The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-02-20

Is there such a thing as ..soninainbustic autom-
atisln" which relieves the person committing
such act from responsibility under the law:
ANYWAY james Sapenza of Irvington. \. j.. a
welt-todo manufacturer shot his wife she lay
beside him in bed at six O'Clock in the morning
He eId the police when arrested that he saw IN
n dream BLACK Handlers kidnapping his sew
en.yeur-old son. Taking his revolver from un-
dev his pillow he shot of the kidnapers-
He ~ al,ed find that he had fired the bullet into
the head of his wife. He insisted that he had no
farther knowledge of the act Here is his story
told in detail to reporter for the New YORK
Tribune
"Ir seemed to me that two men had come
through the window of my home; that one had
tied handkerchief about my boys eyes and had
then placed him in large sack 1t was so very
real that, now, swear to you on the holy
name Of the Virgin Mother, can hardly believe
1T not So
81 had been man to dream l never
walked in my sleep. But for several weeks
had been very over the Black Hand let
tiers. You know. among my people it is a com
mon practice for certain class of men to try to
nrey on others who have been successful and have
made little money. Well, had determined not
Ito permit myself to be robbed in that way, and
j had provided myself with revolver. This re-
volver an old one. had been in the house before
that time, but had always kept it wrapped in
"a handkerchief and high shelf, because
was afraid one of the children might find 1t and
hurt himself.
"Well when the letters kept on coming, got
this revolver aud l placed it under my pillow
thinking to defend my child. l not afraid
for myself. but the letters made me very nervous
and 1 kept thinking all the time of the men who
had been writing me the letters
81 to say as l have said to the police,
that / loved my wife. For the ten years while
we were married she had been good wife to me-
at was through her, perhaps. more than anyone
jeise that l able to improve our condition
little bit and get ahead Before taking up the
manufacture of concrete building blocks had a
store and my wife, in addition to her other duties
used to help there. / always left her in
charge when l called away on other business,
and always knew that things would go right
she was q good woman who always worked hard.
and we never had quarrel that people could call
serious. There other woman for me after
I'VE were married.
"Well. as I say. this particular night, or
morning / dreamed that the two had come
Through the window of my home and were car
rying off my boy Then. though l never
snan to Kill, I decided to kill. I my boy in
the hands of those devils as plainly see you
and the blood rushed my head All the fear
and the suspense that l had felt in the past
months overwhelmed me, as well terrible
hatred OF the men who 1 thought, We're before
me, and grabbed my revolver which had under
the pillow.
"Although terribly excited I acted coolly as
I act now. / pointed the revolver at the near
est and took good aim so that l would not
miss. 4 will kill this beast told myself and
fhen-suddenly I awake.
II was sitting up in bed with the revolver In
said: Jimmy That all she said, just