Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-07
PIETRO BALBO'S COMES
SION.
Describing With the Utmost
Goodness Upon His Return
From Wheeling His Murder OF
His Wife. ..

His VIE. 4
Ncw York World. ;,
Pietro Balbo, the young Italian who
murdered his wife last Tuesday IN mt
of jealousy in their room at No. ii Rose
street and who was arrested Friday ev-
cning in Wheeling, w. Va, by Detective
Carr and ROundsInan StarbOra, OF the
Oak Street Police Station, WAS safely
lodged in tue TOmbs prison Yesterday.
RE i confined in cell 51on the second
tier i'm the prison and directly in front
of the seat occupied boy, the keeper III
charge Of that row OF cells, so that any
attempt he NAV make upon his lie can
be instantly frustrated. Not that he Is
in the least likely to commit suicide, for
be appears 10 look upon murder half as
a matter of course and half as Joke.
He is Of medium height, slender and
wiry, with smooth face and small BLACK
ewes. In answer TO the questions put
To- him he said in very broken English
that a month or more ago an Italian
came to board in the same house in
which he lived and from the first was
devoted in his attentions to- Mrs. Balbo,
who returned his affections and neglect
ed and sighted her husband, scarcely
speaking TO him, while she acceded 10
any request that the other man might
make. She made his tea and cooked Tor
him. and served him with his coffee in
the morning. This went on till last
Tuesday when BalbO Knocked oil work
on the Brooklyn Bridge, where he was
employed at noon, and went home TO
dinner. On entering his room he found
his wife there and they had quarrel.
He unbranded her and told her she had
become subject OF gossip among all
their neighbors "for the sake OF that lei
low with the red mustaChe." In the
course of the dispute ne put his hand
ON his wiie's shoulder or neck and she
seized the middle finger of his right
hand between her teeth and bit 1t Sc
vcrelv. Then" as Balbo says, Il stab
he'd her because | was angry. | had a
knife about tour inches long. Did |
have a stiletto? No, it was a plain
knife. Maria didn't cry out at all and l
made sure work of it, waited till she
died and then washed my hands and
put on nv Sunday clothes. had Int
tie money in my Trunk, and | thought |
would 20 10 Wheeling, W. Va, where
peanut seller. "A friend OF mine, lives. |
thought no one would suspect | would
20 there. went to Jersey City and
bought ticket for Virginia. | slept all
the way
The murder was not discovered till
davbreak Wednesday morning, when
Balbo'S mother-in-law alarmed the
neiyhbors, who broke open the doors.
Detective Carr was detailed 10 find Bal
bo. and all "Wednesday searched through
the Italian resorts without success.
Meanwhile photographs and an accurate
description of the murderer were sent
% all the pOlicc-stations in New York,
BROOKLYN, jersey City aud the neigh
boring towns. The first clue was re-
ceived at the Oak Street Station House
late THURSDAY evening. 10 was reported
there that an Italian answering the de-
Scriptiou of BaibO had been seen ut 80
Wednesday morning at the depot of the
New Jersey Central Railroad in Jersey
City. Detectives Carr and Starbera
went tO The railroad terminus and after
considerable trouble found the watch
man who was on duty ut the depot
! Wednesday evening. The Waterman
described Balbo beyond the possibility
| of mistake. He had bought a ticket
numbered $50 20 EIstOn, Penn. The
detectives traced him To Harrisburg,
! Pittsburgh and Bridgeport, Ohio, and in
tue latter place were told that the ltal-
ian had gone 10 Wheeling. They ar
rived in Wheeling at l As Friday and
went first 10 the Chief OF Police. Their
talk with the Chief was short, and then
they took a walk through the town. Co
ing up Market street, near Twelfth,
they saw man looking very much
like Balbo talking to a peanut VEN
der. Coming closer they ascertain
cd that it was indeed the muir
drrcr. Detective Carr walked up to
him and put 4 revolver ut his head and
| Starbora handcudeCi him. Balho at first
pretended not To understand the pro-
eee,liug. lie looked at the detectives,
| then az the handouts, and said in the
most innocent tone,
why YOU arresta2 me do noting.
The detectives did not reply.
Did steal sonetingr' he asked
again. and not receiving a reply NUT
tered curse in Italian. While going
to the Station-houSe he underworld to
converse with the detectives, and find
| inc they would not answer said coolly:
you know well why Won arresta me.
| / know. | killed my wife.
lie was strai.htway brought TO New
/ York, arriving here about 1880 yester-
I ,9v