Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-28
MRS. CICCONE. IN
CHAIRS SHADOW,
TELLS HER STORY
Husband Slayer Says
She Did Sweet
hearts Bidding.
"HE THREATENED TO KILL
IF DISOBEYED," SHE SAID
Fiore Put a White Powder in
My Husbands Beer
She Testifies.


Mrs. Madelena Ciccone. accused os
the murder Of her husband. took ths
witness stand this afternoon and tes-
tilted in her own behalf. She at once
plunged into a recital Of her dealings
with Tony Fiore for a period of six
months prior 10 the killing Of her
husband.
Mrs. ciecone testified that at all
times during that period she was in
fear OF her life- as Fiore constant
ly threatened to kill her if she did
not obey his wishes.
What did he threaten to Kill YOU
WITH asked her counsel Frank n.
McDermit.
with a knife. =
What kind of knife2"
The same knife Fiore killed a man
with on Garside street 1That killing
was four years ago.
Did You ever know Fiore having
any poison"
Yes He had white powder
Where did he get ite''
y don't know
What did he do with i %
He sent me out tor a pint of beer.
and put the powder in it,
At this stage Prosecutor Mott oh
jected 70 the testimony unless the
Time was fixed when the powder was
put in the beer. Mrs. Ciecone fixed
the time al about six months before
the death of her husband. when they
were living in Sheffield street
Did you drink any of the beer"
MOI Fiore told me not to-
Who did drink the beere'
My husband .
Was he SICK
Yes. he was sick and romited the
whole night long
IF you knew there WAS poison ia
the beer. why did you let your hus-
band drink it?"
Because Fiore told me if I did not
want to kill my husband he would
do it. Ny husband was all right the
next day"
Within ten minutes after Prose-
cutor Mott had rested the case OF
the State against Mrs. Ciccone. AZ
12:20 today. Mr.. MeDernit had put
several dents in what up to that time
looked like an iron-clad case of con-
viction for first degree murder.
McDermit got in the dents BY
forcing Joseph FNederici. court inter-
prefer. who was present when Mrs.
/ Ciecone made her confession al the
county Jail on April last to admin
that ne at the time was in posses
sion Of other statements made pre-
viously by Mrs. Ciceone, in which she
had not only told of another and un-
successful attempt TO poison her hus-
band, but had also heard her make
a statement in which she had stared
that she had for some time thought
of ending her Assoeie tioEs with Fiore,
I her brother-in-law and sweetheart
by taking dose of poison herself.
This Was in Police Captains once.
These statements were made by
Mrs. Ciccone in the Office of Captain
Brown at the Second precinct i'm
mediately following her arrest last
March. and were overheard bv
I Federico and County Detective
Anthony De Rogatis, who were con-
| cealed in another room This was be-
fore a confession had been obtained
from Mrs. Cieeone at the county jail,
No mention was made of a previous
attempt in that confession
McDermit also brought out the fact
that Mrs. Ciccone had had frat
poison in her home for long time
prior to the death OF her husband on
March I last and that it was not
necessary for her to obtain poison
specially for that purpose. as testi-
fed to by her 13-year-old daughter
yesterday.
According TO the confession. parts
Of which are unprintable. Mrs. Cie-
cone was absolutely under the domi-
nation of Fiore and obeyed his every
Continued on Second Page,