ITALIAN YENDETTA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8104, 1 September 1904, Page 2

ITALIAN VENDETTA.

PRECONCERTED MURDER PLOT. The corner of Warner Street and Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London, was the scene one Sunday night in May of a murderous outrage upon an Italian named Paolino Araato, who succumbed to his in- I juries in the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's I Inn Road. The man was stabbed in five or six places, one Wound, which penetrated the right lung, being about three inches deep. Another bad cut laid open the left side of the neck, and a third wound was j made in the right breast. According to on© of his own countrymen, Amato was in love with another man's wife, and there hud been a plot against him for some time. Amato was standing in the street, n«ar the junction of the three districts of Clerkenweil, Holborn and St Pancras, when, *o« cording to eye witnesses, he was suddenly attacked by three or four Italians, who used revolvers and knives. Amato also seems to have been armed with a revolver, and he defended himself with the weapon. Six or eight shots altogether were fired. None of these shots hit Amato, but one struck another Italian who was standing ■ •by. When picked up by friends in the crowd, which soon collected, a small butcher's knife was still h\ ons of the wounds. The assailants escaped hi the labyrinth, of adjacent courts. Amato was employed at parquet floor works, in Victoria Park, and resided in Gray's Inn Road, near the scone of' the outrage. He "was known by his fellowcountrymen as Bersagliere. He wa3 a native of Atina, near Naples, and had served in the Italian Army, having gone to England five or six years ago. Shqrtly before Christmas, Amato was a witness in. a case of shooting by some compatriots, near Leather Lane, and his subpoena wa3 found in his pocket "at the hospital. Elisena Alezio/was arrested on suspicion of having been, concerned in the crime, bub he was released. ,It was proved by hi* friends beyond £oubt that he was innocent. He is a short, spare youth of twenty-one, wearing the typical black scarf, the Boft shirt, and bell-bottomed trousers of the youtt in these quarters. "It was at twenty-past eight at night," he said to an interviewer. "I was just standing there" (pointing to a dingy spot in Warner Street), "talking to two friends, when suddenly I heard a succession of shots. Springing round, I saw a cloud of smoke, and through it a man stabbing another. Near by was another man with revolver in hand. In an instant I rushed towards them, and immediately the- two men turned and fled. The tragedy did not com* as a surprise to me. For months past I heard rumours of a plot againsb"my cousin. It was all through his fancy for another's wife. He knew his life was m danger, but ha was careless, and loved." WAS THERE A PLOT? At the inquest, Antonio Buffa, a labourer, deposed that just before eight o'clock he saw AmatoJ Peretta, and Torino together at the " corner of Warner Street, Clerkenwell. He- saw Torino stab Amato •who cried, out, "Do not, give me any more,It is a shame." Peretta said,' "lt's time we killed you." The man then told witness that if be did not go away .he would get. the same. Witness knew that there had been a quarrel between. Amato. and f* man named CaCcavella. "over the Matter's wifa for the past two years. He did not know who Amato's assailants were. i The Coroner: I once had a case here in which the man who had murdered someone in this quarter was carried out. of the quarter in a potato sack, and was afterwards got out of the- country attired as a priest, in- 'order to evade the death penalty in England. Michael Bella, a boy, said he saw the woman Caccavella call Amato out of tha Apple-Tree Public-house, in Warner Street. , Suddenly he saw Peretta, fire five shots at Amato, and another man stabbed him, and ran away. Later witness found a knife, which was produced. AMarco Vecchioni, a carpenter, said he was walking down Warner Street with Amato, when they met Mrs Caecavella, with Peretta and two other men v The- woman pointed out Amato, and said, "Here comes the pig." Perait© asked Amato to come across to them. Aa he did so, Perett«, shot him. Amato then produced a revolver in defence, and replied 'with, a single shot. Mary Vella, a tin-box maker, Maiding with Mrs Caccavella, stated that, Amato called there to see Mrs Caccavella, but he was told he could not do so. Mrs Caccavella told witness that Aniato would have to be killed before the week was out. Five weeks prior to that, witness heard Peretta tell Mrs Caooavella to pick a quarrel with Amato outside Farringdon Street Station, and he would take his life. They had intended to kill Amato on Easter Tuesday, and had arranged, with to come from Italy* to carry out the plan. On the fiaturdav, PeretU told wiin«» that if ho did not kill Amato that night his .nanvj was not Peretta. Mrs Caccavella, wid, "The man's ilife mu*t be taken, on. Sunday." There had been a quarrel about • dj Dr Williams, of the Bpyal Free Hospital stated that there were no revolver; shot wouSin the deed's body. Death™ due to a fcmfe wound m the lungs. There were other things— wound 3 w tho neck ana f ACS ■ .'■■" Inspector Pew^^ statedV that .the woman Caccavella had been subpeenaed to attend the inquest, but had not put in an appearB1 The Coroner : v She is evidently keeping aw*y for a purpose. ' . , The inquest was then adjourned.