twelve
years old, son of the doctor, testified
he was at the window of his home !
=
father reaching for the axe in the
tree and for the man. He saw Dotolo
strike father over the back with the
club. / Had talked the matter over
with his father. Told his mother at
the time that Dotolo had struck ia
Their Did not tell his father that he
had seen Dotoio strike him until a
few days ago. Saw the man chopping
the tree with the axe when his father
took the axe from the man. His IA
MI q on nd
and Dotolo then used the club. Wit
ness said that his father had never
told el1irn that Dotolo struck him with |
the axe.
son of the doctor, age 10. testified that |
he knew Dotolo, and saw him strike |
his father with the club. He saw the |
trouble from the window of the house |
and corroborated the testimony Of his |
brother
The first witness called for the de- |
Tense was SeIectman Henry A. Stable. |
He testified that at the time he was |
deputy tree warden as we'll as Sc
lectnan. The highway was blocked /
and there had been trouble the day |
before, SO he went down to the scene |
to see if something could be done to |
clear the highway. He went there |
with Town Attorney Mckenna about /
seven o'clock in the morning. The
foreman was in the tree removing the |
limb of the tree, whenss Critcherson
came out. Just then the axe was I
hanging in the tree and the foreman |
was using a saw. The doctor tried to |
pull the man out of the tree. He then |
saw Mr.. Critcherson with the axe and |
chased the men away, but seemed to |
be after Dotolo. Witness took hold of |
Critcherson and assisted in diSarm-
ing him He did not see Dotolo have |
a club or any weapon. but did see |
some other man have a club in hand. /
BY Attorney Hewitt; Mr.. Stable |
said he was there in dual capacity of |
selectman and tree warden and told |
DotoIo ne must get the house out of |
the highway and advised Dotolo to |
remove one of the limbs of the tree. |
He said that Critcherson protested. |
Dotoio had club in his hand. He
was in position to see everything that
occurred.
Georae r. Mckenna, attorney for |
the town of Stonington, testified that |
he was near the Critcherson residence i
in lower Pawcatuek with Selectnan
Stable a. seven o'clock in the morning. |
The trouble was about o'clock. There /
was a branch that had been cut and |
a stub six or seven inches long re-
moved and the workman was ordered |
TO cut the stub Mr.. Critcherson sud t
denly appeared and declared he would /
protect his property Critcherson selz-
ed the axe and swung it to the right
and left. Dotolo was pushed over, and |
the row was ended in a minute. Some |
one did strike Cfitcherson with a big |
club. bur he was positive that Dotolo /
did not strike C'ritchefson with club. |
but it was plain that Critcherson was |
after Dotolo 1t was a busy minute, I
and impoSSl Bile to see all that was /
going on. He saw someone strike |
Critcherson With club, but could I
not identify the man who welded the !
club. Cfitcherson was struck With the /
club. While in pursuit of Dotolo With |
the axe Stable pushed Dotolo down |
and ne believed Critcherson went down |
Al clI me haf l