The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-01-17
rHis FEATURE OF cAsE TO "a
DECIDED FIRST.


" Jury FInds Man Insane cass VIII
eno-other~tss Mur6sr Charge
VIII De Pressed.
The inquest into the sanity OF Sal.
vooare Purpura, charKed with the
murder OF francesca Lopreste on the
Iztn or last September. near the d. &
u. station. was commsnced In the
criminal court yesterday, Judge Alan
ID Robinson presiding. Prosecutor Ad-
dieman and Assistant David Mckee
representing the state and Attorney
J. b. sommerville representing the
plaintfn. During the day testimony
was given by ~ witnesses and was
Tor the most part to the effect that
the prisoner had been periodically In
sane Tor number OF years The
TACT that Purpura will. In all prob
ABILITY. be found guilty of first degree
murder. providing his attorney can.
not prove his insanity. has attracted
much attention to the case and the
court room was well filled durinr the
entire day by attorneys and Others,
who listended to the testimony given
with interest The defendant, who 10
q man appearing to be about 60
years OF age. does not seem to under.
stand that the matters going ON
around him may mean the taking u
mis- life. but sits with a vacant stare
resting In his face and takes NO IN
terest In any Of the testimony.
jury Selected.
The selection OF the Jury did not
develop the difficulties that were ex-
pected and IL men were selected
from the first panel OF 20 names, the
jury being composed OF Frank
Thompson. Charles Sonda. Louis
Bachman. James Lancaster, T. d.
Bayha. Z. Barlow. c. F. Etz. William
b. Rapp. James Moore, Thomas
Moore. Thomas Prosser, Charles
Lennon and Elmer Sells. A special
oath was administered to the Jurors,
instructing them to determine by the
evidence whether or not the de-
fendant was sane at the time OF the
murder. and Judge Robinson further
instructed them that the matter OF
guilty should not be allowed to enter
into their opinion.
The trial commenced with Prosecu-
tor Addleman making the opening
statement for the State. In which he
stated 10 the jury that the case was
one growing out OF homicide, and
that the issue was one that would de-
termine whether or not the man was
sane at the time he committed the
crime. He then minated that, pro-
viding the man was found TO have
been insane at the time the crime was
committed. further trial would not be
necessary.
Attorney J. h. Sommerville. for the
defendant. next addressed the fury
briefly. stating that the man was not
sane at the time the crime was COM
mitted. had not been sane for q period
OF some years. and had not regained
his sanity up until the present He
then offered n plea of insanity for the
defendant.
Witnesses Called.
Shortly before IL o'clock the frat
witness for the State was called, and
a number OF them were disposed OF in
rapid order. they being. for the most
part, relatives of the murdered man
and actual Witnesses OF the murder.
The testimony given by the relatives
or the deceased was mostly pertaining
to the relations between the two men
before the day Of the murder. and the
greater part Of the testimony was 10
the effect that the men had always
been friendly
w. {. Stitel. an eyewitness of the
murder. was then called and testified
OF the meeting OF Purpura and Lo-
presto on the day Of the murder He
described the stabbing as having oc.
CURED az the express corner OF the ID
q o. station. and stated that Purpura
walked directly up TO Dopreste
grabbed him by the arm and stabbed
him several times with a knife. He
stated that there seemed 10 be no
provocation for the murder.
Orders Arrest
Squire Lee r. Dobbs then testified
20 the effect that he had been called
out into the street by Mr.. Stifel. who
pointed out Purpura. then crossing
Sixteenth street. and told him OF the
sffair. Squire Dobbs stated that Pur.
pura had the knife IN his hand while
he vas crossing the street. and that
ne tDObbsD called Constable Bert
Phillips. who Iiaced Purpura under ar
rest. Mr. Dobbs also testified that no
alter saw Lopreste lying on the ground
ana described the wounds that Lo-
presto had received. lie stated that
- had gone 10 the jail 10 see Purpura
here, rat that Purpura had refused To
Say anything. and the witness admit.
ed upon crOss-examination that a
blank look rested on Purpura's face.
Joe LOpreste. a son OF the murdered
NAhIs IfAN AfNAIltfu AuhI ne Uh0 KNOWN
Purpura for several years but had
never noticed any actions on the part
u Purpura that " ould Indicate hls in
sanity. He stated that Purpura Wis
tied their home about four years ago,
walked directly through the house TO
the kitchen. where his father vas sit.
ling The witness stated that he did
not hear any conformation between
the tao men but WAS attracted 10 the
room b. cries from his father t'pOn
hi arrival there he saw Purpura
strike I0presfe and knock him down.
then grab Mrs Lopreste and knock
hrr 20 The floor On cross GAMMA
ton the witncas stated that following
The trouble that had occurred In his
home. he had grabbed q poker and
chased Purpura from the house
Dick Robertson vas the next Wif.
ness called. but his Testimony was
only concerning the cute that ne had
-eon on fsopresfes body. be having
been called 20 the scene Of the muir
t'r shortly after The occurrence 81
he anair
Son Testifes
Tony INprcsf~. another son 81 The
murdered man was then called upor
~ testify and stated that although
81" had known Purpura Tor many Years