The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-11-26
Defendant Tells a Story Of
selfDefense TO Criminal
Court Jury.
S Us AGGREssoRs
His Victims as They Attacked
> Him a she Came Out of
the Saloon.

Joe DevonO, accused murderer OF
M.chael Clancy and James NJ De
Vine. told his side of the tragedy to
the criminal court jury Tuesday
morning. hearing the evidence in has
! case upon whose verdict his fate de-
ponds. The prisoners defense was
that he killed CLANCY and DeVine in
self-defense. He described the
double killing as an ARRAY In which
Ayeh men, some of whom had threat
ened to take his life, rushed at him
as he come out of the front door OF
the windsor saloon, then owned by
E. ". lowe, the night OF August H.
and in the mixup he used his pairing
knife to defend himself against tho
blows Of those he. believed to be con-
spring against his life.
Detailing the story. DeTono told
how he had been advised previous TO
leaving the saloon for the night Dy
Mr.. Lowe to be on his guard on ms
way home, after having heard De-
Vine and Lowe quarrelling in front
of the saloon shortly before
The prisoner stated that one OF
the Eve men struck at Dick Porter
first and then another shouted that
he was not the man they were az
ter and pointing to Devono and ap7
plying a vulgar name said that the
dago was the man they sought Ac-
cording to Devono Clancy then
struck him with his fist on the
left side of the neck and FACE ana
Others rushed in on him pulling ana
hitting him. When this occurred
Deyono took a knife Eout OF his coat
pocket and used it with deadly ell
feet. He claimed not to know whom
he struck with it or that he had in
8icted fatal wounds until told by
chef of Police Harry l. Brooks in
the county jail later
Devono stated that he was &C
o,,a1n4ed with Clancy, DeVine and
h cork of the driving party but
did not know Jesse Christopher ne
knew James Wamsley by sight put
not by name
Prior to going to work at ths
Iove saloon last March he was
merchant three and one-half years
Devono said. and had been resi-
dent of Clarksburg ten years, com
ing rc this country from Italy Two
years before.
Devono said that james N. De-
Vine. one OF the victims OF bis par
ing kni1e, had worked at the Lowe
saloon before he went to work there
Ne stated that he knew OF heh'
I3ovi-,e. had in -the saloon and nc
~ reen told by Carson Wine TO be
on the watch as bartenders evidently
meant to- do him bodily harm
The accused man told the jury
that he did not know the men were
orts;de the saloon until they pro
coded 70 attack him. He stateN
tbst he saw them driving in Glen
az loss than an hour previous TO
enc killing and that he believed
thew we're still in that section at SA
roon c.osing time Mr.. Lowe d q
~ tell him to carry the knife but
; - AID so for the purpose OF pro
,oc,inr himself from danger.
on cross examination ire stated
+bot he had never seen nor heard OF
cIancy having any trouble before
she had heard it said freQuentiS
~ the saloon that CLANCY was DAD
actor pressed, he failed to give the
name of anyone he had heard MAKE
that remark .,o
The prisoner related some Of the
dorails of a previous trouble in the
soIoon about August /, or 5. IN
Which Joseph slender. James canag-
harr and Michael Clancy were par
tenants with him when they re,
fused to pay for drinks. he stated
that CLANCY along with the other
two men made threats Fhat the>
would xiii him. Bater according &c
his story ne met ancy in the
street and the latte dvised him TO
out work at the SAXON as the BAR
tenders were after him. When tno
prosecution asked him II it were not
Edward J. Clancy. a brother o.
Michael. in the saloon with MesTs
Slender and Gallagher, he insisted
that it was MicEael. He stated that
he knew NJ chael had a brother but
he himself did not know him.
Devono gave his weight as is