The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-03-11
RAZOR AND BIC
STONE FIGURE
AS WEAPONS
Martin0 Has Slashed Cheek,
TassOni a Pummeled Head
CLASH ON NORTH STREET
"shoemaker" Uses Revolver to Sum.
mon Assistance, but subduss
Assallant with ssone
CLASH ON NORTH STREET

Joseph MarunO, lOcaily huoWH ds
" Shoemaker " and employed at the
repair shop of " Partenope on Main
street, was slashed on the face and
neck with knife or razor late Mon
day afternoon by Tony Tassoni The
victim pursued his assailant for some
distance, firing a revolver on the way
They finally came together and
" Shoemaker was vigorously pound
ing Tassonis head with stone when
Officer Patsey Parfott, with the as
sistance of James Bushee, arrested
the pair.
II is difficult TO ascertain the exact
facts regarding the assault. Accord
ing to Martino he met Tassoni on
North street between and 6 O'Clock
in the afternoon and the two walked
as far as Martino's boarding place
over the Harry Noon repair shop.
Martino says that as he turned to en-
ter the hallway leading to the tene-
ment on the second floor Tassoni
used the knife or razor. AS his back
was turned at the time Martino says
he did not see the weapon.
Martino Immediately started in
pursuit OF his assailant, who ran into
the driveway leading 10 the garage
of X. F. Niles. With Martino in close
pursuit Tassoni ran between the
buildings and jumped the fence be-
tween the Nash and the Tuttle COM
pany properties. As the two men
came out on Depot street with Tas-
soni rapidly gaining grcund on his
pursuer, Martino began firing his re-
yolyer He and his friends claim
that he was discharging the weapon
to summon assistance. Al any rate
none of the bullets hit Tassoni, who
was by far. the better runner and ap-
parently made his escape across
County street in the direction or the
Vermont soldiers home.
1t appears that after making good
his escape from the man he had at
tackled, Tassoni returned toward the
Village over the same street he had
| followed when running away. At the
junction of County and Depot streets
the two came together again. Martino
picked a goodsized stone from out OF
the street and was vigorously pound
ing Tassoni on the head when Officer
Parrott arrived on the scene.
When the two Italians ran over
Depot street, Martino firing his re-
volver and shouting for assistance,
the disturbance attracted the atten-
ton OF l.. F. Hewitt. the new
operator at the Rutland railroad sta.
ton. Mr. Hewitt called Officer Par
rott at his home on County street by
telephone and stated the circum-
stances. The operator Informed the
officer that the two men were rapidly
approaching the corner Of County and
Depot streets and could be intercept
ed. The officer arrived as Tassoni was
being pummeled with the stone. Off
Ger Parrott, with the assistance of
James Bushee, separated the strug-
Cling pair, handcuffed Tassoni and
marched both men to the county jail.
The chase and the arrest had al
ready attracted large crowd and the
size of II increased as the officer and
his prisoners approached the Jail,
There was no disorder but there was
considerable curiosity TO know what
II was all about At the Jail DR.. w. h.
Putnam found that Martino had a
deep cut across the right cheek and a
smaller cut on the back of the neck.
The cuts were so cleanly made that
! o. h.. ,,h, ..f k., Antnff,fN that
a razor was the weapon used. The cut
on the cheek was deep enough TO
have severed the jugular vein and re-
Quired number OF stitches to
close it,
Tassoni had two good-sized dents
in his scalp and cut on his forehead
OF the two he had apparently suffered
the most damage.
Between s and o'clock Municipal
Judge w. ]. Meagher was summoned
from his home at Old Bennington and
Corporation Attorney Henry Chase
from his home on Branch street for d
hearing. Tassoni was held without
bail for hearing on Saturday but Mar
tino was released
II is impossible to learn anything
regarding the cause Of the assault
from Martino or his friends The lat
/, ter intimate that there has been bat
blood between the two but refuse L
give any particulars Tassoni ever
| denies that he attacked Martino.
Tassoni already has police cour
record. Some years ago he was triet
and convicted for assaulting Loui
Parrott and served a sentence Par
rott today is carrying the mark o
Tassoni's knife on the chin. Martin,
=, since he came TO Bennington has con
Quoted himself in a peaceful and law
abiding manner. He is a large man
=. weighing considerably over two hun
f dred pounds, while Tassoni is tale
# and lighter built.