Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-06

cioli said that his client had made no confession, but had made certain statements. Among them was one in which he said that if they saved tho woman, they would have to save him.
 Closing arguments were then made and District Attorney Barker said that the affidavit of Mrs. Cusumano was inconsistent and unworthy of credence. Reasonable Doubt of Woman's Guilt.
 Under the law. the executive council is required to issue formal statement of it's reasons for granting a c0mmu- tation of sentence. At the conclusion of it's meeting the council made pub lie the following statement:
 By reason of additional information laid before the council, it's mem berg came to the conclusion that there was reasonable ground for doubt as to the guilt of Lena Cusumano of murder in the first degree and thereby unani- mously recommended that her sentence be commuted to Imprisonment for life.
 "No recommendation was made with regard to Harry Marshall, her conn panion in crime"
 Transfer to Womsn's Prison.
 Warden Bridges of state prison was at the state house during the hearing and was one of the first to be inform ed of the action of the council. Cen. | Bridges said that he should immedtat- ! ly transfer the woman to the Wo- mans Reformatory at Sherborn No person sentenced to death since the present method of execution by electricity, ever came quite SO close to the fatal chair az Mrs. Cusunano, and escaped the penalty.
 Details of the Murder.
 The crime for which Mrs. Lena cu- sumano and Enrico Mascioli were sen- tensea to death was the murder of the woman's husband, Prank Cusumano, at Bayside, in the town of Hull, on September IS, 1910.
 The first intimation that a crime had been committed came in the finding of the nude body of a man, wrapped in a quilt, and tied up with telephone wire, on the shore of the ocean at Sum- set Point, Hull. on October 14. 1910.
 A post mortem revealed the fact that the man had come to his death by being struck over the back of the neck with a sharp instrunnent, prohah- ly an axe. The spine had been served and there had been some attempts Co dismember the body.
 The body was identified two days later as that of Cusumano, although the wife denied that tho body st all TO- sembled that of her htisbaDd
 Mareioli "star sordsr.D
 Mrs. Cusumspo and man who had been a ''star" border at the Cusunnauo home, Enrico MsrciolL. also known as Harry Marshall. were arrested and placed on trial on February 12, 1911. The trial lasted fourteen days and at the end of 14 hours deliberation the jury returned a verdict on Sunday that both were guilty of murder in tho first degree.
 The verdict was rendered on Fab- ruary 26, 1911, and the two prisoners remained in the Plymouth county jail until last week when they were re- moved to the death house.
 Every effort has been made to save the woman from the death chair. on the grounds of sentiment as the wo- man was wife ard a mother and also because 1t was felt that she had been found guilty principally through the testimony of her own daughter, a nine year old child of weak mentality. . It was also claimed that the murder had been solely by the man and that the wife knew nothing of 1t until aft- l erwards.