The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-10-01
A MURDER N BARCLAY STREET.
An italian Woman stabs . Nswsboy in tho
Back-stsaling Decayed Fruit the Cause Of
the Tragedy-An Interview with the
Murderess at tho Tombs and tho
Dying Boy at Park Hospital.

Yesterday afternoon boy named Thomas Hart,
OF lO4 Monroe street. aged thirteen years, and
who has OF late been leading . vagrant life,
was fatally stabbed in the back while In Barclay
street by an Italian woman named Cattarlna Mar
cigano Dlrago. living at 200 South Fifth avenue.
The wounded boy is now lying ct DEATHS door In
Park Hospital. and the woman Ia an inmate In the
Tombs. Tho following are the details OF The case
as gathered by HERALD reporter:-
THR DYING BOYS sr0av.
As was walking In Barclay street this m0rHing
with some other boys saw woman with knife
in her hand. picking specked fruit out OF an ash
barrel. aud ~ 1 was very hungry, having had
nothing TO eat for twenty -four hours got behind
her and took some out OF the basket. Another
woman who was near her saw what l was about
and told her. and she ran after me .'e
AND srAgBsD NM IN ruE BAoK,
after taking to me In Italian. which do not I'M
derstand. was born at % Monroe street, In tho
Seventh ward, In 1859, ana am thirteen years
OF age. NV father was a Inachinist who went away
to California, ana was never heard or 1 never
saw him. MY mother. to support the family.
used TO do washing. went to the public
school In Monroe street whom 1 was six for
eighteen months, and at the end Of that time my
mother sent me 10 the Juvenile Asylum, on the
Hudson at 176tl street, where lived pretty happy
for three years and hall. left 1t In August, last
year. aud went to live at my uncles. who Is o
painter. ut 429 West TWenty eighth street;
BUT ne USED 10 KICK ME
and curse mo and beat me all the time, and was
always finding fault with me aud everything did.
chester Protectory, where stopped \ short time.
and they were very kind to me there. Then got
w:ss ssp 70 Is x sss. pSv M w y cones es
store, at 1888 Duane street. but had to leave 1t be-
cause boy reported did not pick the stones out
lanKs bal at R9nnr
era shoe store at 50 week. but they turned me
or and said was slow. Since that time nave
Deen selling newspapers.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MURDERBsa
Accompanying the husband of the murderess q
reporter went to the TOmbs. The former asked per-
mission OF Warden Mark Finlay to see his wife. In q
lew moments the wretched woman, who Is about
thirtyive years or age, but looks nearer fifty, was
brought from her cell into the consultation room
set apart for prisoners and their counsel. and here
al a few feet apart from stokes, who was chatting
with friend, she told her tale OF The murderous
dressed in an old cotton gown full OF holes, and
around her head was bound handkerchief OF the
same material. Her story was short and delivered
very poor, and she went down to the neighborhood
of Washington Market to see Il she could not pick
up some damaged fruit. "Whie picking some out
OF an ash barrel the hoy Hart threw some mud ut
me and stole some things out OF my basket, and
snatchcd my knife out OF my hand. He then ran
away, throwing the knife as he ran, which picked
up, and he was caught by a gentleman and-and-
and"-here she came to a dead stop, for she could
not bring herself to say that she had stabbed the
boy.
20 Holy Virgin! what shall dor Why do they
keep me heres For am
ONLY POvERETTA
who was trying 20 get food for my family. Gan I
have my little baby, or will the cold or the prison
Kill 1t II have It herea And am soon expect.
ing to be a mother again. Oh help me, Mother OF
God" Here the poor woman was SO overcome by
grief that she was unable to speak After a. few
minutes she showed her baskctful OF half-decayed
apples, pears plums and peaches. which she had
gathered in the ash barrels near Washington Mar
ket. my name In full is
CATrARINA MARCIGANO DIRAGO,
and have boy OF twelve, with whom used to go
round in the streets to beg money while he played
the harp. have been about thirteen years In this
country, but l can't speak English. NY husband
and myself were married before we left Naples.
on, why did we leave beautiful Italy to have so
much misery in this country! Oh, my poor babyl"
The parting scene which cnsued between hus-
band and wife was sad TO witness, the woman
wanting to follow him out OF the prison, thinking
that he had obtained her deliverance; but touch
on the arm from the jaier with his heavy keys
dangling. in one hand, speedily undeceiyed her,
and, with a cry OF desperation and down-Dent
head she followed him to her cell, there to undergo
the poignant remorse which attends the impris-