New Britain herald., 1925-11-19
WITNESS LIVENS
Up Proceedings
At Maori trial
Out Of Jail in $4,000 Bonds,
Appears Resplendent in
Gay Attire
HIS WISE CRACKS DRAW
WRATH FROM ATTORNEY

tion With Bagnano's Death-Spec-
tators In Courtroom Get Many n
Grin Over His Replies To Inter-
rOgation.
Litcht1eld, Nov. 10 Hp -- A state
witness in the second trial of Olym-
/ pia Macri for killing John Bagnano
enlivcned the forenoon session today
with his unexpected answers to
many questions put by counsel and
his belligerent manner in retorting
TO questions put on cross eXamina
ton by Joseph Koletsky, counsel for
the defense.
The witness, Frank BARRETT, re-
splendcnt in a new shirt. adorned
by a tie of a pronounced hue and a
freshly pressed suit, was the second
to take the witness stand today. .He
is out of Jail in New Haven under
bonds Of $4,000 on a charge OF ped
ding narcotic drugs.
He and the first witness, Steve
Puleo. .both of New Haven, We're
standing on the sidewalk near the
Palace theater when John Bagnano
was shot on February &c by Miss
NaCri. Puleo traced the affair from
the time he saw Bagnano fleeing
from the theater followed by Olym-
pia until the body had been taken
to the hospital and the men who
had accompanied it there had been
taken to police headquarters.
Barrctti Takes Up Story
BARRETT took up the story from
the moment Bagnano lay on the
sidewalk after the last shots had
been fired.
He was about three or five feet"
away from the body as it lay on the
sidewalk. He helped place 1t in a
car, got into the car and went to the
hospital with the group. On the way
there police officer in the car gave
him a lunch in a paper bag to hold
what did you do with that paper
bag after you came out of the hos
pital?" asked the states attorney.
Guess l ate it when l came out"
replied the witness.
Court, counsel and jury Joined the
spectators In a broad grin"
"Kclly" Was a Hat
A minute later the grin" broke
into hearty laugh as the witness
said he had carried the deceased s
kelly" into the hospital. The de
ceased kelly" turned out to be the
hat worn by Bagnano at the time
he was killed. The witness identi-
fed the hat.
AS to his occupation, the witness
is almost an actor, doing the
Charleston and the Frisco" he said
lie had worked in a negro show al
Savin Rock.
Mr.. Koletsky took up his cross
examination.
Witness knew John Bagnano, who
was a singer, not a dancer" He
hadn't observed Bagnano giving
John A. Tierney, another singer a
revolver q few nights before the
shooting. The three were under.
stood to have been on the way tc
give a performance that night
They were making the trip in ar
automobile.
The jury was excused while coun.
sci argued on the proper examina.
ton Mr.. Kolotsky could conduct or
cross-eXamination
, Mr.. Alling had started the witness
; with the body lying on the sidewalk
On s-examination Mr.. Koletsky
} started to take him back to previous
incidents.
Lawyers Argue
! the defense started TO argue tht
point. Mr.. Alling asked that tn,
jury be dismissed temporarily.
, After the jury filed out, Mr.. Ko
r letsky said that the jury shoul,
have the benefit OF the entire situa
, ton.
Mr.. Alling said the witness wa.
S available for the defense If 1t so de
S sired to use him and that the rul'
l on cross examination covered full,
r the situation.
The court said the defense had tn
, opportunity to use the man as IL
= witness. As for the rule on cross
examination, the court did not fee
that 1t should be applied with laxity
] He would admit counsel the privileg
of asking the witness as to "wha
: else he saw"
1 The jury was recalled and Mr.
1 koletsky resumed his questioning.
f Barrett testified to the corone
: that the girl was screaming ant
J. trying to get away from some mel
I just after the shooting.
: Today he denied that she wa
l screaming and tusseling with thos
S who held her."
A Referring to the lunch, Mr., Ko
t letsky asked: You knew that lunc,
S belonged to that hungry policeman
t didn't you?"
= While Mr.. Koletsky restated tn
question to omit the hungry" n
spectators smoothed out the crease
in their faces caused by involuntar
S smiles.
l A moment later the court roor
0 again showed its appreciation of tn
: humor in the situation.
4 Mr.. Koletsky asked the witness
{ Stanley Giannelli, New Have
{ | county defective. had NOT bourf
him the new outfit. Yesterday BaI
retti had appeared in the court ROOF
S wearing a khaki shirt.
= Bought Own Clothes.
n Where do you get that stuf
n other people buying me clothes