The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-05-22
0nofri's Awful Crime.


An Italian named Onofri, was ar
raigned before the Coroner in Phila.
delphia last week on charge of beat
ing his step-daugbter TO death. Onofri
married woman named Cook who
had three children, and who was ira
peze performer in Forepaugh's circus,
and during her absence the father
would punish the children. At the
Coroners inquest the room was filed
and the audience composed principally
of men and mang of them looked as
though theb had murder in their hearts
during the recital of the story of the
childs death. AT one time they crowd
ed close around the prisoner, but were
pushed back by the officers. One man
leaned over and said to the covering
Italian in fierce whisper
81 would like to have your throat be-
tween my hands for about three min
utes."
Other men expressed desires to
"mash him in the face" and to "cut his
heart out" and one grizzly bearded old
fellow who stood near the door, said
Il would like TO have him west OF
the Missouri River with twenty foot
lariat on my saddle bow and would
give him little tightrope perform
ance that would surprise him and his
circus friends"
The officers present were too much
in sympathy with these sentiments to
be overzealous in stopping the remarks
that tioated out every few minutes from
the crowd.
The prisoner is little, wiry man
with a swarthy complexion and black
hair and little black moustache. His
face bears rather pleasant expression,
although on one or two occasions dur
ing the inquest his eyes showed an
ugly CLEAN. He sat close to the wall
and throughout the inquiry either
shielded his face with his hat or his
hands. The evidence brought out dur
ing the inquest revealed even more hor-
rible cruelties than was at first suspect
ed. Coroner's Clerk John S. Donal,
who had investigated the murder told
how he had elected admissions from
Onofri that he had beaten the dead
child with shovel, strap and knotted
rope and that he had seen the body of
the child covered with bruises and
cuts.
"He told me-" said the clerk, shat
he had broken the shovel over the child
head --
"No, no; | no told you that" yelled
Onofri. ,.. .... i. l.... ...
'Shut up" retorted the Clerk, as he
pounded the Bible before him with a
tightly clenched fist say you did"
AT another interruption the Clerk
shook his fist at the prisoner and shout
ed "If you don't shut up I'll-that
is, I'd like to" and then checking
himself and bowing apologetlcally to
Deputy Coroner Ashbridge resumed
his testimony. Mrs. L. q. Wilson, who
lives next door to Onofri, said she OF.
ten heard outcries from the children as
though they were being beaten.
Lieutenant Edward Lyons, of the
Twenty-third police district testified
that he had made an investigation of
the case and that the prisoner had ad-
mitted to him that he had corrected
the child and that while SO doing he
had probably killed her. aid .o..'-.s
"He said" continued the officer,
that he had whipped the girl with a
strap and beaten her with a shovel, but
he declared that he didn't know she
was sick. The oldest girl told me that
the step father beat all of the children
nearly every day and that a short time
ago he threw several bricks at her"
Coroners Physician Formal testified
that the autopsy showed that death
was due TO violence and the emaciated
appearance of the child also showed ev
licences of starvation. The body was
covered with cuts and bruises and
there was clot of blood on the brain.
Death was caused by shock and bleed
ing. This concluded the testimony at
the Coroners office and the Italian was
asked if he had anything to say.
81 only wanted to say he replied,
shat | didn't mean to kill the girl, but
/ had to correct her because she was
bad ... .....-.. ..... b..
Under cross-examination he admit
ted having beaten her with shovel on
the day of her death. He also said
that he had tied the little brother of
the girl up by the thumbs to "correct
him for stealing fI .-
Both are terribly bruised and the
boys condition is considered critical.
The physicians think it is probable
that the boy will die, in which case
Onofri will have to answer for dou
BILE murder. The boys testimony
could not be taken on account of his
condition, but the girl, who is twelve
years old, told the story of the crime in
a pretty simple, childish way that pro
duced more visible effect on the jury
than any of the preceding testimony.
"Papa began beating Lottie on Mon
day morning" she said, "because she
was disobedient. He first hit her with
the strap, then the rope, then the
broomstick and then the shovel. Then
he made her 60 up stairs on her knees
When she couldn't climb above the
first story he ran up after her and