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

was ia The rear cutting a piece OF meat prepare
tory for cooking. what follows IN the story Luigi
himself tells and there rs no reason to believe it Is
untrue.) The parties all looked at each other In 81
fence. silence onlnous OF the approaching tragedy
Al length Luigi spoke, and, addressing Johanna,
asked her to return with MIN to New York. This
she daily refused to do but Luigi renewed his en-
treaties and asked to speak TO her privately, and
as there was no inner apartment the unhappy pair
came out upon the stoop to talk. They conversed
in Italian and al their conversation was getting
10 he very exciting, Bariotti came out and said
that IL Lusignani would return TO New York he
would promise that his wife should follow him.
This did no. satisfy. Luigi, and he still urged the
woman TO return but she became savage, accused
Luigi OF robbing and ill-treating her, saying That
no persuasion could induce her to ever live with
him again. Masson all this time sat upon
bench and did not interfere. When the mated
husband and wife had talked some time upon the
sto0p they returned into the house again.
While Luigi was standing with his back to
Johanna. she suddenly tas he stated raised the
men, the mark OF which he has carried with
him to his grave He was at the same time
grasped her around the waist and fercely strug-
gled for the possession OF the knife. La the en-
counter the woman received cut upon the breast:
herself forward and attempted to seize shoe
makers knife which lay upon Barottl's bench.
Luigi's fierce blood was inhamed to an
ungovernabe degree. and, while his wife
was bending forward, ne struck her terrible
blow. the knife penetrating far into the back, and
she fell to the floor corpse When Johanna Tell
Bari0tu sprang upon Luigi but the latter, with the
bloody knife. indicted two wounds IN ms stomach
lin who had sat through the tragedy In Stupened
state, at this point jumped up and wrcsted the
knife from the hands OF Luigi and flung IL into the
street. They were both soon afterwards arrested
and when the CoronOrs inquest had been held they
Bariotts life was for some time despaired Of, but
| youth and skillu treatment trlumphed and he re-
| covered.
THE TRIAL AND SENTENCE.
Lusignani was brought to trial on the nth OF
| February. Massani having been previously dis
| charged and after an impartial hearing, which
cupied tour days. the case was given to the jury.
| From the many extenuating circumstances con-
heavier verdict than murder in the second degree
| or manslaughter in the first degree would have
been rendered but the jury thought different and,
To the surprise and CONSERVATION OF nearly every
one in Court verdict OF murder in the first de-
gree was brought in. Messrs Wurts h Childs,
set aside on account OF Irregularities connected
| with the jury, and Judge Dalrymple suspendin9
sentence appointed Gay Tor mt the hearing o, sne
heard, and after three weeks consultation the mo-
ton was denied and Lusignani was sentenced to be
hanged on the LIST OF May. When sentence was
pronounced the prisoner became greatly excited
and in his broken English. denounced the Judge
and jury saying that because he was poor he must
THE FIGHT FOR LIFE.
j The devoted counsel OF LuSlgnant were deter
mined that he should not perish without strong
effort being made on his behalf petition was
drawn up, which was signed BY nearly all the in.
| habitants of MOrrstown including every man or
Go1ernor The case was laid before the Court Of
|
orders were given that the preparations for the
execution should be proceeded with. The day pre-
was said to be personally in favor Of com.
mutation OF sentence, granted repreye
OF two weeks on strong representations
which had been brought to bear upon him by
prisoners counsel and the case was again taken
before the Court Of Pardons, but that body
orable, and the Sheriff was notified that Lusignan
must die when his reprieve had terminated
LUSIGNANIS PRISON LIFE.
Since sentence was passed LuSignani has acted
which
published relative to his conduct entirely false.
His courage never for an instant dropped, and he
displayed no terror at the thought OF his approach
ing end. To those persons who had befriended him
he was deeply grateful, and manifested his graf
people OF Morristown had become greatly attached
to him, and he has, since sentence was passed, not
been compelled 10 eat . the prison lare aehcacies
Sheriff and others. Father Vassalo, an Italian
priest from Orange, has been with him nearly all
the time. and the Sisters OF Charity from the st.
| Elizabeth Convent have been unwearied in their
labor OF love. Lusignani frequently talked OF the
disgrace his execution would bring upon his fam
/ ily but for himself, he said, death had terrors,
as ne had faced 10 like soldier and would die like
soldier. When speaking OF his soldering life he
triotic songs OF his country and his Deep rich voice
could be heard from the street by the passers,by.
who exhorted him to die like man, which he
promised to do. Father sheeran, the parish clergy.
man, and Father Hickey, OF Hackensack, have also
been frequent visitors in the condemned CELL
THE LAST DAY.
OF the Jail. There was no raised platform, but,
instead. plain boards were placed along the
ground. In place OF having the weights which
held the rope to the north end OF the scat
fold, patent spring was attached to the weights,
which the sherlr could, by touching, work so as to
make the weights drop. This is the first time this
contrivance has been used in the State OF New
Jersey, The yard Tin which the scaffold was
sides The Court House conceals II from
the street. The Clerks and Surrogate's Offices
oil eli Tha cell w oft hp nrian
out upon the yard, and the condemned had an OPP
portunity OF witnessing the awful preparations.
| laughed, and said to the Shern, me go out and
dig hole; dig deep.' There was very little excite
evening the late trains brought in numbers OF
strangers, and strong force OF reporters made the
town look more animated. Father vassao, who
preceding the execution; Fathers Ronado and
Hickey, Of IIackettstown; Father sheran, Of Nor.
were .with the prisoner during the entire
| day. In the morning a barber came and made the
last toilet OF the unhappy man. and on leaving was
Luigi picked them up and sent for the Sheriff.
When the Sheriff came he produced the scissors
But no; don't lose my soul: am good Catholicn
Every now and then he would burst into snatches
OF sacred song, and as he had a natural gift for
poetry he would composeoand sing at the same
! time, dragging in every little incident that was
OF spirits, and laughed and joked necessarily, his
gayety communicating to his visitors, notwlth
standing
THE soIEMNITY OF THE OCCASION.
lie once brought out and sang .Shoo ny don't
bodder me, but recollectng himself he changed
this melody for an Italian hymn. During the day a
young lady named Carting OF Monmouth county,
who has remained faithful friend to Lusignani
during all his trials visited him in the cell, and on
parting they both wept like children. When the
hole had been dug and before the scafiod was
erected a screen was placed IN front OF the window
to conceal the apparatus from view, Every time
Lusignani would hear the noise OF the
hammering he would say, passonately clasping
the cruciix to his breast 'Me no afraid to die me
60 to heaven young" He would then break into
iervent praying in his native tongue, which would
be followed by singing At six O'Clock the Sisters
OF Charity left him for the night. He babe them
farewell with great fortitude Alter they had lett
he called for his supper and ate hearty meal OF
beeisteak and pie soon after, the priests left MIN
alone for a little while and went to supper. While
they were away Lusignani amused himself by sing
ing, and IN his voice there was not the slightest