The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-04
CRIME AS AN ATTRACTION.
How the Accessory In the Fadda
Murder Draws at the Circus.

How the Accessory In the Fadda
Murder Draws at the Circus.
Rome Correspondence
We have had what may be termed a
singular epilogue to the drama of the
Fadda trial. 1t will be remembered that
Antoinetta Carrozza, the mistress Of
Cardinati, was acquitted on the score of
her completely in the murder having been
due to Irresistible force" as the phrase
goes here. This phrase is too often used
to excuse what is inexcusable, and to
shirk the due legal punishment for crime.
A man gets into blind rage and stabs
another dead in some trivial quarrel, and
his advocate points out to the jury that
the assassin was the victim of irresistible
force.
But in Carrozza's case her advocate
pointed out that by Irresistible force"
he intended real tyranny and pressure
exerted upon her by CARDINAL, in whose
power she and her children were. Be this
as it may, she was released from Gus
tody, as We know, after undergoing q
years imprisonment previous to and
during the trial. Almost Immediately it
was stated in the public prints that sew
eral rival circus managers were in treaty
to secure her services and finally it was
announced that she was engaged bv M.
Suhr, of the Politeama, to appear at his
circus for ten nights. 1t is stated that
she receives 200 francs night for each
performance. Now, this woman is ut
terly inefficient in her calling. She has
neither natural grace nor artificial train
ing to enable her to delight or astonish
the public by her feats.
Moreover, the little she ever could do
has been, Of course, diminished by the
physical results of years imprisonment
and thirty days of such narrowing trial
as she has just undergone. There is,
therefore, no room for discussion as to
the grounds on which Mr.. Suhr has
thought it worth while to engage her at
large salary. Those grounds are simply
the horrible notoriety she has acquired
from the Fadda murder 'se, and the fe-
verish interest and curiosity of the pub
lie as to all concerning the case. She
was an accessory before the fact to a
cruel and cold-blooded murder; and for
this reason, and no other, the circus man
ager conceived that she would attract
large audiences. His anticipations have
been more than fulfilled.
The Politeama-a very large house
was crammed to overfowing on the night
of her first appearance. and there is no
doubt will continue to be so during her
engagement. Hundreds of persons were
unable to obtain admission, and such was
the concourse without, as we'll as within,
that the manager requested to have an
extra force of police to keep clear the ap-
proaches to the theater. 1t is calculated
by one of the Roman daily papers that
not fewer than five thousand persons
hocked to the Politeama on Monday
evening to witness the debut of Antoin-
eta Carrozza. And it is as we'll to note
that these five thousand were by no
means drawn exclusively from the lower
or even the lower middle class. There
were personages Of political and social
celebrity, honorable Deputies and ladies
of rank and fashion. e a,
But the magnitude of the gathering
was not the most remarkable feature of
the evening. What was especially strik-
ing was the reception accorded to Car
rozza. Before her appearance printed
paper was circulated in the theater, in
which it was set forth that there had
been rumors of "hostile demonstration"
prepared for her; and the manager ap-
pealed on her behalf to the well-known
generosity and civilization of the public
of the metropolis, &c. Whether this
paper were mere reclame to increase
the interest of the situation, or whether
some expression Of disapprobation was
really feared, / can not say;
but no sooner did Carrozza
appear in the arena than she was greeted
with a shout of applause. There were
even handkerchiefs waved and cries of
"Vivap and at the end of her poor per-
formance, which, it is agreed on all
hands, was below mediocrity, she was ap-
plauded with renewed enthusiasm and
recalled several times. The scene, be-
sides being very singular was, to a GER
tain extent, painful. The wretched he
roine Of the evening was evidently suffer-
ing from intense apprehension and ex-
citement, and the gaudy and brilliant
costume which she wore served only to
emphasize the misery which it could not
disguise. .- .....-