New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-10
TWO WOMEN MURDERED.
npc,,tT nc oP AN ITALIANS JEALOUSY.


law Yesterday at No. 90 Thompson-st. IN a. III oi
insane jealousy. He made an attempt TO take hiS
ovp life by diseharging the pistol tWlce at MS o"n
throat. bnt did not succeed. 1t was cohSideieu
probable however, by the phyAciahS Vi o. III
cents Hospital INTO whose hands ne was gwen Wy
tbe police that he would die. Taeucito's murdered
wife was only fourteen years old. The charge OF
pnfaitbfnlpess made by HIM against her is denied
NV Ter father and friends who knew her well
The house No. So Thompson-st with the rear ten
ement house in which the double murder was com
united, was until recently resort for degraded
women. When Captain Mcdonnell drove them out
it filed up rapidly with Italian aborers, street
sweepers and peripatetic musicians among whom
was Pasduali Tacuclto, who Travelled about the
country in summer and the city streets in winter
with kind Of combination embracing drum
fife and other instruments equally unme-
,odious Tacucito is twenty-one years ola
and a cripple having lost the fingers OF the r'ght
hand it is said in a fight at wedding IN ms Caia-
brian home He has been in this country h'Iic
over two years. His fierce. ungovernaOie VnpeI
led him into frequent quarrels. ana la't May Ill
fight with Dominic Mecoi, he drew KNIFE ana
probabiy was saved from becoming murderer then
only by the accidental breaking of the blade after
he had inflicted a hesh-wound on his adversary.
Tacucito was arrested and held in bail OF $0oo 10
answer the charge of felOnOus assault. After TINS
exploit he kept under his violent passions for long
spell until jealousy caused them TO break out again
with fatal vigor.
Tacucito married, last May Catharine Salde, age
fourteen. the daughter of an Italian Iaborer who
he had courted until her parents demanded that he
should make her his wife. The ceremony was per-
formed in the Mayors Office, and the young couple
went TO housekeeping in the Thompson-st. rear
tenement house. renting three small and dlngy
rooms on the second floor together with Catharne's
parents. These with their six months old baby,
occupied the outer room, while Tacuclto with his
child-wie had possession of the inner bedroom, In
which there was barely space for char beside the
bed The young wife looked scarcely older than her
wears. and was of small stature. Her rooms, dlngy
and poorly furnished as they were, showed at least
that an effort had been made to keep them in ORDER
The young couple had not kept house long before
Tacucito began TO show signs of intense Jealousy,
and each time that he returned from one OF his
protracted musical excursions this passion found
vent in fierce denunciatiOns of his wife for her sup
posed unfaithfuness to her marriage vows Nearly
two weeks ago he came nome for the last time; he
did not 60 out again. but leaving bis instrument at
friends house, lounged about apparently BROOD
ing over his suspicious and endeavoring with
Jealous fear to Justify them. On Thursday night
the neighbors heard loud quarrelng and lighting In
the rooms occupied by the Tacuclto and Salde faml-
lies. Tacucito in his fury bit his mothern-
laws hand severely and threatened destruction
to both the women. 1t is probable that
he then conceived the idea of numbering them and
himself and that to that end be procured the pistol
q che aply-made nickel-plated Veteran" revolver
carving bullet of 32-calibre. At all events he
had not been known to have it In his possession
before.
BIDDING FRIEND TO THE MURDER
Daylight had scarcely broken yesterday, when
Tacucito aroused Pasqualo Rosa, laborer for
whom he entertained sort of savage friendship, at
his house. No. II Thompson-st., and informed him
that he had come to bid him good bye az no had
work to do that must be done" The prudent Rosa,
perceiving the, desperation OF his visitor,
bethought himself of receipt for money sent to
Italy which Tacucito had in keeping for him, and
asked HIM TO give it back; The musician invited
him 10 90 to his house and get 1t. Together they
went to No SO ThOmpson-st and entered Tacucito's
rooms The young wife was hanging out clothes to
dry; in the front room were Salde and his vile, the
latter with her babe at her breast.
'Get the money-box in my bedroom and bring 1t
here commanded Tacucito to his wiie.
Get it yourself" was the cdlm reply, and Cath
arine nowise daunJed. hung out another sheet on
The line and laughed mocklngly at her husband.
Tacucto seized her by the arm without a word,
and pusbing her before him ptO the little bedroom
closed the door. In the instant sinothered shrek
was followed by the dull report OF pstOl-shot ana
a heavy fall Tacucito pushed open the door and
emerged cntchng smoking pistol: sadie ana us
comprehending the situation, as he walked
rapidly across the room and putting the weapon to
the head of his mother-in- law fired without word
Maria Vaenta fell upon her face without groan,
and her husband now realizing his danger. rose 10
run away Without noticing him, however, Iacu-
otto put the pistol to his own throat, and throwing
back his head, fired once. Then, descending with
steady step the stairs upon which already
the neghbors had begun to crowd together
attracted by the shooting, he stopped at
the door leading to the yard, and, ealing
upon tyVo men to witness his deed, and his
statement that he had Just shot wife and mother
in-law' he discharged the pistol more into his
own throat. AS If nothing had happened. he then
walked dripping with blood at every step, to the
street and toward the Prince Street Police station
In South Fiftb-ave. he encountered policeman. to
whom he surrendered the pistol and himself
THE SCENE IN THE HOUSE.
An ambulance arrived from st. Vincents Hospital
in answer to an urgent call from the Prince Street
Station and Tacucito was hurried off under guard
while a surgeon sent TO aid the victims in the
Thompson-s ST. house. He found Catharine Tacucito
dead on the floor of her ROOM shot through the head
Maria Valenta her mother, with bullet
in her BRAIN was yet alive but UNCONSCIOUS.
She was taken to the hospital. but died there
out regaining her senses The murderer re-
manned perfectly conscious, but was not in con-
dition to make long statement, though he was not
unwilling TO do So His wounds were of dangerous
character; whether they rather it, for both bull
lets appeared to have entered at the same spot were
necessarily fatal could not be determined without
an examination which the surgeons hestated TO
make. To the police who, In The belief that the
musician would die. questOpTJ him about his
motives for the crime be admit.Ld the ownership of
the pistol.
wife and afterward my mOther-in-law. Then / went
out and in the yard shot myself twice 1 started
toward the police station to give myself up and met
an officer. with whom came ill., shot my wife be-
cause had reason to be jealous of her. She
unfaithful to me and cODsorted with other men my
mo- her-in-law told me she did"
Afterward he explained that his m0ther-D-law
had taken his wifes part against him. and this APP
peare6 more likely. Ii also correspondent with the
Statements of Rocco Salde, the father-in-law, and
the neighbours who declared their belief that Cath
arine innocent of the charges made against her
by her husband.
Maria Valenta the murdered mother-in-law, was
thrty-two years old. Confusion is caused by the
I. ID. q