Caffaretti, Carmello: 1921

James DiStefano (Destefano) murdered Carmello Caffaretti with a hatchet on August 23, 1921 (also noted as taking place in June, 1921).  Destefano appealed to the pardon board after his conviction, contending that he had been insane at the time.  Lt. Governor Beidleman presented a report from Dr. H.W. Mitchell of Warren State Insane Hospital stating that DiStefano was not insane.  DiStefano’s attorney contested this opinion, presenting sworn statements from over forty people that DeStefano, each of whom stated they knew the killer before the crime, and he was of unsound mind.  One of DiStefano’s attorney’s, O.H. Hewitt, and District Attorney Marion Patterson argued heatedly when Hewitt claimed that Patterson was aware of DiStefano’s disability, and had agreed before the trial to accept a plea to second degree murder.  Patterson denied it, but Hewitt claimed he could produce an affidavit from the sentencing judge, Thomas J. Baldridge.  The appeal was refused, but Governor Sproul issued a respite on May 22, 1922, delaying the execution until the end of June.  DiStefano’s name is spelled a third way, Fistefano.  The killer was executed by electrocution on June 26, 1922.