The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-17
SEWN WITNESSES TESTIFIED FOR
srArr TN rR1A1. AT ST GLARS
VILE YESTERDAY.
ysrrAuRAro SHOWS SLIGHT NER-
vousSEss DURING AcCUsSA-
TON BY PROSECUTOR TO JURY
DEFENSE EXPECTS TO SHOW THAT
DEFENDANT WAS NOT IN
MOB DURING TROUBLE

The state expects 70 prove that Dom
mick NentauratO. now on trial IN lne
common Pleas Court at 81 tIairsF'fe
for the murder OF John l. Majors, non
union coal miner at New Larerty. ONO
on June - drew a revolver, shot in tho
air and then empttcd his sun IN IN"
direction OF the Majors automobile. one
bullet striking Scott Storey IN the he""'
This statement was made yesterday
afternoon by Prosecuting Attorney VIII
liam T Dixon Jr.. IN his opening state
ments IN the Sentaura;o trial 10 the
jury.
yentaurato then. the state claims.
stepped back into the crowd ~ striking
coal miners and disappeared while
scores OF other shots were fired.
Considerable Roadway was mad" IN
the trial yesterday The scene OF he
shooting was visited during the morn
Ing by the jury and N" opening state
ments were made during the Afternoon
session and seven witnesses examined
The witnesses were: Mrs John |.
Majors widow Of the murdered man:
Sheriff Richard T. Lynch. Coroner
clyde Hardesty ~ Belmont County; DR..
c. L. Rosencrant Of HeUdrysburg.
Deputy Sheriff Ben Reber. Julius Syl-
vester. secretary and Treasurer Of the
Old Lanerty Mine Union: Pharlos
Barnes restaurant employe AT Morris
town; George 4 Van Horn. restaurant
proprietor: and Raymond Steven. col
miner.
ventaurato showed slight nervousness
during the statements ~ the prosecut'
ing attorney but otherwise appear 4
NNer- calm during the court proceeding.
AS the witnesses were sworn the a.
cused man with his eyes tNed on III
H.. ,ir,F.
ed with most Of them failed 70 sh ~
any signs % recognition.
The first witnesses called by the
State was C~oner clyde Hardesty OF
Bridgeport. He testified as 10 being
called 10 New Lafferty and % having
the body removed and arranging for an
autopsy.
DR.. c. L. Roseugrant q: HcndryshurE
was the next witness called. He stated
that ne had been we'll acquainted with
John I. Major. That the deceased was
i've feet tall. weighed $50 or 200 pounds
and good .health: that ne found two
openings IN the back Of his body and
two in the front. one bullet having
broken the spinal column: that one CT
the bullets passed through the de-
ceased's lung and heart and the other
through the lung and liver.
Mrs. John I. Major. wife OF the dead
man. was next called 20 the witness
stand She was dressed in black AMI
appeared TO be under stress Of great
emotion She told Of the departure Of
Mr.. Major at six O'Clock on the morn
ing Of the eth of June. for me stripping
mine. She next saw him on the @Sth
OF June. She testified that the I'D
sweater worn by Major had holes n
Il made by the bullets and that his
She also Identified a picture of the do
ceased. Overalls, underclothes. sweater.
jumper and picture were then introduced
in evidence by the State
Sheriff r. T. Lynch next testified 20
being called 70 New Lafferty on the
morning OF June ?Tth and 20 finding the
Ford Roadster OF John I. Major. locat-
ed south OF the school house at New
Lafterty and headed towards the Ma
tional Pike.
Rem Reber, deputy sheriff. was next
called and testified TO being with the
Sheriff when the body was found in the
car.
Julius Sylvester % New Lafterty
was called. He stated that he was sec
rotary and treasurer os the old Latter
" local and that he was mine worker
and member Of the miners union, and
employed at MMeiSter'S Mine That
Robert Farmer had told him to call a
mass meeting there the morning OF
June 27t7h. The State next offered in
evidence note he had sent out with
Jack Underwater.
Attorney Earl Lewis conducted the
cross examination for the defense. on
cross examination Sylvester testified
that Farmer had told him 10 call the
meeting because ne wanted Il done in
Tar he
no excitement. and that ne wanted 10
talk to the men. THAT while in the
rear OF the school house he heard sew
eral shots and that when ne ran around
TO the front he saw men going in every
direction. and he saw men coming from
the north Of the concrete bridge. He
stated that he did not know how many
shots were fired nor from what direc-
ton nor was he sure whether or not
there were any men south OF IN con-
crete bridge. He further stated that
the shooting that morning reminded
him OF fireworks. He said he went 10
tho meeting for the purpose OF hearing
what Farmer had TO say He also stat
ed that he knew Ventaura;o and had
seen him a few days prior 70 June 2Tth
IN front OF his store talking TO Robert
Farmer but that he did not remember
seeing him IN the crowd on the morn
Ing OF June 27th.
Pharlo Barnes OF Norr!s&own was
next examined by the State. He starHI
that he was employed as a clerk IN e.
q. VanHorns restaurant short dis
lance west OF Miners Grove That on
ths morning OF the eth OF June Rob
srt Farmer came 10 the restaurant and
that . machine from Hendrysburg pas
sed. That Robert Farmer went out OF
the restaurant and said he wanted TO
warn those fellows nor TO go down. that
III they don't come back II Will be the
same thing that happened In Illinois. -
Attorney Lewis conducted the cross
examination FOR the defense but failed
% bring out any additional facts or "a
gee Mr.. Barnes to change his story
George z. Van Horn stated that Far
mer was at his restaurant for abou,
one-half hour on tho morning of the
shooting and that ne heard the state,
by Barnes He was cross examined by
John Gardner for the defense.
Raymond Stevens. OF near Sewells-
Vile, was the next witness called by the
state. He stated that he worked al
he stripping mine and that he had got.
ten In an automobile with George ste.
ems at Sewellsville on the morning In
question. That as they reached the road
leading from the National pike to New
Lafferty they met Farmer Huffman
and another fellow and that they had g
conversation with Farmer for aoou,
five minutes a short distance down the
dirt road off the National pike. HI