Evening journal., 1913-03-07
CRESTE ALLEGES
SELF DEFENSE
Counsel for Murder Accused
Man Says He Killed to
Save Himself

John f. O'Neal. of Mt Cuba. was
the first witness called this morning
for the. defense in the case of Anthony
Creste, charged in oyer and Termer
Court with the murder on December
10, of his son-in-law, Antonia
Richardo The state put in its case
yesterday Creste is defended by J.
Frank Ball and William G. Jones, Jr.,
in court this morning.
Fred S. Price, civil engineer pro-
duced a plot of the surroundings
where the shooting occurred and tes-
tilted that from the shed where the
men were drinking on the day of the
shooting to the entrance TO Crestes
house was about 125 feet
Creste then went on the stand i'm
answer to Mr. Ball he told OF receiv-
ing several black hand letters through
the mails on August and September
demanding money He told Of hav-
ing called on Chief of Police Black
here about the letters and later of
taking them to the post Office where
they were turned over the Post Officer
Inspector NJ. S. Plummer. This tes-
timOny was objected to by Attorney
General Wolcott and the jury retired
while argument was heard by the
court
Mr. Ball said he would urge self de-
fense on behalf of Creste as he had
received letters demanding $4,000 to
be left in a certain place on certain
place or else suffer death Mr. Bali
then stated that on suggestion of Mr.
! Plummer, Creste had sent his son to
Philadelphia i'm the hope of finding
out something definite about the letter
writer but he learned nothing This
fact was known 10 Richardo Mr.
Ball said and letters followed in
structing him to carry the money to
/ Washington Park About this time
Richardo, according to Mr. Ball.
tried to get Creste to borrow $1,000
on his farm and he offered to go and
settle the trouble.
Chief Justice Pcnucwill asked IA
/ the defense proposed to show that the
dead man was a member Of the
BLACK Hand Society" but Mr. Ball
{ said he would not 20 TO that extent
/ Mr. Ball tried TO show that the letters
/ had caused Crestc TO live i'm mortal
dread and he cited a case where a
man had mentioned the word pep
pers' which, according to the letters
\ was the pass work of the society
/ After hearing much evidence of a
/ like nature the court retired for a
/ conference.
The first witness called yesterday
( afternoon was Romali Pallechio, a
/ youth. who told of the trouble at
/ Crestes house on December 10 last
! The men. he said. had been drinking
( cider and when Creste came Richardo
asked Creste about a story that ne.
! Richardo. had starved Crestes daugh-
ter to death to which the defendant
/ replied 1T is not true"
At this RichardO struck Creste IN
: the nose. Creste started for the
house with Richardo following and he
was caught by Antonio Gillette but
was pushed away by Richardo Wit
ness said he heard no threats
The shooting was then described
by the witness. DR. Harold Come
one of the physicians attached to the
delaware hospital, told of the man
diving there on Becember 81 and was
present when the bullet was found
under the scalp.
Former Coroner James T, Chandler.
mr. J. W. Bastian. former coroner's
: physician. who performed the au-
topsy alto testified to the bullet
/ causing the mans death following
| blood poisoning
The defense then opened