1920 WB Record Almanac, Capital Crimes in 1919 During the year 1919 there were ten cases of capital crime in Luzerne Co. The record for other years is: 13 in 1918; 12 in 1917; 22 in 1916; 14 in 1915; 14 in 1914; 21 in 1913; 12 in 1912; 14 in 1911; 14 in 1910; 15 in 1909; 15 in 1908; 14 in 1907; 13 in 1906; 12 in 1905; 8 in 1904. The following information is posted for the sole purpose of family research within the Yahoo Group, The Court House Gang. It is not to be published to any other web site, mailing list, group, etc. without prior written permission and guidelines from the group owner, to ensure that proper credit is given to the group and all of our volunteers that helped with this project. On January 27 Henry Meshowski of Plains, 40 years old, had his head almost severed by a knife while asleep in bed. A man named Tony Palmo was convicted of first degree murder and a motion for a new trial was denied. On February 1 Samuel Machino of Pittston, 36 years, was shot during a quarrel. On February 8 Michael Sitko of Avoca, 34 years, died of a fracture of the skull inflicted during a quarrel. In March Alexander Zabeck of Miners’ Mills, 33 years, died of bullet wounds, having been shot by a masked highwayman, in the wash house of the Dorrance colliery, in a fight in which Zabeck endeavored to prevent his pay from being taken. In May Mrs. John Neary of W.B. died of a bullet wound inflicted by her husband, on the ground of alleged jealousy. He had charged her with unfaithfulness. He was sentenced to from 11 years and 6 months to 12 years. In July Peter Verantos of W.B., 21 years, was shot through the heart while walking with a girl friend at Sans Souci Park. A man named Harry Jacobs was arrested. He was sentenced to from 18 to 20 years. In July Mrs. Andrew Mislin of West Pittston, 42 years, died of a bullet wound inflicted by her husband during a quarrel. He was convicted of murder in the second degree and sentenced to from 10 to 20 years. In September Mrs. Joseph Schooley of Mt. Greenwood, aged 26 years, was found dead with evidence of having been choked. Her husband was suspected. On September 27 Benjamin Mazur of Plymouth, 7 years, died of a skull wound inflicted by a knife while he was assisting in cutting weeds, said to have been thrown in a fit of passion. Patrick Kelly of Parsons, 35 years, died November 20 of stab wounds received in a quarrel. Typed by Susan Novobilsky, June 2004