Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-08-07
ARUzzA FOUND GUILTY
OF MANSLAUGH TER
Win0Oski Italian Who Stabbed
His Cousin with a Pair of
Shears Gets Sentence of from
10 to Is Years in States
Prison

minutes after nine o'clock Friday
morning in the case of State against
Michael Aruzza. charged with stabbing
to death with a pair of shears his cousin,
Dominic Aruzza, on the night of June 1
last. at the corner of Hickok and West
Lane streets In Winoosk Following the
verdict and the statements of counsel,
Judge Sherman r. Moulton imposed the
sentence, which is not less than 10 nor
more than Is years at hard labor in the
State prison at Windsor.
| This is the elimination Of three days
of trial in this case, which went to the
jury at five o'clock Thursday night. The
Jurymen spent the entire night in the jury
room at the court house, not being able
to agree upon a verdict in time to bring
1t into court that night.
In pronouncing sentence upon Aruzza,
Judge Moulton said:
1T is very hard for the court to be
compelled to sentence you. You have
been found guilty of taking the life of
another man. You have taken away what
you can never give back I understand
that you have wife and family. and
am going to be more lenient with you
than If your circumstances were different.
You are young man and during the
time that you will spend in prison, hope
done and come out to live a better life,
for l believe that You are able.
Sentence Is that you be confined at
hard labor at the State prison at Wind
sor for period OF not less than 10
nor more than 10 years. And I will say
that, by good behavior, you may be able
| TO shorten that sentence"
The condemned man received the SEN
tence with the same stoical calm which
has characterized his attitude during the
greater part of the trial. AS the words
of the judge were interpreted to him,
he stood without a sign of emotion in his
impressive face. merely Struggling his
| shoulders at one point in the proceedings.
Attorneys Matthew G. Leary and
! Rufus T.. Brown put up a valiant legal
fight for their client. which was only
overcome by the expert manner in which
the State case was handled by Attorney
General Frank c. Archibald and States
Attorney Allen Martin.
The jury which acted on this case was
made up as follows: G. A. Terrll of
Underhill, foreman, John Hanley of
Underhill, l.. b. Mcneil of Charlotte l..
J. Bling of Wiilston, Frederick Bacon Of
Shelburne, George Graves of Colchester.
Donald Lunt of Burlington, J. w. Duffy
of Milton. C. II. Weed of Essex. f. r.
! Green of Bolton. L. J. Bixby of Essex
and W. e. Washburne of Milton.
TWO WITNESSES THURSDAY
Only two witnesses were heard in the
case Thursday. One of these was Laura
A. Barstow photographer who testified
/ regarding some photographs Of the places
along the route followed by Michael and
DOminirk ber he re
of their party on The night OF June last
when they were returning from the home
of Joseph Denovo. These photographs
taken by the witness, were offered as evil
dence by the defense. The other witness
was the respondent himself who took the
stand in his own defense, and occupied it
for nearly two hours
! The evidence was all in by II 80 Thurs
day morning. The court was then recessed
until 1:3O in the afternoon when the pleas
of the attorneys began and continued until
4:30, Attorney General Archibald closing
I the case for the State in plea which last
/ ed more than an hour Following the
charge by Judge Sherman r. Moulton the
case went to the jury.
| RESPONDENT EXPLAINS STABBING
! The testimony of the respondent, Michael
Aruzza, Thursday morning, was in close
! accord to that told by Michael Momoni,
who was an eyewitness to what happened
and while he got mixed up on some points
during cross-examination by Attorney
General Archibald, the main part of his
story could not be shaken.
| AruZza remained calm, even somewhat
! stbdilid during the trial. On the stand
Thursday morning, he appeared depressed
| nd "a n mi
sylables during the early part of the testi-
mony. Later, when that part of the testi-
mony was reached which dealt with the
stabbing itself the witness showed ex-
element, and the general irritability Of a
person under a nervous strain. He did a
great deal Of motioning with his
| hands as he answered in his
own language the cushions put to
him by the interpreter, and his answers
were shot out in rapid and fiery man.
ner.
Briefly. the testimony regarding the
visit to the home of Joseph Denovo,
Aruzza's father-in-law, on the night of
June last, was gone over. and the
witness admitted that all of the party
drank some wine there. although he said
that they were not drunk
| Reaching Hickok street on the way
home, Dominic took off his coat near
the wood yard and came toward Michael,
according to the testimony. Michael
saw a knife in his hand.
II laid on my knees and begged his
pardon. ! wanted to go home" said the
| witness
Continuing his testimony. he said that
Momoni held Dominic back. Later
Dominic tried to grab Michael again, but
Michael pushed him away with his hands
in Domincs face. Finally Dominic was
persuaded to put on his coat and they
all continued along the same side of
the street toward home They were
walking in single file, Dominic ahead
and Momoni in the middle. A short dis
lance up the street, Dominic turned
around and again came toward Michael
who again sank to his knees and begged
his cousin not to hurt him. MomonI
again held Dominic Off
The three walked ahead again as far
as the corner Of West lane and Hickok
streets. Then Dominic who was ahead
and across West lane, turned again and
came back toward Michael with knife in
hand. Momoni again stepped between
but Dominic told him:
If you don't leave me alone l will
kill you"
Momoni stepped back few steps and
Dominic came on, saying to Michael
I'm going to tear you all to pieces "
Michael testified that he triad IN dodue