Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1925-01-29
MIADIS0NPAIR
GO ON TRIAL.
HERE today
(From Monday 5 Daily

eneQ TINS afternoon III the court
house before Judge E. W. Crosby of
the circuit court
Salvatore di Martini and Frank
Vitale, residents of Madison's Lit
tie Italy" are the defendants in the
case. They are charged with the
Staying Of Policeman Herbert c.
Dreger. During the past dozen
years, IA murders have been com
mitted within the bounds of a small
area comprising Madison's Italian
colony, little Italy, in Greenbush.
Not one conviction has been obtain
ed to bring about a satisfactory sol
ution in any case. Only once be-
fore, in the murder of Patrolman
Grant Bosch seven years ago, has
the state been successful in obtain
ing evidence sufficient to place any
Aspect or suspects on trial. Even
in that instance an acquittal result
ted.
The trial Of di Martini and Vitale
promises to abound in sensations
and indications are that it may pro
duce a few surprises. Nearly two
dozen witnesses have been sum
moned by the prosecution and de-
Tense and attorneys predict that
the action may occupy the greater
part Of the coming week. The
state, which presented only skel.
aton case at the inquest into Dreg-
er's murder, will produce further
evidence hitherto unrevealed, ac-
cording to reports circulated when
subjOenas were served during the
past week.
District Attorney Phil La Fol
lette, assisted by 7. G. Lewis and
Phil Sanborn, former district at
torney and assistant district attor-
ney, will direct the prosecution.
Carl N. Hill and Dr. v. w. Beck
with of Hill, Thoman and Beckwith
will carry the burden of the de-
Tense.
Gun Part Evidence
The detached handguard of a
shotgun, found in possession of III
Martini when he was arrested, is
the most damaging piece of physi-
cal evidence upon which the state
bases it's charges.
Defense of the two alleged Stay
ers constitutes an alibi which wit
nesses assailed at the inquest. 1t
viii be contended that the two
were together at Whales home
throughout the evening until they
were taken into custody.
Dreger died with the whisper,
"Those guys in the Coney Island
lunch got me"
Nelson Stombaugh, night watch
man at the P. Lorilard tobacco
warehouse, testified at the inquest
that he saw di Martini and WHALE
in a nearby Coney Island restaur
ant that night.
Patrolman Dreger was found dy.
ing ON the street in front of 80
South Murray street, near the cor
ner of Milton street, shortly before
midnight on Dec 2. His bullet
riddled body was discovered by
John Dempsey, employee of the St.
Paul railroad. Dreger was rushed
to the General hospital, where he
died. An autopsy revealed more
than 60 wounds, two of them from
heavy slugs, the others having been
caused by buckshot
Ann indications were that two
guns were fired at the officer and
that two men had a part in the Stay
ing.
Police and detectives who were
rushed to the scene of the shooting
found two shotguns under a porch
at SIG Milton street, only half
block from the spot where Dreger
was found. The handguard of one
weapon was missing.
Men Had Guns
Within two hours Dt Martini and
WHALE were arrested by officers Ly-
man Mason and Harry Murkve at
the corner of Murray and Milton
streets. Both we're armed with
revolvers, which, the officers charge
they attempted to use when taken
into custody. The shotgun hand.
guard was found on di Martins
person when he was taken to the
station.
Further justification for deten-
ton Of the two was seen by the po-
lice in the fact that Dreger a short
time previously had arrested di
Martini for driving car while in
toxicated
For many days following the muir
der, Madison's Little Italy, was
under heavy guard, its streets pac-
ed by double patrols who routed
loiterers and arrested any persons
whose actions were suspicious.
Two detectives = Sergeant Louis
Dieden of Milwaukee and Dan Their