New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-26
p0FRANO MURDER
TALE BACKED UP
Miro Says Ex-Offcial Met
Five Men Near Brook
Ign Bridge

-, Miro. whose position in Michael
p.,-.no's murder trial is almost the
that Of Sam Sehepps in the
So .,se. withstood a grilling cross
'..,ion BY Martin W. Littleton,
- for Rofrano. yesterday. The
80 sought 70 break down Miro's
-.horation Of the murder conference
=. Brondini's house, in Borough
A. this RofranO. according to
..,,inony Of two aecomplices, was
and ordered the killing Of
80 Cismari. his political foe.
a. rit.Ieton brought out that Miro
= h.sn assoeiating with the princi-
~ ...omplice. Gaetano MOntimagno,
ui,b salvatore Curica, a former
I'd witness FOR the prosecution,
- west Side prison for nearby two
as ard that Miro had played
-, with MontimagnO there. Curica
- disappointed the prosecution by
-.. ns;sting his statements lmpHcating
100 he has since been ncicted as
....s.~onplice. Frank Fennimore, VINO
--ssssed MS part IN the murder, and
~. ,rsfused 70 testify against Rofrano'
~ r;.b the others, on the same tier.
Sweetheart Came Here
an;dnY Fennimore say 70 you, Why
ar tel the truth, Miro, and say
~ son't know anything about the
y. .,ss asked Mr.. LittletOn. Miro de-
led l. ..: .l.o .Lovysd that
49, sweetheart. Viola Spagno, was
- - n New York from York, Penn,
80 Miro was found. and has since
s. - kept in the City Hospital on
gsckwell's Island. r,
49, her mother and sister came on
..rs and tried 70 prefer a charge OF
~site slavery against you MIRO sal0
!, knew nothing about II
when the intimate association OF the
illnesses in the West Side prison was
s-ought out. James X. Fraser, Juror
"a {. asked Justice Weeks who had
sssirnated the prisons where such VII,
-ssses were kept. The court explained
"a these matters we're arranged oy
DOS Of the courts where the WIT
-s,sss we're first held. subject 20 The
srrression Of the District Attorney.
T;ro's most important work was to
.,--oborste the story Of ROfrano's al
sd meeting with Montimagno and
. - other conspirators under the
,sssow of Brooklyn Bridge, in North
william Street. Just before the murder
=, March s. 1915. He said he, with
Cu-;ea. was trying 20 pick the pockets
n passengers aighting from the cars
!. the Bridge. when he saw the con
s.irstors. Nontimagno. RoX Cornell anc
Joe and John Brondini. get of a car.
Saws He Followed Group
Recalling the conversation he hac
heard r Brondini's home about the "jot
Il killing the Horse, as Michae
Gzmai was called. Miro testified NJ
I'D Curica followed the quartet intC
ysr.h William Street, where RofranC
snc Fennimore Joined them.
Or cross-examination he testified he
sau Rofrano and Cornell gesticulatina
s1s.isdly as they talked with MONT
nEzno Then. he asserted. he hurried
sssy, going into a restaurant at Fsrs
2sw and Duane Street. From his seat
a.ar The front. on the Park Row side
D. saw Rofrano and the other I'VE wall
y North William Street into PsrA
RoE. Then Rofrano, according 20 Miro
disappeared in the direction OF the
Municipal Building. where he then h2c
a. Office as Deputy Street Cleaning
Commissioner.
Nr LIttleton By his own diagrams
~intsd OUT % the jury that if Miro
Fzs seated IN the restaurant. as ne saiC
r was. be could not have seen Nortf
william Street OF the points where ht
;sczred he had seen Rofrano wall
rzsrd the Municipal Building. Alber-
D. Nevhgll. foreman OF the jury, asked
i t1t accurate diagrams OF the restau
ar and the vicinity be provided.
Justice Weeks yesterday announced
"a, John z. Heart, who was Juroi
10 until MS illness compelled M
rthdrswsl last Thursday, had dice
Il II pneumonia ea-l7 IN the morning u
ss French Hospital Mr. Heartt, Wit
1 ortrscted the disease riding from
1 var % the Murray Hill Hotel IN a.
sen bus, lived a. 555 West l44tl
s.reet