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Nick Saranzak Pleads Guilty To Charge Before Judge Keller THE SPEZZANO- CASE, Court Divides Costs Equally Between Spezzano And Mrs. Conti DOYLESTOWN. Sept. 22—Sentence was deferred by Judge Keller in the case of Nick Saranzak, Bristol, who pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a bicycle. Sheriff Ross was asked to communicate with the boy's sister and see whether she will make a home for the boy. The case was heard at a session of criminal court here yesterday. Charles Spezzano, Bristol, went on trial charged with aggravated assault and battery and assault and battery. The charge was lodged by Mrs. Anna Conti, a neighbor. The two engaged in a quarrel and flower pots were thrown. Witnesses for the Commonwealth were Dr. William C. LeCompte, Anna Conti, Lillian Denny and Ella Da Resse, all of Bristol. Rose and Mary Spezzano and Mary Tamburella were the witnesses for the defendant. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, but directed that the costs of prosecution be divided equally be tween Mrs. Conti and Spezzano. Harry Heath, sixty-six-year-old junk dealer of Warrington, was convicted of aggravated assault and battery and assault and battery on Thursday af ternoon before President Judge Hiram K. Keller, President Judge Keller sentenced Heath to pay a fine of $100 and the costs of prosecution. A prison sen tence of 30 days to two years was suspended, and the defendant was placed on probation for two years. Leidy Krout, of Bristol Road, War rington, the first witness for the Com monwealth, testified that he stopped in at the Heath home on Guinea Lane on Sunday morning about 1L o'clock, May 27. “Heath told me he had a new car, but was not able to handle the gear shift, and asked me to come over and take him out for a ride. We had sev eral drinks together. About 4.30 o’clock in the afternoon I reported at the Heath home and took Heath and his housekeeper, Anna O'Neil, for a ride. All of us took a few drinks be fore leaving, but I was careful be cause I never drink much when I want to drive a car. The party returned to the Heath home about 16.30 o'clock that evening. It was then, Krout stated, they went on a drinking bout. The housekeeper, who was also drunk, he said, attempt ed to build a fire in the kitchen stove to heat some coffee, “I said to Anna ‘Didn't Heath go out quick, and stopped her in fan Heath, who was sitting in a chair, holding his head in his hands, said ‘S am drunk, drunk all over.’ Suddenly he jumped out of the chair grabbed a 22-rifle and leveled it at me shouting ‘Get out of here, you “He discharged the gun, a bullet just grazed the top of my head, inflict ing a flesh wound. I ran out of the kitchen and into the fields, hiding in the grass. When I returned for my coat and hat which were in the kitch en, I heard him discharge a shot gun, and felt some of the shot land in my leg.” During the brawl in the house, Krout told the Court, he was hit in the eye by Heath. Assistant District Attorney Edward G. Biester offered in evidence a double-barreled shot gun, and a rifle which belonged to the defendant. Krout and Heath were close friends for more than 20 years and Krout has known Heath's housekeeper slightly more than a year. The next witness for the Common wealth was Constable Albert R. Atkin son, of this place, who served a war rant on Heath. He was accompanied by State Trooper Lawrence Prior, who was unable to attend court because of strike duty. Constable Atkinson described Heath as being intoxicated, and explained his housekeeper was much more in toxicated than Heath when placed un der arrest. “Trooper Prior picked up a whiskey bottle-containing moonshine—outside of the house, and when Mrs. O'Neil saw the trooper had it in his posses sion she asked him for a drink, and begged him to leave it there.” Constable Atkinson admitted that he detected alcohol on the breath of Heath and the housekeeper, but did not notice any on Krout’s when he was taken to the local barracks of the State Police, a Taking the stand in his own de fense, Heath, a tall, gaunt man, testi fied that after returning home from the automobile ride he suffered a ter rible headache. “I sat in the kitchen with my head in my hands when I heard Anna cry for help. Kraut was making improper advances toward her, and had attempted to attack her. Continued on Page 4
Newspaper Details
Bristol Courier
Bristol, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Sep 22, 1934
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Jennifer M.
PA, USA 13 May 2026
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