The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-07-14
Herman Morrone, Accused
Murderer, Threatens to
Hang Himself.
TELLS HIS OWN STORY.
Accused Man Gives His Account
of How He Accidentally"
J Shot His Brother.

"I'll tear the mattress into ropes and
hang myself here in my cell can't
stand this any longer but God knows
l never meant to kill Jim. L just
had the gun to brighten him into
his senses"
This was the threat and statement
made Tuesday afternoon just before
four o'clock by Herman Morrone, the
man now held without bonds at the
county jail for the murder of his
brother, James Morrone, who was shot
to death on Sunday morning following
a family quarrel. The threat was made
during a conference between Morrone
and his attorney, John F. Kuehnl, in
the presence of Deputy Sheriff John
Conley. Since that time the prisoner
has been guarded so closely that he has
had no opportunity of putting his
threat into effect and every precaution
is being taken to prevent him from al
lowing justice to take it's own course.
Will Not Plead Guilty.
Morrone repeatedly tells his attor
ney Mr.. Kuehnl, that he will not plead
guilty to the charge of murder as he
has been urged to do. He insists, de-
spite the stories of all other witnesses,
that he had the gun in self defense
and that it was discharged accidental
ly His story of the shooting, differ
ing in many respects from ali other
accounts of it, was sobbed out to the
attorney on Tuesday afternoon. In
termittently Morrone would break into
his account of the shooting with the
insistence that he would not plead
guilty, but would put up the claim
that he shot in self defense and that
he was temporarily insane.
Morrone PAGES back and forth in his
cell, beating his fists against his breast
as he repeats his declarations Of limo
cence. Jail attendants believe that he
is feigning much of his raving but are
taking every precaution to prevent him
from attempting suicide in any manner
Tells of Fatal Quarrel.
81 never meant to shoot JIM" Nor
rome declared as he started his story in
response to a written question from his
attorney. Morrone is stone deaf and
all questioning of him must be done
by writing out the queries.
81 was in the house while Jim was
out in the garden hoeing BEANS" he
continued. ellis wife got into dis
pute with the children and one of the
little fellers ran to me and l quar-
rehlled with her about mistreating
them Then she picked up an axe and
started for me. l found club in the
room and knocked the axe out of her
hand and then chased her out Of the
room. Jim saw us running across the
yard and came after me. When he got
me cornered, he leaned over to pick
up a stick and l thought he had razor
or a knife. I pulled my gun to scare
him and when he lifted up he hit my
arm and the gun went off. never
meant to kill jim. After that l don't
know just what l did do"
The story has some glazing discre-
pencies between it and what has been
told by others who are connected with
the shooting. Other witnesses declare
that Herman Morrone was first to strike
! MS brOthef ana CnaC ldLer ne uTSW MS
gun and shot the brother in cold
blood Morrone insists that he will
take his case before jury and the
jury will have to decide which is the
| true account of the case.
Tried Suicide Before.
Events in the early life of Morrone
lend color to the plea of temporary
insanity. More than two years ago in
moody spell, he took poison and only
/ by quick work of doctors was prevent
/ ed from killing himself. He had been
eccentric at times when friends laid
his eccentricity to over-work. He had
invented machine which he had in
the attic of his home and on which
he had worked necessarily. This had
made him irritable often.
This morning Morrone repeatedly
told, his attorney and attendants at the
4 Jail that he was insane. "My mind is
always whirling,' he says. at was
on Sunday and now it does whenever
l think about the shooting. l must
have been insane"