New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-01

bling the bottle and waving it around,
"isnt it true that if you dropped =
whole pound of this stuff on the floor
it wouldn't explode? -
Assistant District Attorney Train
took speedy refuge across the room,
the nearest jurors ducked and the spec
tators held their breath while two
court officers forcibly removed the bot
tie from Mr. Keir's grasp and gingerly
handed it over to the clerk.
"The substance might not explode if
dropped the witness answered when
the excitement subsidized.
Chemists Testimony Upheld,
Mr.. Keir was not satisfied, however,
and objected 10 the chemists tcsti-
mony. on the ground that in trying out
the explosive Rolkey had used the reg
ulsr apparatus for that purpose, q
Trauzel block. instead of setting the
mixture off in one of the original
bombs. he was overruled.
The same lawyer again injected an
element of especial interest into the
proceedings a little later, when he
asked Detective Sergeant George D..
Bernitz to put on the disguise he wore
in the cathedral when Abarno was ar
rested.
IL will not allow the court TO become
a place for laughter" said Judge Mott.
There is no necessity for the witness
to put en- this disguise. You may Of
fer it in evidence if you like
IL mean il in all seriousness, your
honor" the lawyer objected. 1T IS
our contention that this whole thing
was theatrical performance, and this
is an important point
The court was firm. nevertheless.
and the arrest was not staged.
Sergeant Bernitz, who was dressed
as an old man. with false beard and
gray wig. on the morning of the arrest,
told of what happened in the cathedral
when Abarno and Detective Pulignano
came il with their bombs.
Scene in the Cathedral.
"Pulignano took seat and com
menced to pray" Bernitz testified.
"'God have mercy on my soul he said.
Abarno sat down five or six pews ahead
Of him. | was watching him, and when
saw him bend over | started toward
him. He got up to leave but grabbed
him and threw him into the arms of the
detectives. who were disguised as
scrubwomen.
81 went 10 where Abarno had been
sitting and found the bomb under the
bench. The fuse was lit, but not sput-
tering. ] put It out with my fingers
and turned the bomb over TO Detective
Coy in the vestibule Then l went
back and picked up the cigar | had
noticed By the bomb. 1t was still
burning"
Beraitz produced the cigar and part
of the fuse which he had cut off from
the bomb. They were put in evidence
by Mr.. Train.
On the crOss-eXamination Mr.. kcir
tried to show that the officer had taken
undue risks in not going for the bomb
first, but Bernitz explained that from
tests that had been made at Police
headquarters he knew it would take at
least seven or eight minutes for the
fuse to burn.
ing?" asked Mr.. Keir.
mo, sir, was a policeman the wit
ness answered, suppressing q smile.
Simon O. Pollack, AbarnO's counsel.
tried to make Bernitz admit that he
struck the prisoners after they were
brought to Police Headquarters and at
to direct their statements. The
detective denied the charges.
Captain Tunney Tells of Arrest.
Captain Thomas j. Tunney. of the I'd
Detective Bureau. in charge of the
anarchist and |. ". ". squadron, was
called to give his story Of the events
leading up TO Abarno and Carbone's
dramatic arrest. He told of leaving
headquarters in an automobile at $3.50
o'clock and being present in the Cattle
.~sDsns~s@Ms@