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WllRDER trial !S COMMENCED.ROBERT VANELLA BEING TRIED IN THE DISTRICT COURT.WITNESSES TESTIFYVince Landry Identifies Defendant as Man Whom He Saw Running Down Alley After Lavelle Fired Shots. Depositions Read.From Wednesday’s Dally.'Robert Vanella. was placed on trial in the district court yesterday, on a charge of murdering Itaffael Orasio, on'October 11 of last year, in a little house on First avenue between South Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth streets. The jury was selected and several of the witnesses for the prosecution had been examined when an adjournment was taken last night.Louis Fava, an Italian who was in the liouso when. Orasio was shot, was the first witness called. He testified that he had known both the defendant and the murdered man about three weeks before Orasio was killed. Ho said that he was about to enter the house immediately after Orasio was killed and met someone coming out, who said, “stand back or you’ll get the satno thing,” or words to that effect. He testified that he thought ho recognized the voice as being Va-nella’s, hut could not see the man’s face or whether or not he bad a gun in his hand.Appeared to Be Friends.The deposition of James Laiviatz, also an Italian, who was in the house when the murder occurred, was read. In giving his testimony in the ease, according to his deposition, he told of finding the body of Orasio, and of the relations which existed between the defendant and the murdejred man, who occupied the same room In the building and appeared to be the best; of friends.Officer Lavelle testified to shooting1 at Vanella or a man whom he thought was Vanella, as ho ran down an alley and jumped over a fence back of Minnesota avenue. Ho ulso testified*to seeing Vaneo Landry, who told him which direction the fieeing man had taken. Lavelle stated that when he shot he did not know that the man who was running had com ml tied any crime beyond disturbing the peace, and did uot feel justified in shooting to kill at the time. *Saw Vanella Running.Vince Landry testified to seeing Vanella running down an alley back of the restricted district with his coat over his arm, soon after Lavelle fired the shots, uod of telling Lavelle which direction the man had taken. Landry is considered an important witness for the prosecution and his testimony was perhaps tho most damaging to the defense, given yesterday.W. T. Garvey, proprietor of the Turf saloon, testified to Vanella and Orasio being In his place of business the night of the murder, and said'that one of them appeared to be intoxicated. He said that there were several Italians in the saloon at .the same time, and a German, who he thought Vanella and Orasio were going to try to rob. He said the Italians w*ere telling the German something about a job they had for him. He also said that he thought Orasio had a large sum of money.Deposition of Toni Rose,Tho* deposition of Toni Rose, the dead man a sweetheart, was read. She told of the apparently friendly relations which existed between the.two men previous to the killing and avisit which Vanella made to the Pal-* -, nee, a house in the restricted districtof which she and Vanella’s sweet-.heart were inmates, soon after the murder was committed. She said Vanella was white and acted very nervous and that he called his sweetheart, Tlllle Leonard, otf to one side and talked with her, and then kissed her goodby. She stated in her deposition that she thought Bhe hoard Vanella say, “I done It, and that when she asked the Leonard woman if anything was wrong, she aneworod In tho negative.At the conclusion of the reading of the Rose woman’s deposition, court adjourned.It Is understood from County Attorney Wilson's opening statement to the jury that witnesses will be introduced today to testify to Vanella’s arrest at Laurel and hla actions in that place proceding his arrest, and of his purchasing a ticket to Butte just before he was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Burla.
Newspaper Details
Billings Gazette
Billings, Montana, US
Fri, Jan 24, 1908
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Joseph M.
VA, USA 25 Jun 2020
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