The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-10-08
GIRL SLAYER OF
HER PARENTS NOW
MOTHERS ORPHANS
Freed After "Honor Killing"
of Father, She Now Cares
for Six of Her Kin.

Chicago -'I'll be mother now.
AS all Chicago looks on In understand
Ing and sympathy. little Anna Maietta
she Is only fifteen-is taking over the
responsibilities of motherng her brood
of six brothers and sisters. orphaned
by a bullet fired by Anna herself, which
killed their father and accidentally. ia
tally wounded their mother as she was
being brutally beaten.
Annals father. James Maietta, at
tempted to strangle his wife following
a quarrel In which she had upbralded
him for his aggresslons upon the honor
OF his daughters. Anna shot to save
her mother, but slew her instead.
Now, grjef-stricken and aged beyond
her years By sleepless days and nights
behind the bars. she Is taking over the
duties which once we're her mothers.
To Chicago she is ''the little mother
When the police arrested Anna and
she was held to the grand jury, charged.
with murder, great city Numbered
out Its protest
Authorities demanded the case be
turned over to the Juvenile court In
stead of the Criminal court, where
hardened criminals are tried.
Offered Assistance.
Attorneys offered to champion her
cause-and did Wealthy citizens Of
fered to raise the money necessary for
her bond.
Social welfare organizations entered
the fight with the cry:
Society Is on trial--not Anna
Anna was penniless. but she had the
sympathy of 100000 people behind
her.
The story OF the shooting-and its
causes--was revealed before a cor
oner's jury.
James Maietta. once bakery own
er. was on relief rolls, but the fact
that he was dependent upon charity
did not prevent him from being habit
ually drunk. Frequently. his daugh.
ters-Anna, Carmel and Dolly-testi
fed, he had pressed unwelcome atten-
tions upon them.
1t was. In fact, these aggressions
that led to the shooting which became
known as the "honor Staying" the at
tempt of young girl, Just entered into
her teens, to protect her mother from
violence and to defend her own honor
and that OF her sisters
Tells Her Story.
Questioned as to the shooting. Anna
admitted she meant to kill her father.
She said
Il held the gun In both hands and
shot Ito take him away from my
mother. He fell down and crawIed
up to me on his knees, and tried to
turn the gun on me while hung on to
It, stepped on his hand to keep him
away. then ] ran out the back way
and screamed, and everything went
black. !"
Anna did not know until later that
the bullet which struck her father
paSoNd VII uHEH HlS ubuys HlLtlHB Huu
fatally wounding her mother.
Annals sisters corroborated her tes-
timony, but she was held over to the
grand jury for Indictment
But when, week later, that JUS;
body Of men heard the story Of her
family life-the poverty and deadly
fear of drunken. pistnl-wnyIng father
she was freed The grand Jury refused
to inalci her.
Anna was Tindeated-as all Chicago
bad said she must be.
So Anna has gone home-not to the
old one, with its tragic memories, but
new one provided for her and the
family by her great uncle Her broth
ers and sisters have EMBODIED her in
their arms. They. too. have indicated
her.
And Anna says, trying to forget her
sorrow:
III be mother-now."