The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-16

LUSICNAN|'S END.
The Italian Wife Murderer Executed at
MorristOwn, N. j., Yesterday.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
A Tale of Love, Jealousy, Deser-
tiOn and Revenge.
THE TRIAL, CONVICTION AND SENTENCE.
How the Repeated Efforts to Save the
Prisoners Life Failed.
THE LAST DAYS OF the MURDERER.
He Spends His Time i'm Sing
ing and Prayer.
The Closing Scenes in the
Condemned Cell.
The March to the Scaf6ld and
Execution.
How the Repeated Efforts to Save the
Prisoners Life Failed.
The LAST DAYS OF the MURDERER.
He Spends His Time i'm Sing
ing and Prayer.
The Closing Scenes in the
Condemned Cell.
The March to the Scaffold and
Execution.
FIGHTING FOR THE DEAD MANS BODY

FIGHTING FOR THE DEAD MANS BODY.
MoRRIsTowN, N. j., May is, 1873
At twenty-five minutes past eleven O'Clock this
morning Luigi Lusgnani, the Italian, was exc
cuted, in the presence of about two hundred pco-
ple for the murder of his wife.
STORY THE CRIME.
The crime for which Lusgnani has offered up his
fife was committed on the 18th OF November last.
The actors in the tragedy, besides Lusgnani, were
Philip Massalini, Giovanni Bariotti and Johanna
Moosi. The parties were all Italians, possessing
In marked degree the fiery and impetu.
GUS tempers which are characteristic OF
the children OF the sunny Southern
cline. Two or three years ago Luigi Lusgnani
was in Italy, living with his aged father ana
mother In his native province of Bobia He was
one OF thirteen children. tive OF whom now only
survive-a sister, and priest who lives near
Rome The early portion Of Lusignani's life had
been adventurous and stormy He worked while
quite young on a plantation his fathers
home, and while here one OF the great rsings in
the cause OF Italian liberty took place under the
leadership OF Garibald. The martial youth Of
Italy. fired with ideas of patriotism and dreams of
freedom, were everywhere docking to the standard
of the great leader, and Lusignani sharing
the infection, enrolled himself as a soldier In the
Garibadian ranks From the stories told by him.
self and others Of the campaign in which he bore
part, 1t Is evident he acquitted himself bravely,
and wound which he received in battle, slightly
tanning him TOR life, bore evidence TO his valor
When the brief war was over and Garbaldi had re-
turned to his home in Caprera, Luslgnani
turned to his native place. but feeling restless and
unsatsned, he manifested a desire to emigrate to
America His parents tried to dissuade him from
this resolution but his mind filed with
visions Of what he iondly hoped FL Dorado, he
would not consent to remain at home, and some
two years ago he arrived in this country He tried
his hand at variety OF employments, but lett
them In succession until he went to work IN the
shop OF Giovanni Bariott, an Italian like himself
and the future source OF all his future miseres
who kept a shoe shop in Centre street.
THE MEETING WITH JOHANNA MoosI.
II the career OF Lusignani IN America, up to this
date had not been very prosperous, 1t was at the
least. happy but the fates were about to gather
around him, and the circumstances beginning to
develop themselves which led to his untimely ana
tgnominiouS death the scafold to-day. Like
most of the italian residents OF this city, Luigi
boarded In the Sixth ward, and In the classic pre-
cIncts OF Baxter street he met the woman who was
afterward to be his wife and his ruin-Johanna
Moosi Johanna splendid type OF the Pc
cular style OF beauty for which the peasant women
Of Italy are so Justly celebrated. She was OF
medium height, but her form was rounded to
perfection, and her step was like that
OF queen. She had glorious black hair.
a set OF pearly teeth small hands and feet, and a
broad, intelligent forehead. She just such
woman would make deep impression upon q
young and ardent nature like that of Lusignani,
and the poor fellow, who was easily moved to fury
or to laughter to tears to love, adored Johanna
with all the strength OF his hot Italian blood
Whether Johanna really loved Luigi or not
cannot be ascertained but she lent willing ear to
his suit, and, after brief courtship, the couple
were married by an Italian priest in Hobokcn, and
commenced keeping house on Baxter street, Lusig
mani still continuing to work in the shop Of Barlotu
THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
For a short honeymoon all went merry
as marriage bell. Luigi was indus
trlous, Johanna was a good housekeeper,
and her welded life gave fair promise OF happiness.
But the clouds were already gathering and the
dream of contentment was about TO be rudely dis
PEELED. Bariotu began TO lose his business in
Centre street, and II finally became so bad that he
sold out his stock and went to live in tie mining
town or Dover, on the line OF the Delaware and
Lackawanna Railroad While Luigi was working In
the shop of Bariott Johanna was in the habit of
bringing him his meals, and Bariotti began to
look with unhoy eyes upon the swarthy
beauty She received his advances graclously. and
when he left Centre street she displayed consider.
able regret, which did not escape the observation
OF her husband When he had gone away the true
nature OF Johanna began TO manifest ITSELF She
stunned the company OF Luigi and commenced to
frequent the low Italian drinking saloons OF Baxter
street. Not satisfied with this, she displayed
marked preference for other men over her hus-
band, and the latter was at length compelled TO
interfere and, If possible. rescue the woman
from the downward course which he saw she was
rapidly pursuing. He demonstrated with her, at
first gently but firmly, but she refused to listen to
MIN, and rows became OF frequent occurrence,
which sometimes ended IN blows, Lusignani IN
yaria6ly coming out OF these encounters second
best Finding that circumstances and threats were
OF no USE Lusignani had recourse to q stratagem,
ana one day, when Johanna was out, he having
previously procured apartments in the upper part
OF the city, had her clothes removed to the
new residence. He hoped, by removing her
from the communicating influence OF the neigh.
bOrhOOd to work reformation In her character:
but In TINS he was doomed TO disappointment
When johanna heard OF the ruse which had been
practised upon her she became furious and de.
manded back her effects Luigi very pr6perly re.
TO her Indignation she suddenly di.appeared-leit
the city-and for months Lusignani could find no
trace OF her.
Luigi left no stone unturned to obtain some cline
10 the whereabouts OF the missing woman, but for
a long time he was unsuccessful. Atlength fortune
befrended wandering Italian organ grinder,
passing through Dover in his rambes recognized
In the streets Johanna and Barotti He made
inquiries about them ana heard that they
were living together as man and wife. When
he returned TO New York he communicated
the intelligence TO Luigi, who at once deter
mined, II possible, to recover bis wife, and with
this end in view he consulted lawyer, who advised
him to write to the woman He wrote twice,
Offering her forgiveness II she would return, but
hi0 letters were unanswered, and In consequence
he determined 10 proceed TO Dover himself An
old friend Of ms childhood Philip Mass0nf con-
sented to accompany him, and on the eth or No
yember they took the early train IRON HOboken.
They arrived In Dover about ten O'Clock In the
morning, and the first news they heard was that
Bariotti had become bankrupt, and that In asking
70 be released from the consequences OF his bank
ruptcy he had sworn that he was married man,
securing himself $3.50 by his oath.