Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-11-16
THE CRIME.

The Diabolical Murder of CarusO In
Chicago.
PITrsBURG, November 1.-The Chroni.
cle-Telegraph has the following account OF
the Caruso murder:
The crime for which the dread sentence
of the law was to-day enforced was one
which, for coolly plotted design in diabol'
ism, has never be equalled in the criminal
annuls of Chicago. On the afternoon OF
the lst of May, otthe present year, trunk
was pat eff train at Pittsburg, Pa,
which emitted such an offensive, nausea
ting stencil that the suspicious OF report.
er, who examined the trunk, were aroused,
and Ee called the attention OF the
railroad officials to it, when the coroner
was notified to investigate it. The trunk
was opened and in it was found mass OF
human flesh packed and damned into its
narrow confines with cold.blooded brutality.
The legs had been broken and tied tightly
TO the trunk. The arms also we're tightly
dashed down, and the body was wrenched
and distorted as though the merciless
brutes had stamped it down with their
boots into the chest. About the throat was
the livid welt Of cord, and there were nu.
merous sbrasions where the face had
scraped along the eide of the trunk.
Save the fact that the trunk and its con-
tents had been shipped from Chicago,
there was absolutely not the ghost of q
clue to iphuman wretches whose crimes
had been brought to light. The case was
given in chsrge Of Detective Bonifeld,a and
one slender thread, and then another, was
followed up until the tangled skein was
Strengthened out. Diligent search I'M
esrt6ed the store where the trunk had
been purchased. An enterprisipg reporter
traced it's movements on the morning Of
the purchase TO a Tilden street, right in
the heart OF the Italian colony. Twelve
hours aiterward tie chain Of evidence was
strong enough to Justify the arrest of fif.
teen natives of the sunny cline. None Of
them could speak word of English, nor
were they familiar with the ways of this
country.
Before they had been under arrest day
all were eager to tell the revolving story of
the crime. Out OF the host OF confessions
sufficient evidence was obtained to war
rant the framing of indictments against
the three condemned men, and Antonio
Mercurio aud Ignazio Bo7a. The trials
took place about six weeks ago and lasted
over o week.
The unfortunate wretch whose little
hoard ofready cash aroused the svarice OF
his Italian mates was
FILIPo CARUsO.
Caruso was q fruit peddler, some twenty.
eight years of age, industrious and econom.
ical, and of frugal habits, lie had succeeded
in saving about 5000. This became known
to his murderers. To them it represented
a princely 'ortune, and they planned the
murder in order to obtain the money. For
two weeks they were occupied in laying
the wires. Caruso, with the money in his
pocket, on his way to the suburbs to find
an available point to get up i'll business,
dropped, at ten o'clock on the morning Of
April 3Oth, into the room occupied by
the murderers. Silvestri was shaw
ing his mates, and Csruso took his turn in
the chair. While he was being lathered by
Silvestri, Gilardi sneaked steslthily behind
the poor devil defly slipped moose over
his head, aud Silvestri and Azsri pulled al
the rope while Gilardi TANNED the shaving
brush down the victim throat, in order tc
prevent an outcry. No sooner was the
victim dead than they rsnsscked his room
secured the money, went out and bought q
trunk and finished their devilish cruelty By
packing the body in it and shipping it &c
Pittsburg. Mercurio came in while the
murder was being done and stood guard al
the door. His acquittal was due to hit
turning States evidence. Bova came il
after the murder and his only crime con
sisted in keeping quiet.
GIovANI AZARI
was the oldest Of the three murdertrs. De
was born in Trabbis, Italy, thirty. one years
ago, and had been married nine years. Hi
wife and one child still reside in Italy
where he left them year ago while u
came to seek his fortune in the new world
He was FIVE feet ten inches in height ant
weighed l47 pounds He had all the dis
tinguishing characteristics of the Italian
race, black hair, swarthy skin and dari
brown eyes.
IGYAzIo slLvEsTRI.
he was cousin Of Azsri, and came to thil
country q year ago, leaving behind him
wife who has recently given birth to a child
He was feet 6; inches tall, weighed ID
pounds, hsd the curly dark brown hair
dark eyes and complexion Of bis race, Blu
had been Americsnized 10 the extent o
having Chicago" and "America" prickeC
on his arm in Indian ink.
A real sweet young man was
AGosTISO GILARDI,
whose fragile beauty bad won from hi
countrymen the proud distinction Of tn
pet name, The Dude He had become
infatuated with the wife Of one of the Itsl
ian colony in the house where The murde
occurred, and it the whole truth Wer'
known it would probably show that tn
woman was the instigator Of the crime
Gilsrdi captured the lions share Of tn
cash, and promptly Ltsrty started for ltal
in company with his mistress. The pail
however, were overhsuled in New York
Gilardi stood five feet eight; weight, IA
pounds, and was twenty three years old
BE was born in Tefmini Imersse, PROVING
of Palermo, Italy, whore be has an ls yea
| old wife and babe OF l3 months
! The execution was fixed for to-day j
! consequence Of the birthday OF the State
Attorney falling on Friday, the usual haDI
} mans day. The prisoners understood b.
little Of the trial and broke doEn Whe
} they learned that they were 10 be hunl
} Since their conviction they have divide
. their time between reading their Bibles an
, weeping over the pictures Of the wives an
I babies they had lett ip their native ecuI
} ny.