The Daily Missoulian., 1917-09-25
Greek Railroad Man Begins
Fight Against Charge
of Murder.
DANASKUS' KILLING
TOLD BY WITNESSES
Prosecution Establishing the
Fact of Fatal Shooting
Last July.

George Katsis. on trial for his life
because he shot and killed Frank
Danaskus. a fellow Greek, sat in the
courtroom yesterday and watched with
worried eyes the men who are decid-
ing whether he shall die on the scaf-
fold or return home to his wife and
three black k-eyed babies.
BY the side of the confessed slayer
sat his wife. fresh from Greece, and
not even the romping of the three
children could swerve her gaze from
the judicial bench and the witness
chair. PathOs and despair were reg
istered on her face. and as the day
progressed the droop in her frail ,ody
became more pronounced.
To Seek Extreme Penalty.
1t was an audience composed large
ly of Greeks which heard County At
torney Fred Angevine open the prose-
cntion yesterday by indicating that the
state viii demand the extreme penalty
in the event that Katsis" is found
guilty of murder by Judge r. Lee Nc
Cnlloch and jury in the district court.
4 half hour was spent by the county
attorney in detailing at length the
events leading to the killing; points
that the state will use in it's endeavor
TO prove the defendant guilty of un.
justified murder.
Witnesses Take Greek Oath.
The feature incident of the day oc-
CURED Mhen SEVEN Greek witness "
were sworn. The question arose as 10
whether a Greek would consider the
oath as administered by an American
court binding. Attorney Harry Par
sons, who had previously been ad-
vised on this procedure by one of
the witnesses. declared that the native
custom among Greeks to place the
right hand upon a Grecian bible.
Opinion differed on the matter. even
in the minds of the two Interpreters,
James X. Caras for the state and Nick
Saros for the defense. The question
was finally settled by giving the wit
nesses their choice in the matter.
Without hesitancy they went one
by one and placed their right hands
on a Greek bible that lay on the a.
torneys table. They refused to recog.
nize the American form of oa-h.
The states first witness was Deputy
Sheriff Duncan, who was in charge of
the county jail on the morning of
July 30, "uSu IAdNSiS, IiC NiftiIuCu,
came to the Jail and gave himself up
and confessed of the killing.
Officials Tell Of Finding Body.
According to the deputy's testimony.
Katsis was hurriedly locked up and
Duncan went to the scene of the al
legged murder at 241 East Railroad
street. The witness claimed that he
found Frank Danaskus there, mortally
wounded. and also a revolver that lay
just where the prisoner said he had
left it. County Physician Conyngham
and Coroner Albion Lucy were then
summoned. as the deputy at first
thought that Danaskus was dead.
County Physician Conyngham. when
called to the stand, described at
length the extent of the dead mans
injuries, and testified that many
bruises and abrasions. freshly made,
disfigured the features of Danaskus
besides the fatal gunshot wound. He
also stated that the man had evident
~ been struck upon the head by some
blunt instrument.
Had QuarreIed Before.
The next man called to the witness
chair was Police Commissioner Thom-
and Danaskus had had trouble previ-
Gus to the killing. According to the
commissioners statement, William
Vellos. a cousin of Mrs. Katsis' who
is now taking care of the wife and
children, came to him and complained
that Danaskus had persistently an
noyed her and had made improper
advances to her.
Later. said Commissioner Kemp,
Vcllos came to the station and swOre
out a warrant for the arrest of Dam
askus. The dead man was at that
time fined $25 by Police Judge Allen
Coroner Albion NJ. Lucy then told
of going to the residence of the. dead
man. and of finding him in dying
condition on the floor of the bedroom
The coroner then left the scene. he
asserted, and later went to St. Pat.
rick's hospital. where he helped DIR
Conyngham perform the autopsy.
Brother Of Dead Man on Stand.
The chief witness in the afternoon
session of the court was George Dan.
nskus. the l7-year -old brother of tht
murdered man, who lived at his broth.
er's home.
The boy testified by the aid Of al
Interpreter and was visibly nervou.
under the cross examinations of Prose
cutting Attorney Angevine. although III
Continued on Page Four)