The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-22
|CONFESSES GUILT TO SAVE FRIENDS FROM JUDGMENT John Stacey, Charged With Manslaughter, Admits
 Committing Deed. DRAMATIC SCENE IN
 CITY POLICE COURT Sacrifice Fails When Bart lett Refuses to Discharge
 Prisoners.

| To save his companions, John
 Stacey, of 1128 Railroad avenue, rose in the prisoners pen at the city court 1 today, just when Judge F. A. Bart 1 lett was about to pronounce a de-
 cision, and called out that he alone 1 Is guilty of the Tnurderous assault 1 com mn1itted upon Alex Mikeilonis.
 Five men were charged with man. l slaughter a result of the death of
 Mikeilonis, who lived at 1126 Railroad avenue. Stacey decided to martyr 1 himself this morning when he saw
 that on the evidence presented, his friends were likely to be bound over l to the superior court!
 The assault was alleged to have been committed by John, Patrick and Joseph Collins, Of 112s Railroad ave- nue, Arthur Malnstron of 1924 State
 street and Stacey. They had been arrested and held awaiting the finding
 of Coroner Phelan who declared the
 act manslaughter
 All prisoners were in city court tos day and each of them have repeatedly
 denied committing the assault. The
 hearing was nearly concluded and the
 court about to pronounce disposition
 of the case, when suddenly Stacey
 sprang from the bench in the pris-
 eners' pen, with a. wild look in his
 eyes and his voice trembling, he
 cried:
 s'For Gods sake, your honor, don't
 blame the other fellows for killing
 Alex I'm the one that. hit him with
 the wooden tent stake. Please don't
 sentence the other fellows, but do with
 me what you wish.''
 With his hands trembling as he clung to the wooden rail, Stacey awaited the answer of Judge Bartlett. who was astounded at the confession
 Before the court could answer Stacey
 l. nocence He was dufeted by Court Ud4cer Christopher FsinSaegam.
 Turning towards the pen Judge Bartlett said he was very sorry but he could not order the entire contingent released in view of the fact that they had already confessed to being among the crowd that comnnitted the assault. He then ordered the bonds in each case reduced from $5,o00 to $1,o0o, and advised the prisoners to procure a lawyer.
 John Collins has a wife and daugh- l ter to support. The charge of man slaughter may be changed 10 one oI | assault in self defense.
 The charge against Malmstrom was nolled: as in the opinion of Prosecutor Der aneve Malmstronn was not present when the assault was committed. i John. Patrick, and Joseph Collins ana Stacey were bound over to the Feo- T court and in default of furnishing the bail, they were remanoeo 10 The county jail to await trial.
 Joe Melovitch of BPS Cherry street, a companion of Mfkeilonis, said the as sault was an aftermath of a, neighbor- hood/ quarrel a week before 1t was Alex lived at LIPS Rail road d avenue over the one occupied Dy l' he Collins family and a week before he assault one of the Collins family entered the home of Alex and objected I 6o the noise being 3Enade by 8 party. There was ill feeling between the two antilles it is alleged by Melovitch, 1 and several quarrels and fights oc- 1 cured between the two families. On h he night of Nov. 2o,. Me1ovitch and Alex were attacked the members of he Collins family at Raifroad and Ii gnnton avenue. according to allega- l7 iors and Alex was truck af blow on i he head with a wooden stake. He 7 vas removed toISt- Xincent's hospital. z 4e failed to regain consciousness until z wo days later, but after 48 hours he again into inconsistencies . tnd died shortly afterward from a fracture of the skull and hemorrhage if the brain. ,loyed at the winter quarters Of Bar lurn & Bai1ey's circus on Norman treet In the opinion of Judge Bart cit they aFe young men who have be- come careless. The accused had no ounsel during the trial in the city ourt today.