The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives. Pursuant to the provisions of section 8 of chapter 7 of the Revised Laws, as amended, I herewith submit my report for the year ending this day. The cases requiring the attention of this department during the year, to the number of 8,713, are tabulated below: Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the Harbor and Land Commission, 4 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the 23 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the Massachusetts Highway Commission, 34 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the 3 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board, 9 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the Metropolitan Park Commission, 37 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the 3 Land-damage cases arising from the taking of land by the State 9 Miscellaneous cases arising from the work of the above-named 34 Settlement cases for support of persons in State Hospitals, 6,218 CAPITAL CASES. Indictments for murder pending at the date of the last annual report have been disposed of as follows: RALPH V. BAKER, indicted in Plymouth County, October, 1916, for the murder of William W. Cushing, at Marshfield, on Oct. 3, 1916. He was arraigned Oct. 25, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. R. M. Walsh, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. In March, 1917, the defendant was tried by a jury before Raymond, J. The result was a verdict of not guilty, by reason of insanity. The defendant was thereupon committed to the Bridgewater State Hospital for life. The case was in charge of District Attorney Frederick G. Katzmann. GIOVANNI BOCCOROSSA, indicted in Hampden County, September, 1916, for the murder of Rosie Boccorossa, at Holyoke, on July 3, 1916. He was arraigned Sept. 20, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. James O'Shea, Esq., and Thomas J. Lynch, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. Later the defendant retracted his former plea, and pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. This plea was accepted by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to State Prison for life. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. EDWIN D. CARTER, indicted in Hampden County, May, 1916, for the murder of Richard F. Lawton, at Russell, on Jan. 11, 1916. He was arraigned May 10, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. Richard P. Stapleton, Esq., and E. J. Stapleton, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. Later the defendant retracted his former plea, and pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. This plea was accepted by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to State Prison for life. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. FRANK COLETTI, indicted in Norfolk County, April, 1916, for the murder of Josephine M. Coletti, at Quincy, on Jan. 20, 1916. J. J. McAnarney, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. In September, 1917, the defendant was tried by a jury before O'Connell, J. The result was a verdict of not guilty, by reason of insanity. The defendant was thereupon committed to the Bridgewater State Hospital for life. The case was in charge of District Attorney Frederick G. Katzmann. HAROLD CRAFT, indicted in Suffolk County, February, 1916, for the murder of Eilleen T. Kern, at Boston, on Jan. 28, 1916. He was arraigned May 24, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. May 24, 1916, the defendant was released on bail. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph C. Pelletier. SALVADOR CREMONA, indicted in Hampshire County, October, 1916, for the murder of Aristides Rodrigues, at Northampton, on Aug. 4, 1916. He was arraigned Oct. 23, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. George P. O'Donnell, Esq., and Michael G. Luddy, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. In February, 1917, the defendant was tried by a jury before Quinn, J. The result was a verdict of not guilty. The case was in charge of District Attorney John H. Schoonmaker. RICHARD DADAH, alias, indicted in Hampden County, December, 1916, for the murder of Mahomet Derbas Hazardine, at Springfield, on Oct. 14, 1916. He was arraigned Dec. 29, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. William H. McClintock, Esq., and James E. Dunleavy, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. Later the defendant retracted his former plea, and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. This plea was accepted by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to State Prison for a term not exceeding nine years nor less than six years. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. FRANCIS DUCHARME, indicted in Hampden County, December, 1916, for the murder of Ellen Kaczor, at Chicopee, on Oct. 21, 1916. He was arraigned Dec. 29, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. N. Seelye Hitchcock, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. In May, 1917, the defendant was tried by a jury before Hamilton, J. The result was a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. The defendant was thereupon sentenced to death by electrocution during the week beginning Sept. 9, 1917, which sentence was executed Sept. 11, 1917. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. HASSAN DURPAST, alias, indicted in Hampden County, December, 1916, for the murder of Sarkus Dadah, at Springfield, on Oct. 14, 1916. He was arraigned Dec. 29, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. William G. McKechnie, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. Later the defendant retracted his former plea, and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. This plea was accepted by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to State Prison for a term not exceeding nine years nor less than six years. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. MANUEL SANTOS FERREIRA, indicted in Plymouth County, October, 1916, for the murder of Jose Domingo Coutinho, at Middleborough, on Aug. 16, 1916. He was arraigned Oct. 25, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. W. M. Alston, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. Later the defendant retracted his former plea, and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. This plea was accepted by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to State Prison for a term not exceeding fifteen years nor less than ten years. The case was in charge of District Attorney Frederick G. Katzmann. EMMA GIANUSso, alias, indicted in Hampden County, May, 1916, for the murder of Frank Daniels, Jr., at Ludlow, on March 11, 1916. She was arraigned May 10, 1916, and pleaded not guilty. E. A. McClintock, Esq., and D. B. Hoar, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendant. Later the defendant retracted her former plea, and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. This plea was accepted by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to the Reformatory for Women. The case was in charge of District Attorney Joseph B. Ely. |