The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-19
A TRIPLE HANGING.
Three Sicilian ASSaSSinS Executed al
Once in st. Louis.
THE LAST SCENES.
Dastardly Murder Of One of Their
Countrymen.
STORY OF THEIR ACcOMPLICES-

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Feb. is, 1876.
Tho execution Of Dominica Danina Antonio Catalano
and Bastano Lombardo took place to-day the FouK
Courts at I've minutes before one NJ The CHASTITY pro-
cession moved OF the la into the rear ward where
the gallows stood The doomed men walked each by
the side OF an Italian priest and wore that rapt I'M
moved expression which showed that religious consoa-
ton had made them perfectly Indifferent 10 their awfup
fate. They kneeed down, and the priests performed
their Office The reading OF the death warrants occa1
stoned long, painful interval, during which deathlJ
silence reIgned.
Then Father Graziana said the condemned had moth
ing to offer but thanks those who had taken an in
terest them forgiveness their enemies and hopd
that their own sins forgiven by God They had
commended themselves 70 God and prayed that He
might give them strength to die earlessy They asked
all believers to oner prayer for their souls. They
then stepped the boxes which had been placed on
the trap give creator height TO the fall Each wore
a cruchx suspended about his neck by black ribbon.
Their arms were pinoned behind the back, and there
they stood, erect easy and apparently un'
terrified at the approach OF death. Tho
dangling moose swung around under Daninsa
chin, and he looked through the spread
ing loop with unmoved expression OF countenances
Lombardo turned his head aside slightly to avoid cons
tact with the rope overhead Seeing the awkward oc-
currence the deputies held the ropes back out Of the
way While the stood up the boxes the priestd
gave them their last consolation. The responses cams
in rapid firm tones. After
MOST PAINFUL SCENE
of some minutes duration the fervently kissed
the crucidxes and the last prayer said
The black caps adjusted and at four4
teen minutes past p ~ tho slender cord
that sustained the trap cut and the three motions
less figures dropped like lead They twisted round
once Lombardo was dead IN four minutes, and thu
Others after most painful struggle died minute
later
A DAsrARDLY MURDER.
The victim OF the men who were hanged (Franciscs
Palermo) a lemon peder. Accounts differ as To
the character he had borne some stating that he was
temperate, quiet young man, while by others he
characterized Desperate There had been threatd
between Palermo and his foes time previous Ia
the murder. On the 18th OF March Palermo on
his way up Broadway selling lemons. He had passed
Angelica street, and returning, when he sud
denly assailed by shots from behind fence, thu
side OF Broadway Re fled the street. drop
ping his basket on the way. He was about to take
refuge In lumber yard, just opposite the first am3
bush, when two three flashes, accompanied by loud
reports, again from the east side OF the street.
The young peder changed his course, a short dis
down the east side of the street and fell dead
Az the same time people passing saw the figures o.
men rapidly fleeing from the scene The assassns es
capped for the time, and were hiding on tho Illinois
shore One Santo Magic suspected from the first,
and few days alter tue murder his wife was followed
from her boarding house the bridge to East ST.
Louis, where she Joined her husband and four other
Scilans, Angelo Russo Dominica Danna, Bastiana
Lombardo and Antonio Catalano They were arrested.
Al the Coroners inquest all made partial confessions.
rHR TRIAL
The Indictments against Santo Maglio and Angelo
Russo were dismissed, and they used witnesses
for the State Maglio is extremely handsome young
and told his story with apparent truthfuness He
testhcd-I born in Palermo; l know Dominica
Danina, Bastano Lombardo and Antonio Catalano;
have known them since | came to St Louis; / knew
| Francisco Palermo for Dominica Dnnina
was with me on the morning Palermo was shot;
were behind the fence on the west side: Lombardo
and Catalano in the lumber yard we went
behind the fence TO wait for Palermo and shoot him;
ABOUT the killing OF Palermo; Catalano was pres
emit; the consultation took place week before
Palermo was killed. the nature OF that conference
that nasmuch Palermo had threatened TO kill them
IL became their duty TO kill him; DOMINGO the
who spoke thus; wasn't boarding with Lom-
bardo or Cataano Cataano, Lombardo and Danina
met at No. $40 Wash street. where | living on tho
morning Of the shooling /; was about half past Eve
! O'Clock when they came TO my house that morning
they gave me pistol, ana said, "ro-dey Francisco
must die; If you don't come we will shoot you;n
went with them; We walked on the street running
parallel with and next to Broadway, so that Palermo
! would not meet us; we went 70 kill him; met b.
Palermo at the stables Broadway about half past
seven o'clock; thus was about the lumber yard; when
! Palermo two went behind the fence and three
| into the lumber yard TO shoot him when he passed
down; Dominica Danina caught hold of me and told me
10 so 10 one side with him; Catalano Lombardo and
Russo tdpk one side Dominica and myself the otheri
Palermo was coming down divided when paer.
mo came down 70 whero We were Dominica said to
me- ''shoot, or will shoot you" DOMINGO had
pistol In his hand when he said these words and
pointed it at me; whom shot held II in both hands;
did not take am, If had would have shot him;
when shot at Palermo he crossed the other
side; Cataano Lombsrdo and Danina lived together
same house; Russo lived alone Biddlc street;
Palermo had nothing in the basket whom he passed
he did not FIRE at us
Angelo Russo a veritable assassin in appearance,
testified ollows:-I Sican by birth; Lombardo,
Caalano and Danina Sicilians also; knew Fran
cisco Palermo; he was a scilian too; knew him in
Ne Orleans about Palermo q
Louis after me then Catalano, Lombardo and Danina;
the three last namea had Conversation with me con,
corning Palermo about week before he was killed;
they said Palermo hunting them with shotgun,
and that they had to kin him Palermo wanted to mako
friends with Catalano Lombardo and Danina; the plot
for killing him formed on tho Friday night before
he killed by santo haglo, Antonio Catalano Basti-
ano Lombardo and Dominica Danina; Lombardo and
Catalano wero in the lumber yard
Witness identified the pistol he had on the morning
| saw santo Maglio and Danina behind the fence on
the opposite side OF the street threw away my pistol
after the shooting; II was loaded can't say what kind
Of pistols the others had was frightened; could see
the flash OF the pistols when the shots were fired
could not say how they TO Palermo Palermo
had small pistol in his basket did not see any otheri
saw him put his hand In his breast pocket but what
10 do didn't know he had this small pistol in his en
hand when he came across the street; hrst knew Pal
ermo in New Orleans; his character Is bad; he was
known as an assassin IN New Orleans; no had threat
ened to Kill the three prisoners, Catalano Lombards
and Danna; do not know whether Catalano wanted 10
make friends with Palermo; nine days before he
killed Palermo me aud said that he intended to
kin the prisoners Palermo wanted to make peace
with Cataiano and Cataano with him, but the others
did not want II; Santo haglio not the means Of
preventing this reconciliation; Palermo always carried
concealed weapons; knew on that Saturday morning
that Palermo wanted 10 kill the defendants; II was
dcrstood by these that Palermo was going to kill
them; saw Palermo with gun before that; he did
not say whether he was going 10 kill them or noti
Palermo did not say that he would Kill them because
he thought that they would be witnesses against him
for killing his uncle In New Orleans; the prosecuting
attorney told that would get free If would turn
States evidence
the defence had no evidence to offer except some
with reference the desperate character OF Palermo
The Jury brought verdict OF guilty after being out
two hours Strong but unavailing efforts for commu-
tation were made by many kindly disposed men and
women Before going the scafod Cataano and
Danna made their wills leaving their small effects TO