The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-12-18

fathers cousin but she called him
uncle. There had been frequent cor
respondence between them and there
had also been telephone messages.
These were few days before the muir
der and the witness said they all re-
lated to the condition of her mother.
Millie wrote to her uncle to come home
as she was afraid to be alone in the
house.
The state offered two statements
made by Mile while in jail-one soon
after she got there and the other six
months later-and they did not vary a
particle. 1t was tried to show that
Tony Rizzo had used the illness Of the
mother as signal for the girl to con-
duct the gang to the scene of the MUIR
der and there was special effort made
to shake her testimony. Attorney
General Wescott, who is acknowledged
to be a skillful cross-examiner, did his
best to weaken the girls testimony but
he was not successful and she repeated
almost identically the same statement
she had made in the Jail. The Cross
examination was quite lengthy and
when the girl left the stand she had
not weakened her case in a single in
stance. In reply to question wheth-
Ter she would be willing to testify
against any others who might be APP
pretended for the same crime, Mile
very promptly and deliberately said
she would.
Frank Vasselli, who is in Jail on the
charge of being implicated in the muir
der, was put on the stand. He said
that Iraea and Frank Ladonne had en-
gagged car to take a party to ASTON.
Iraca did the arranging. Vasselli, not
being familiar with the roads in this
state, asked Ladonne to go along with
him, the latter knowing the direction
In which to proceed. The party start
| ed at five o'clock on the morning of
the murder Vassslli said he and La
fdonne were arrested after the murder
3and were brought to Mount Holly
where they occupied the same CELL
Iraca was in an adjoining cell and he
could talk to them. While his trial
was In progress he said that il Mile
ever testified against him she would
never leaye the Jail and he also told the
other two that they had better be care
full what they said for if he was con-
victed he would have his say.
Frank Ladonne was called to corrob-
crate this testimony.
A Philadelphia detective was called
to give testimony OF conversation be-
tween Millie and her mother at the
hospital.
In their testimony Vasselli and La
donne denied having made certain
statements in the Jail. They said they
did tell detective Parker some things
but that certain remarks were in the
statements which they did not make.
The papers were not read to them
after the stsnOgrapher took down the
statements.
Mrs. Rainier, to lographer, was
called to testify but as she did not
have her notebook VITA her she was
not allowed to give evidence from the
typewriter sheets.
Detective Parker was called to con-
tradict Vasselli and Ladonne but Mr..
Palmer objected on the ground that
the original notes were available and
the court sustained the objection.
This concluded the testimony for
Friday and court was adjourned until
1890 Saturday.
While on the witness stand Mile
said she had been to Jefferson hospital
to see her mother.
She also told of conversations she
had in the presence OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Rider and Mrs. Smather and from the
private remarks Of the latter it was ex-
pected that they would go on the
stand and attempt to show that Millie
was lying. This idea was strengthen
ed when, at the close of Fridays ses-
sion, prosecutor Kelseyannounced that
all of the states witnesses would be
excused with the exception Of the three
mentioned.
On Saturday morning, however,
there was not any attempt to deny the
girls statement in that respect. Mrs.
Vera Rainier was recalled to testify to
apparent discrepancies in the evidence
OF Frank Ladonne and Frank Vasselli.
She did not have her original notes
but she was allowed to speak from
memory as she glanced over the type
written copy.
This concluded the testimony and
the case was given to the jury about
five o'clock Saturday afternoon. They
returned a little after six with a yer
dict Of not guilty. Millie was over
come. She tried to speak to the jurors
but all she could say was 81 thank
you, gentlemen; God knows 1 am in
nocent. She was taken back to jail
and in a few moments left the place in
company with some friends.
The verdict was not unexpected by
those who followed the testimoney.
The jury was almost unanimous from
the start, five of the ballots being 10
for not guilty and two for guilty. The
sixth ballot settled the matter. The
general opinion is one of approval
Many had been preiudiced against the
girl and had considered her the brains
of the crowd, but after hearing the evil
dence, especially that of Iraca, the per-
jurer, they changed their minds.
V. Claude Palmer has reason to feel
proud over his victory in clearing his
client. In order that the state might
have strong showing and that moth
ing should be left undone to secure
justice, the machinery Of the office of
the Attorney General was set In motion
and Mr.. Wescott with two assistants
worked the case. With ample time
since June to prepare for this trial and
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