New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-20
Row Over Italian Votes
Given as the Motive for
Gaimari Killing.
PHONE FIGURES
IN CORNELL'S PLOTS
la Sale Declares He Testified
Falsely by Lawyers Order
Gun Witness Fails.

tive testimony telephone couycrsa-
TONS between Michael \. Kofrano,
Deputy street Cleaning COMMISSIONED
and Roxy Cornell while the latter was
plotting the murder Of Nike Galmar.
Both Of these Assistant District Attor-
ncy Brothers. "a his efforts 20 fasten
on Kotrauo association with Galmarl $
kililnG. drew from the states witnesses
~ the Criminal Branch OF the supreme
Court ,estcrday where Gaetano Mont
maCno IS on trial for the murder. On
Tuesday Joe La Sale. called by the
prosecution. accused Rofrano OF rStl-
eating the crime.
And while the state. struggling
through clouds Of objections by Caesar
Barra, counsel for the defence, fought
TO associate the name OF the politician
with the murder. he vehemcntly denied
all knowledge Of II and LAID the charge
TO the same malice which had slain his
cousin. james Minott, shot down by La
Sale.
Cross examination failed 20 shake La
Sale lie stuck stubbornly to his ties
tlmony Of the gay before. declaring
bluntly to the verbal thrusts. Of Mr..
Barra that "Rofrano wanted Nike Gar
mari killed" To Nr. Brothers he said
that he had known Rofrauo for years,
having been member Of the Home
Rule Club, which the latter founded.
N"Who told you why Gaimari was TO
be killed." asked the Assistant Dis
trict Attorney.
Roxy Cornell"
Plot to Hill Gaimari.
what did he say? Where was it
said and who wa present.
1T was in Cornelrs house in Brook
lyn. Rox Cornell told the defendant
and me that Mike Rofrano wanted Cal
mari killed: that he was a big man and
was getting all the Italian votes in the
neighborhood."
The testimony of four telephone ope-
rators. called by Nr. Brothcrs TO idcn-
tIfy telephone slips recording calls be
tween Rocco CornclNs home and tll
the Department Of street Cleaning. and
f 90 the Homo Rule Democratic Club,
was equally explicit.
Mis- Celia GoldinG. an operator in
! the Borough Park central. identified
records showing calls from 2i33 BOr-
ough Park. Corrclps home. to 1910
Worth. the Department Of Street Clean
ing. on January and >. The call on
January was from 1851 10 1888 p. m;
that on January = from 90 to o:2l
p. m.
Miss Margaret O'Connell, another op-
orator. identified a slip showing a five
minute conversation between Cornell :
home and 2235 Orchard. the Home Rule
Democratic Club, on January !. Thus
call was at 1926 p. m; second call
ran from sos to $40 p. m. Another slip
showed call TO the Department OF
Street Cleaning ~ 5:i5 to 5:i7 p. m.
Miss Helen kcenc. third operator,
identified call from Cornells home
10 the Home Rule club on January :,
and Miss Sadie Sullivan. the last OPP
orator summoned. Identified a similar
call made IN the day before.
La Sale Accuses Elder.
In his REORGANIZATION La Sale
charged that Robert II. Elder, the at
torncy who defended him, and his broth
or Tony, nm the trial for killing Minott,
had instructed him ,Joseph La Saliel
10 testify falsely at that trial. and that
pursuant to these instructions he had
made false statements At that time
upon the stand. When asked to explain
tho discrepancies between the testimony
he gave AT his brothers trial and that
he gave in this, La Sale Jared out an
g-ily:
"Hc made me- tell the court a whole
bunch o. lies. He told me to say that
the politicians got me into trouble
"Do yot mean to say that Mr. Elder
told you? ," asked Mr. Barra.
"Ycs. Mr.. Elder" La Sale replied
An objection cut of sentence men
tioning Rofrauo. and the witness said:
81 told Mr. Elder that had a good
case in the begin ing { he hadn't told
me 70 testify differently
Didn't you tell Mr. Elder you were
afraid Of framed witnesses. and ad-
wise him to get some framed wit
ncsses, otherwise you would be sent
TO the chair" La Sale answered that
he had told Mr.. Elder he didn't want
10 stand trial after testifying as he
had in his brothers trial.
Pressed for reply as TO his sug
gestion about framed witnesses. the
witness answered sharply: "No!"
Further testimony brought out the
Witness animus against Cornell and
Mcntimagro. whom he had asked 10
hold of the killing OF Gaimari for
fear that IT would hurt his brothers
case
81 told them that II there was an
other killing right after my brother
and me had shot Jim Ninott and while
] was IN hiding it would hurt my broth
er's case he said. adding that the
conversation was held in Cornell's
home, IN New Utrecht Avenue. Brook
Ign. As he said this Montimagno, a
stocky, sandy haired fellow Of coarse
face, stared sharply a. him.
Charles Case. 81 1882 Thrty-ninth
Street. Borough Park. but who also
has rooms to rent AZ Coney Island
testified that early in January Fenui-
more and Cornell took Joseph La Sale
TO his rooms n 2925 West Sixteenth
Street. Coney Island. and asked 20
have him put up for the night That,
according 10 the states contention. was
about the time that the first plan to
murder Gaimari was 10 be put into
effect
Pauline Ssmuels. who has been re-
fcrred 20 several times a. Comcll-
girl. and who. according TO the test
mony. was present during AZ least two
conferences between Cornell. La Sale.
Fennlmorc and the defendant when
Galmsris murder is said 10 have been
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