The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-02-06
CONDUCTS HIS OWN CASE
italian Charged With First Degree
Murder Takes Stand Himself, and on
His own Story He Is Held Without
Bonds to Trial in the Circuit Court.

morning furnished the testimony on
which he was held for trial in the Cir
cult Court on charges of murder IN the
first degree. Up to the time that the
defendant himself took the stand there
had been little evidence produced on
the part of the state but the story OF
the defendant removed all doubt as to
the action of the court in holding him
for the crime and was at once commit
ted to the county jail without bond.
iPolimeni had expected this action on
the part of the court but he declined
to waive examination and insisted that
the state produce its evidence against
him. There was little interest shown
in the hearing. When Polimeni was
brought into court there were less than
a dozen people in the court room and
nearly all of these had been summoned
as witnesses of the state for the hear
ing. In former hearings of similar
nature Italians of the city had crowded
the court room, but they seemed co
have no interest in this case. Earlier
in the week several had called at the
jail to see Polimeni, but none of them
offered to help him. Polimeni was pale
and nervous when he appeared in court.
He sat next to the widow Of the man
he had shot on Sunday, but there was
no attempt of the two to converse.
Mrs. Tony Polimeni wept when the
story of the shooting of her husband
was told, but when she took the stand
she gave no evidence Of value to the
state in fixing the crime on the cousin
of her late husband. Dominick Poll
meni seemed to be desperately interest
ed in every movement at the hearing.
He understands English but when the
warrant was read to him he insisted
that the state call an interpreter in or
der that he might fully understand the
contents Of the warrant. It was care
fully translated to him. The court ad-
vised him that he was charged with
murder and that under the legal provi-
sions he must enter a plea of "not
guilty. Polimeni did not say word
but walked back to the prisoner IS chair
like practiced court attendant. When
the few witnesses were called by the
state, Polimeni paid close attention to
their testimony and when given a
chance to question them his line of
cross questioning showed that he APP
preciated fully the value of evidence.
The witnesses called by the state were
for the most part people who had seen
the two men running after the shoot
ing. None Of these witnesses positively
identified Polimeni as the man who had
run away after the shooting.
Polimeni sought to show by these
witnesses that his cousin was armed
and that after the shooting the cousin
had thrown his revolver into catch
basin. This was brought out by the
cross examination of two witnesses.
After the state had rested its case, Poll
meni, although advised that he was not
required to take the stand insisted on
giving his version Of the shooting. On
the stand he told practically the same
story that he had told the Chief of
Police and District Attorney on We'd
nesday. The District Attorney allowed
him the widest possible latitude in the
telling of the story. On the stand
Polimeni seemed to make no effort to
hold back any portion of the story and
he declared repeatedly that he drew
his revolver in self-dense. His story.
however, showed that his cousin did not
draw his revolver out of his pocket.
Immediately after the hearing, Poll
mem was taken to the county jail,
where he will be held until the March
term of the Circuit Court. It is prob
able that he will secure an attorney
when the case is called for trial.
Polimeni was not in court for the
first time this morning as the records
of the court show that some time ago
he was arrested and fined $50 and the
costs on charges Of carrying concealed
weapons.