Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-12
MAN ACQUITTED OF
MURDER HELD TO
ACCUSE ANOTHER
DeskOwich Detained in Court
House While Detective
Swears Out Warrant.

The acquittal Of Peter Deskowich
on a charge of numbering his wife in
Nutley on March 10 last, by throwing
kerosene oil or gasolene over her
clothes and then touching a match to
them. by jury in Judge Harry v.
Osborne's court few minutes after Z
o'clock last night did not occasion
any great surprise in the court house,
as it was generally expected that
mot guilty" would be the verdict Of
the jury
But his arrest as q material wit
ness in another case, almost two
hours later. after Deskowieh had been
irregularly if not illegally. detained
in the court house for two hours be-
fore a warrant for his arrest was
sworn out before Justice of the Peace
Matthew j. Treacy by Detective-Ser-
geant Walter Godfrey did cause some
excitement, especially today when ef-
forts were made to find out in what
murder case Deskowich was wanted
as a material witness.
Held In CecerieIIo Case.
And that information was not
Forthcoming until Assistant Prosecu-
tor Wilbur A. Mott had angrily blurt-
ed ii out to a representative Of the
Evening Star while accusing him of
having an Interior motive in desiring
the information.
Deskowich is wanted as a witness
+ against Angelo Ceeeriello, whose trial
for the murder of his wife. Alvira
i Ceceriello, in a vacant lot on Chester
avenue, Bloomfield, on May 30 last,
will start before Judge Martin next
Monday.
/ The evidence that Deskowich is ex-
pected to give was not divulged by
the angry assistant prosecutor, but II
IS understood that he is expected TO
tell of alleged iucriminating remarks
made by Ceceriello to fellow prison
ers in "Murdercr's Row at the county
Jail.
Detained 10 Awnit Warrant.
After Deskowich had been found
not guilty by the jury and had been
formally discharged from custody by
the court he started to walk away
/ with his counsel ]. Victor D'Aloia
and Philip ID. Elliot, but was stopped
I by Court Attendant James p. Clark,
who informed DeslSowieh and his
counsel that Deskowich was TO be de-
tained by order of Chief of County
Detectives Frederick Weimer until d
warrant for his arrest as a saaatfsia
witness was sw0iia out.
Mr.. D'Aloia protested that Desko
wich was a free man and that ns
one had any right to hold him &
prisoner in the Court House without
warrant, but, realizing that CLARK
was only following orders as giver
him by Weimer, who incidentally had
no authority to give such orders tc
court attendant, Mr.. D'Aloia got
Chief Weimer on the telephone and
demanded an explanation.
weimer Refuses Information.
Chief Weimer said that Detective
Sergeant Walter Godfrey would reach
the Court House later and swear oui
"A warrant in the regular way, but
refused to give D'Aloia. as Desko-
wich's counsel. any other informa.
ton. Not wanting to put Deskowich
Just acquitted on n charge of mur-
dering his wife, in the position oi
trying to evade or escape from doing
anything the prosecutors Office
wished him to do, Mr.. D'Aloia advised
him to wait at the Court House unit
Godfrey arrived.
Before Godfrey arrived Deskowict
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