The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-22
BEaIaED WITH A BAT.


---" va We ~ ess[ Csty
WALTER FERNEYHOUGH, a YOUNG PRIs-
ONER OF RICHMOND, KILLED WITH A
BILLET OF WOOD BY AN ITALIAN-MUR-
DERED FOR PLAYING FRANKS UPON A
COMPANION JAIL. .BIRD-SKETCH OF THE
ACCUSED AND DECEAsED-THE IN
QUEsT-ArTEMPTED SUICIDE OF THE
PRISONER, &C.. &C.
On Sunday afternoon Raphael Bantanti,
q prisoner confined in the city Jail, assault
ed and killed a fellow-prisoner named
walter FerneyhOugh. About o'clock
Ferneyhough and another prisoner named
Charles Bowen were engaged in PLAYING
cards in one OF the corridors at the Jail.
Bantanli picked up heavy cudgel, which
had been used by the prisoners as base
ball bat, and crept up behind Ferney hough
and dealt him two powerful blows upon
the head with the club. The wounded man
fell upon his face, apparently lifeless. Ban.
tanti then attempted to strike Bowen, but
was prevented by BoTen's running into a
cell in another part OF the jail and closing
the cel.door behind him.
Several OF the prisoners who were near
by at the time, seeing that Ferneyhough
was badly hurt, called the iaiIor and noti.
fed bIm Of what had occurred. The Tailor
unlocked the door, secured Bantanti, and
locked him up. DR.. James Beale, physician
TO the city Jail, was sent for to attend Fer.
Ineybough. The wounded man fingered in
an unconscious condition until about 0
O'Clock, when he died. 1t is stated that the
murdered man had been in the habit OF
teasing and
PLAYING TRICKS UPON BANTANTI,
and on numerous occasions had bid his
waking.cane. Bantanti seeing Ferpey-
bough's attention engaged, picked up the
cudgel which was lying in the iail-yard,
and determined to have his revenge by
striking him with it. Bantanti being quite
an old man and somewhat lame was greatly
provoked at the treatment he had received
at the hands Of his victim, and being
physically inferior to Ferneyhough adopted
more serious measures OF retaliation. One
OF the blows fell upon the top OF Ferney-
hough's lead, shattcring his skull and
scattering bis brains. The other blow was
dealt just above the right car. The brain:
protuded from both wounds, and either OF
them would have proved fatal.
ARRESTED.
Yesterday morning about 10 O'Clock {
warrant was sworn ont at the Police Court
charging Bantanti with the murder. Ii was
placed IN the hands OF Deputy Sergeant
Lacy for execution. That officer immedi
ately started to the jail, and IN few min
ules retured TO the Police Court with tht
prisoner. BaDtanti being unable to speal
English, Officer AntlOlti, o. the Police
Court, was instructed to read the charge
against the murderer. Bantauti, durn.
his stay in the court, wept bitterly and ap
peared to be under the impression that HI
was going TO be executed forthwith for th'
crime which he had committed.
BANTANTI, THE MURDERER,
is in appearance IN old man, but is prema
turely gray. lie has a long gray beard
black eyes, and stoors somewhat wbel
walking. lie was convicted May the 1911
OF unIawfully a,sauting and striking Ga
briel Carter with a stick and attempting t,
shoot him with 4 pistol. For this offence h
was fined so. In default OF payment h
was committed 10 Jail. lie states that h
sailed from Nice. France, in 1874, ant
landed at Philadelphia, where he remained
about thirty months. lie left that city ant
MtnI ~ DIlllIlOIt. AUu tuCl
eighteen months. From Baltimore he wen
10 Washington, and lived in that city on
wear. He then left Washington for Nor
folk, where be resided about seven months
HE CAME FROM NORFOLK TO RICHMOND
about TWO months ago, and has lived her
ever since. He is OF Italian plrentage, bu
re. ided in Nice a number of year- b0for
coming 10 this country. At one time b
was a monk Of the 4" Monastery Of the Bal
tle." He LETT the monastery under a cloud
it is said. and was forced for some reaso
TO leaye Europe. He saws he is f)rty-hy
wears OF age, but from his appearance on
, would Judge that he is ut least sixty. Upo
: being questioned as to whether he had
family, Bantanti said that lie was unmal
; ried, and had left his mother in Nice. ii
: saws that she is 30 doubt dead now, as sh
was quite old when he lett her.
He REMAINED IN THE MONASTERY
/; seven wears and seven months as a mend
cant monk. He speaks French more fluen
" than Italian, but can be understood yer
easily in both languages.
As to the killing, Bantanti says ever sine
! he has been confined in Jail Ferneyhoug
I and a prisoner named Bowen have been IN
! posing upon him great deal, and that the
( have frequently hid his waIking-cane, an
| would not tell him where it vas unless
{ paid them by giving them tobacco. II
b also saws that he was compelled 10 give the
Y five cents SIX different times for shown
. where the cane was bid. He states furth'
: that he had repeatedly in "br0ken En-
: li,hv requested Ferneyhough particular
{ TO let him alone; that he was an old ms
!. and could not be treated like young on
A Upon being further questioned, be state
: that Ferneyhough had pushed him in OF
h OF the cells and locked him up on sever
5 occasions. He says 1t was
8 NOT HIS INTENTION TO COMMIT SuRDER.
He asked SignOr V. Donati, an Italia
I; who was at the city Jail as an inttrprete
. TO give him some poison 80 that ne con
: XIII himself. He told Signor Donati to p
: the poison in some whiskey and give II
= = him, as he would rather die by his o'
> hands than to be punished by the laws
i. this country. DOnati said, " DO you wa w
7. me TO be punished for killing you ba
: tanti, answering, said, No; L lorgoi
= In reply TO another question Banlann s'al
!; that he had buried 500 at spot near
new reservoir, and II he was conVlc'eu
!, wonld tell Signor DOnati where the mon
was hurled, Donati asked him to tell whe
: the money was, 50 that he could get 1t a
n,ocnre the services OF q lawyer. Bantal
o said he
DID not WANT A LAWYER.
y pe nretends to be heart-broken, and v
: weeping nearly all day yesterday.
THE MURDERED NAN.
's Walter Ferneyhough, the murdered IN;
r was about twenty.seyen years old. Ire Y
oi 6ne physical proportions, and weignn
p about 165 pounds. He was tried ia the
II Nee Court May s6th for unlawinliy and
is lcjou,Iy assaulting and beating Julia H'
con. n mulatto woman residing in Toba'
D. IL lie was convicted ard lined %.