Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-04

be substantially correct. believe
with the jury that VanzettI was guilty
and that his trial was fair. l found
nothing unusual about this case ex-
Cept. as noted above, that NanZetti
did not testify; in the BridSewater
case practically every one who wit
messed the attempted hold-up and who
could have identified the bandits iden-
tilted Vanzetti.
THE South Braintreo crime was
particularly brutal. The murder of
the paymaster NarmenteD and the
guard BerardellD was not necessary
to the robbery. The murders accom-
plished first. the robbery afterward
The first shot laid Berardelli 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 murderers pursued Parmerter
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 road
way. The plan was evidently to kill
| the witnesses and terroriZe the bv-
| ISLANDERS. The murderers escaped in
| an automobile driven by one of their
| confederates. the automobile being
| afterWard located in the woods at
| Bridgewater. Is miles distant.
Stories Admitted False.
"Vanzetu when arrested on Nav s
had in his hip pocket fully loaded
revolver. Sacco. had a loaded pistol
tucked into the froNt of his trousers
and 20 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's shoe factory or
April Is. the date OF the South Brain
tree crime. Upon investigation. II
was proven that he was not at work
on that day. He then claimed &c
have been at the Italian consulate in
| Boston on that date. but the only con-
firmation of this claim is the memory
of a former employee of the consulate
| who made a deposition in Italy that
Sacco among 40 others was in the
office that day. This employe had nc
memorandum to assist his memory.
"As the result Of my study or the
record and my personal investigation
of the case. including my interviews
with a large number of witnesses.
believe. with the jury. that Sacco and
VanZetti were guilty and that the trlai
was fair. 49,.
"This crime was committed seven
wears ago. For six years, through
dilatory methods, one appeal alter
another, every possibility for deiay
has been utilized. all of which lends
itself to attempts to frignten anu
coerce witnesses, to influence changes
in testimony, to multiply by the very
years of time elapsed the possibilities
of error and confusion.
Delays Held Inexcusable.
cit might be said that by undertake
ing this investigation L nave con
tributed to the elaborate conSloeralio,i
accorded these men. My answer Is
that there was a feeling on the part
of some people that the various De
lavs that had dragged this case
through the courts for six years were
evidence that a doubt existed as 10
the guilt of these two men. The 1eei
ing was not justified. The persistent
determined efforts of an attorney oil
extraordinary versatility and industry
the iudce's illness, the election Ell
forts of three district attorneys and
dilatoriness on the part OF most OF
those concerned are the principal
causes of delay. The delays that have
dragged this case out for six years are
| ineXcusable.
"rhis task Of review has been a
laborious one, and 1 am proud to be
associated in this public service with
clear.eyed witnesses. unafraid to tell
1.-The truth. and with jurors who qis
charged their obliga tons in accord
ance with their convictions and their
oaths."