Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-07-31

A common Jackknife which was pre-
scented as one of the exhibits of the state.
and which was found beside the body of
Dominck AruZza. who was stabbed to
death on the night of June / last in the
village of Winooski, assumed equal impor-
lance with the pair of shears with which
IL is claimed the dead man was stabbed,
as the case of Michael Aruzza progressed
yesterday in Chttenden county court. The
Importance of this jackknife arises from
the fact that the principal witness In the
case, Michael Momon. who was with the
two men when Dominic met his DEATH
testified yesterday that Dominic drew a
knife and threatened his cousin before
Michael Aruzza struck him with the
shears. On this point the defense bases
it's claim Of self-defense,
Michael Momoni, who was on the stand
at the close of court Tuesday night, con-
tinued his story Of the stabbing yester-
day morning. spending nearly two hours
on the stand in direct and cross-examina-
ton.
Continuing his testimony from the point
where 1t was closed Tuesday Momoni
said that after he and Michael and
Dominic Aruzza, Frank Stramintino and
| Michael Aruzzas little boy had left the
home of Joseph Denovo on the night of
Sunday June l. last, they all went
| together up the path which led TO the
| railroad track. When they reached the
! track. the two Aruzzas stood there talk
ing. while the others went on ahead
Stramintino leading the little boy by the
hand.
Momoni himself walked along the rail.
road track with Stramintino for a ways
| Then, seeing that Michael and Dominic
Aruzza were having some trouble, he fe
| back and waited for Them while Stramin-
| tho went ahead with the child, according
| to Moments testimony. He declared thai
Michael Aruzza did not send Stramintinc
ahead with the child.
| 1t was somewhere around II O'Clock
when the party left the home Of JOSEPH
Denovo, he said. The Aruzzas had M
trouble while they were on the way tc
the railroad track, nor had they had any
| trouble before leaving Joseph Denovo's
| so far as he knew.
| After Momoni fell back to wait fol
Michael and Dominic Aruzza, he walked
along with them up the track into Hickof
street During the time that the three OF
them were walking up the track together
Momoni says, Michael and Dominic were
talking loudly and calling each Other
names. On cross-examination, he stated
that it was Dominic who started the lout
| talking.
When seven or eight feet from tn,
railroad track on Hickok street, &C
cording to Momoni, Dominic took of
his coat drew a knife and started al
If to strike Michael. When asked VIVA
kind of a knife it was that Dominic
drew. Momoni said it was a jacknif'
of some kind. At this time, Michae
got down on his knees to Dominic
said the witness. and begged Dominica
pardon for anything he had said t
| offend him. Dominic still held thu
knife over Michael. but was prevented
from striking by Momoni who stepped
in between and held Dominic's arm. &C
| oording to his own testimony.
Dominic was finally prevailed upol
to put aside his intentions of striking
his cousin, the witness said. Momon
helped Dominic on with his coat, afte
Dominic had refused to let his cou
sin assist him with it, and they al
walked on together along Hickol
street.
At the first intersection of Hickol
street with another street. and whel
Dominic had crossed the intersectinl
street. being ahead of the other two
where he was.
Go on home!
Dominic then turned and starte
back toward Michael. knife in hant
Momoni says that he then tried to ste
between them again, but that Domini
told him to get out of the way, or h
would strike him.
Ibid Dominic try to strike Mike?
asked States Attorney Martin.
Yes"
"Did Mike try to strike Dominic?
Dominic stabbed at him two o
three times, then Mike stabbed once a
Dominic"
The relative positions of the tw
men were then gone into in detail t
find out from what position Domini
was stabbed. The witness testified tina
Dominic was standing on the edge o
the street, while Michael was on tn
curbing, that they were facing eac
other. and that Michael stepped OF
the curbing just before or at the tim
of delivering the blow. after havin
stepped back to avoid blow Anne
at him by Dominic.
Did Dominic have a knife in hi
hand?" asked the States attorney.
| yes"
| Describe this knife"
1T was small jackknife"
Momoni testified that after Michae
Aruzza had struck Dominic, the latte
said: "You have killed me-" Staggere
across the street and fell.
Momoni testified that he went acros
the street where Dominic had fallen an
tried ito raise him, but that he could no
do il. He knew then that Dominic wa
dead, and he kissed him and went awaS
walking slowly. He saw nobody arouno
and he went straight home, according t
his testimony. He did not know what b.,
came OF the knife at the time Domni
fell. Asked if he could see what Mix
had in his hand at the time he struc
Dominick, the witness replied that h
could not He testified that Mike struc
Domnick with his right hand