Putnam patriot., 1929-01-24
GRAND JURY RETURNS TRUE BILL
 AGAINST THOMAS MAZZOLA
WiIlinantic Man to Be Tried Fer Murder at April
 Term
Fourth Case For Homicide In Three
 Years a Record

\ Mindhari county grand iurv con- vcncd at Wiilimantic, Wednesday, brought in a true bill for murder in the first degree against Thomas Mag zola of Willimantic.
 Mazzola is charged with killing his mother-in-law, Mrs. Resaria Lorella on the morning of Thursday. January 3rd, before going to work as a section hand for the New Haven Railroad Company.
 As soon as the grand jury made kpown it's finding Mazzola who had been present as the hearing. was taken before Judge Newell Jennings where the ldietment, charging first degree murder by strangulation, was read to him. Mazzola, who was represented in court by Attorney Samuel B. Harvey of Will mantle, pleaded not guilty and elected to be tried by jury.
 Trial in April
 Following q consultation between State'a Attorney Howard C. 3sldfor and Mr. Harvey, 1t was decided thas neither side would be ready for trial during the present term and the case VIII be tried at the April criminal term of court.
 Mazzola's wife and daughter were il tears as he was hrau ht into the court room to be put to plea. He ap- pCarcd Cred and somewhat confused by the Tr9ceadings. After the formal ties had been disposed of Mazzola was hold w thnut bonds and taken hack 10 the iall in Brooklyn, where he has been held under a coroner's warrant.
 Members on the grand jury from this end of the county included Sam uei R'eh and Peter A. Gardner, Put nam; Afeha $. Walker. Eastford: Charles r. Griggs, Pomfrct; Frank M. Knight. Thompson; Byron w. Bates and Bert J. Johnson. Woodstock.
 Marks On Neck
 The victim of the murder was found lying on couch in her home on the morning in question. Gas was escaping from a stove in the next room and it was at first thought that it was a case Of suicide When in- vestigation disclosed marks on the woman's neck the murder theory was advanced. An autopsy disclosed that Mrs. Lorella's windpipe has been broken by the pressure, presumably of A Hdhus on hcf neck.
 IL was found that the son-in-law. the accused, had arrived at work late that morning and his actions were checked up and he was held under suspicion and later by order of the coroner.
 Many witnesses testified before the grand jury. Both sides will put forth their efforts .n strengthening their side of the case between now and the time of trial. The states ease is built up of circumstantial evidence. The defense, it is anticipated, Hill in- jeet into the trial strong clements of doubt by casting suspicion on some one other than the defendant.
 Fourth kiurder Trial
 The Mazzola trial will be the fourth murder trial in Windham coa1ty ia three years. This is recori for Windham county and for all of the smaller counties of the state. Pre- v'on7 trials were those of Ravmond Wothcrbee, charged with Agnes Pytko, of the murder of a new born infant at W.lsonvillc. Wetherbee was acquit- ted by a jury.
 Sava Mathwink of Willimantic, charged with shooting the wife of a Willimantic man in a dispute over money matters, furnished the second murder case The bullet that killed the woman was intended for her hus- band Mathwink was allowed to plead guilty to lesser degree and was sentenced to states prison.
 The third trial was that of Ray mond and Lalone, charged with the murder Of State Policeman Nelson at Pomfret. After lengthy trial at Wiilimantic the s0-caIled ''icebox bandits" were convicted of murder in the second degree and sentenced to states prison for life.