1896 WB Record Almanac, Capital Crimes in 1895 There were nearly a dozen murders in Luzerne County during the year 1895, a record very large compared with previous years. On April 4, George Windisch of Pittston murdered his wife and her mutilated body was found three days afterwards, the children living in the house in the meantime with no knowledge of the crime. Windisch was captured in Virginia and was convicted of murder in the first degree November 16. On May 16, James Williams killed William Chapman during a quarrel in Jackson Township; Williams was acquitted. June 10, a shanty full of Hungarians was blown up with dynamite on the Lehigh Valley mountain cut-off, two miles from Fairview, and five were killed and a number injured. On June 16, the body of Anthony Yiesty was found in the Blackman mine with bullets in his body. His wife and Anthony Zemattis, a boarder, were arrested and charged with the crime. The woman was released but the man is awaiting trial. On July 6, Frederick Bittenbender was shot and killed in Nanticoke by Abram Eckert and the latter was convicted of murder in the first degree. In August, five Negroes, including one woman, were arrested, charged with the crime, the object being robbery. One of them, Nelson Miller, was in September convicted of murder in the first degree and the others are awaiting trial. On September 15, Tote Loshlaw of Hazleton was murdered by highwaymen along a lonely road; no arrests. On November 14, John Shokowskie, a Hazleton grocer was found dead along the highway and John Offokolsky and wife were arrested and are awaiting trial. November 16, the body of constable Earley was found near his home at Hazleton with suspicion of foul play; no arrests. November 18, John Holodnock was murdered while walking along the road near Hazleton and John Bodeck was arrested and is awaiting trial. On December 17, Giovanni Distasio and William Danglio, two Italians, while playing cards and drinking at Pittston, engaged in a quarrel about paying for the drinks, when the former stabbed the latter in the neck, killing him almost instantly. Giovanni Distasio plunged his stiletto into William Danglio’s neck and killed him. The quarrel started at cards. The murderer was captured. December 22, Michael Lucosh shot and killed Andrew Washal, near Freeland, in a quarrel. Typed by Helene H. Williams, January 9, 2009