A VENDETTA

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1937, Page 5

A VENDETTA

PARIS TRAGEDY A CORSICAN FEUD. % ■ (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). PARIS, August 12. An “underworld” drug vendetta here has just reached its climax with the murder of Jean Paul Stcfani. He was the leader of the Corsican gang of drug traffickers. Stefani was shot down in a street of the suburb of Montmartre. The feud began some time ago when Stefani sold a drug factory to a rival gang, and then informed the police. His rivals denounced Stefani, who, on Christmas Eve of 1934, was arrested, after a shooting affray in “The Dead Rat” bar in Montmartre. In that affray Angelo Foata, another Corsican, was wounded and his son, aged five, was lulled. Then Stefani’s brother, a few hours later, was shot dead.

Stefnni was acquitted of the bar affray, Foata refusing to identify him as ins son’s murderer. When visiting his wife’s grave in a Paris cemetery, Stefani was ambushed by Foata, who was hidden behind a tombstone.

Foata fired, a bullet piercing Stefani’s hat, and another bullet wounding a friend who was accompanying him. However, grave diggers on the scene caught Foata, and belaboured him with wooden crossesStefani, however, observed the “underworld” code, and declared that Foata. did not attack him, but the grays : diggers’ evidence convicted Foata, who was then sentenced to seven years with hard labour. Si lice Foata was sentenced Stefani had been a marked man, and his shooting was the climax of the feud.