New Britain herald., 1927-08-04

Investigating this case, ! talked
to the counsel for Vanzetti at the
Plymouth trial. the jurymen, the
trial witnesses, new witnesses, pres
ent counsel and Vanzetti. I have
talked with the government witness
SEES who saw the Bridgewater hold
up, who identified Vanzetti and I
believe their testimony to be SUBJ
stantially correct. l believe with the
jury that Vanzetti waa guilty, that
his trial was fair. Il find nothing un-
usual about this case, excepted as
noted above that Vanzetti did not
testify, in the Bridgewater case.
practically everyone who witnessed
the attempted holdup and who could
have Identified the bandits identified
Vanzetti.
Brutal Murder, He Says
'"The South Braintree crime was
particularly brutal. The murder of
the paymaster (Parmenter) and the
guard (BerardellD was not neces-
sary to the robbery. The murders
were accomplished first, the robbery
afterward. The first shot laid Berar-
delli low In the roadway and after
Parmenter was shot, he dropped the
money box In the road and ran
across the street. The money could
then have been taken but the MUIR
derers pursued Parmenter across the
road and shot him again, and then
returned and fired three more shots
into Berardelli, four in all, leaving
his lifeless form in the roadway.
THE plan was evidently to kill the
witnesses and terrorize the bystand-
ers. The murderers escaped in an
automobile driven by one of their
confederates, the automobiles being
afterward located in the woods at
Bridgewater, IS miles distant.
"Vanzetti when arrested on May
5th, had In his hip pocket a fully
loaded revolver. Sacco had a loaded
pistol tucked into the front OF his
trousers and 80 loose cartridges
which fitted this pistol. Upon being
questioned by the police both men
told what they afterward admitted
was a tissue, OF lies.
"Sacco claimed to have been
working at Kelly at April Is. the
date of the South Braintree crime.
Upon investigation 1t was proven
that he was not at work on that day.
He then claimed to have been at the
Italian consulate in Boston on that
date but the only confirmation of
this claim is the memory of a for
mer employee of the consulate who
made opposition In Italy that Sac
co. among 40 Others was in the Of
flee that day This employee had no
memorandum to assist his memory
LAS the result OF the study Of the
record and by personal investigation.
OF the case, including my interviews
with a large number Of witnesses,
I believe with the jury that Sacco
and VanzettI were guilty and that
the trial was fair.
This crime was committed seven
years ago. For six years, through
dilatory methods. one appeal after
another, every possibility for delay
has been utilized, all OF which lend
itself to attempts to Brighten and
coerce witnesses, to influence chang
es IN testimony, to multiply by the
very years of time elapsed the pos
sibilities of error and confusion.
No Doubt Existed
ut might be said that by under
taking this investigation I have con-
tributed to the elaborate considera-
ton accorded these men. My answer
is that there was a feeling on the
part of some people that the various
delays that had dragged this case
through the courts for six years
were evidence that doubt existed
as to the guilt of these two men. The
feeling was not justified. The per-
sistent, determined efforts of an at
torney of extraordinary versatility
and industry, the judges illness, the
election efforts of three district at
torneys, and dilatoriness on the part
Of most of those concerned are the
principal causes of delay The de-
lays that have dragged this case out
for six years are inexcusable.
This task Of review has been a.
laborious one and I am proud to be
associated in this public service with
clear-eyed witnesses, unafraid to tell
the truth, and with jurors who dis
charged their obligations in accord
ance with their convictions and their
oaths."