The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-15
Trial of the Assassins OF
Raphael Sonsogno.
A DEEP-LAID PLOT.
How the Celebrated Journalist Was
Slaughtered al His Desk.
A Strange Medley Of National Politics, Jealousy
and Domestic Treachery.
RoaE, oct 10, 1875.

Rarely, II ever, has Rome been in such state OF ex
element as this morning. After eight months delay
Frezza, the presumed assassin OF Raphael Sonsognoi
Lucian the instigator and Paymaster Armati the 60
between, with these accomplices, handcuied and
nrongly guarded were transported from the prisons
Career Ntoue the Court OF Asszes The streets win
lows and roofs lining the road crowded with peo-
pie who rush see emperor to-day and an assassin
tomorrow with the same gusto and the same indiner
ence. Now and then you heard regular Roman hiss,
directed especially at Lucian Police soldiers cara
bneers by dint OF hercuean efforts, cleared the way
10 the court where the corridors upper loggas win
dows and a terrace overlooking the courtyard were
mass OF human heads. In these days correspondents
have TO pair and help each other. You 60 there and
with my eyes; win 80 there and with yours "
], by dint or elbowing the crowd, haranguing
the caraoineers their duty and the police
my right TO pass with ticket
gwen by Commentators Ghigeri, succeeded
N reaching the wretched post assigned to
The press The bowling OF the crowd without
sounded like the bowling of wild beasts waiting to be
ed They had for the most part taken up their po-
Iitions at dawn and that the hour appointed for
The court to open item A NJ had passed were clamor
for Suddenly the great door OF the hall
opened and in the middle Of triple line OF soldiers OF
guards and Of carabineers, again surrounded as by
chain with a circle Of carabneers, the accused were
brought in. Arnati FIRST pale, convused, clutch
Ing his long red beard; then Frezza, giant broad
Ihoudered and robust Looking at him, understood
aow Raphael so slight and pale though lighting like
hon his study, through the anteroou down the
first ight OF stairs vanquished at last and fell with
twenty three wounds head, back, chest and hands,
mortaly wounded in the intestinss the landing place
Of the Cdptale The other accused Of the
rommonest stamp. Morelli and Farna look harmless
enough but Scarpette nicknamed vespllone who by
profession gravedigger is, perhaps owing to his bav
Ing but one eye, hideous.
LUcIANI cMR LAST,
and on him all eyes were fixed He dressed in
suit of black blue waistcoat shiny hat his fair
mustachc well waxed-altogether got up accordance
with his profession q lady kIller He smiled upon
the crowd, but as be passed the three Sonsogno
brothers-Edward, Alberto and Cesar, dressed in
deepest mourning-he paled visibly and turned his
head. The accused took their the benches in
ihe cage Frezza searpete and the upper tier
Armat Morelli. Farina the lower. When the Pres-
dent ordered the doors to be opened 10 the public a
perfect avalanche invaded the hall and scarcely
tenth obtained admittance. Tho entire sitting was
occupied with reSting the act Of accusation and in
FALLING over the names or the witnesses may well
make the tragedy ineligible possible 70 your
readers.
SKETCH soSsoGSo
youngest of four brothers The father clever enter
prsing man, author and bookseller. Edward
Is at the head Of printing and publishing nrm in
Milan, without exception the most enterprising in
Italy. They have published magnificent edition OF
Dante 700 pages in folio with Gustave Dore's llustra-
lions for 27f, whereas the French edition 2O0f
Their popular pamphlets History ofItay, :" .'Gramma
Mythology Sc which cost but Is centiInes; all the
classics IT. and all the chief musical compositions
all excellent 600 0OO volumes, at II each from
their establishment annually.
The Gazzettd III MdHo at the time OF the murder
which represented the moderate liberal party be-
longed TO the brothers. Il has since been discon-
nued The Secoto which has the largest circulation
ofany paper in Italy issuing $4,000 and special
occasions 600 theirs alsothe Capital edited by
Raphael Mnsey, Rome. He was one OF those men
whom it Is difficult to define completely; but his most
salient quality was combatievness He had written
literary articles for the GdrsenG yet, at the
same time kept well up in all news that would
favor the Italian in 1852 for this sent
Josephstadt and only liberated when the allied armies
liberated Milan. Then he went in for politics and
journalism edited the Gazrettd < AiLano and made
member Of Parliament HIS special object seemed
always to be unyeiI the evdoings OF the moderate
party. In Milan he accused the municipal authorities
Of pecuation and nepotism. They brought action
the syndic and municipal Giunta was compelled to
resign He went in for the-Lobbia case and especially
placed in reie the fact that five Of the principal
nesses in Lobbias favor have died violent deaths
Finally, with the Italian troops he entered Rome by
the breech and set up the Cdpitale Here the pen
seemed sixbarreed revolver in his hand-now a shot
nj the Vatican one.at the Minister Finance for
expenses scarcely justified BY the state tho countrys
Treasury the Minister Of War Tor compelling the
troops experiment live on potted meats which
certainly did produce collie and darrhpa at a time
when cholera was rifo; at the Democratic syndic
Piacican because the patients in the hospital were III
fed their beds unclean, every person in au
lhority quaked at the OF the CapitaL one thing
IL justice be said OF Sonsogno- e. tina, he never
attacked persons unless those persons represented
public office His paper seized, sequestrated
actions brought innumerabe; he condemned
absoved; matter, be held his way unwa-
verngy
soSsoGNo As A JOURNALIST
As worker | suppose few journalists equaIled him.
Abstemious sober, early riser from early morning
q late night, where writers and sub-editors were
worn out, invariably you found Raphael at his desk.
lie full Of contrasts for political demonstration
would lavish thousands for hat deliberate till the
season was passed so much TOR the public life Of the
murdered man.
privately he much beloved by his family, espe-
cay BY his mother who, with his father he lost last
year lie married some twelve years since lady OF
Como and by her had son, years old
They seemed q live happily together, until gradually
Raphael, more and occupied in politics lett hts
wife % be escorted and amused BY his political friends.
THE FALSE FRIEND.
Among these-indeed, his most es.eemed--was Lu-
ciani, handsome, clever, brilliant scapegrace who
Seemed 70 possess remarkable attractions for men and
women. HIS mother Of the Roman populace htx
father namecssi his brother nickuamed Isqfno
det aino noted thief now Ia prison who, Il seems
maintained Giuseppe with the proceeds or HIS theits
But until now Guiseppes origin was unknown He
was clever newspaper writer had served under Carl
bald in 1867 Ratazzis private secretary untu tbo
Minister, finding him too intimate with his vic
shnarnd linn The door Ihnn Ranha.l S....------