The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-03
MORAER MURDER
SUSPECT FOUND
IN SOMERSET
Young italian Arrested by New
York Officer
IN JAIL HERE LAST NIGHT
Samuel 6asslno Slightly Resembled
Man Charged With Killing
Family Of Four

A young Italian, who was arrested
III Somerset on suspicion that he was
Edward Donate, charged with the
murder of four members of the Nor
ner family at De aFreestyille, near
Albany, on the afternoon Of Decem-
Der 70. was brought here early last
evening by Deputy Sheriff F. Z. Ack-
art of Schaghticoke and temporarily
lodged in the county Jail while wait
ing for the 7.45 train for Troy.
The young man gave his name as
Samuel Bassino, his birthplace, Cen
GA. Italy. and his age % years. He
can read and write and speaks Eng
lish fairly well for a foreigner While
at the Jail here he took his arrest
cody and answered all questions
asked him without hesitation. When
Deputy Ackart and his prisoner ar
rived at the Jail, the local officers,
Sheriff Frederick Godfrey, Chief OF
Police Brazil and Officer Hurley look
ed the young Italian over for points
of Identification that would fit with
the published description of the al
legged murderer All were fairly well
convinced that the prisoner was not
the man wanted.
The arrest was the result of infor-
nation received by Undersheriff Cot
trell of Troy Monday afternoon. An
American, said to be a resident OF
Bennington, who had been working
on the big storage dam at Somerset,
appeared at the sheriff's office and
said that strange Italian who ar
rived at the camp Of the construction
gang in Somerset last Saturday and
who slept in an adjoining bunk had
acted in a nervous manner while at
work and was unable to sleep at
night. A description given of the
restless Italian tailed in some par
ticulars with that of the alleged MUIR
derer and it was decided to send an
officer after the man.
Deputy Sheriff Ackart was given
the job and went at once to North
Adams by train. From North Adams
he drove in a sleigh 80 miles to Som
erset At Somerset he met the man
who had furnished the information
and 1t was agreed that the American
workman should fall into line behind
the suspected Italian as the gang left
its work at noon for dinner. AS the
line of workmen approached the
building where the meals were serv'
ed, Deputy Sheriff Ackart suddenly
drew his revolver and thrusting the
weapon into Bassinos face, ordered
the Italian to throw up his hands
The Italian naturally complied with
instructions and before his fellow
workmen could recover from theil
surprise he was handcuffed, pulled
into the sleigh and with the horses
on the run was being taken out OF
the vicinity as rapidly as the nature
of the road would permit.
Instead OF returning by way o.
North Adams, Ackart and his pris
oner came to this village by the way
of Searsburg and Woodford, arriv
ing about o'clock. From here they
took the 7;45 train for Troy and ar
rived there at $40.
While he took all the precaution.
necessary in the arrest of suppos
ed murderer, Deputy Ackart would
not have had the slightest difficult,
In delivering his prisoner once hC
was away from the gang at work OF
the dam. Bassino did not make tn,
slightest resistance and appeared L
look upon his arrest as a good jok,
on the deputy. He Is an UNUSUAL,
well appearing Italian and above tn,
average In intelligence. He state,
at the Jail last night that he had beef
in Somerset for two months, gon,
there from Brooklyn with fellow
countryman who conducted the com
pany store for the workmen. He hal
in his pocket his time slip for tn
past 20 days and also a ticket on tn
store with a number of the section
punched out. He said that he ha,
been at work on one of the stear
shovels being used on the dam. Will
he is about the same height as Dons
to, the man wanted for the quadr,
pie crime, he is much heavier In
dividual than the fugitive who 1
said to weigh about 100 pounds. Ba.
sino has one mark of identificatio
that would be recognized by any Del
son who had once laid eyes upon him
One of his front teeth, which are pal
tioularly large and even, is complet,
~ covered with gold. He also ha
a gold cap on one OF the molars an
some bridge work. He stated las
night that his dentists bill had bee
$50.
Bassino did not show the slightes
uneasiness over his arrest, in fact h
was not half so nervous as the d,
putty. On the way to Troy last ey,
ming the Italians greatest troubl
was the expense OF his trip. II
wanted to know II he would be give
his car fare back to Somerset nm
II he would be paid for his lost tim,
After the Italian was lodged
jail at Troy last night {. the official
were so little impressed with the no
sibility that he might be Donate ths
they made little effort TO complete n
Identification. Today some of m
neighbors OF the murdered famil
viii take look at him.
l