Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-05-31
THE BUTCHER KNIFE.
An italian Woman Drives a
Butcher Knife Into the Heart
Of Another
Woman at Kansas ,City-The Murder
ess Proves to Be an Old-Time
Street Fraud.
A Leavenworth Officer Kills a Divekeeper
Sensational Charges of News
paper Man.

KANSAS CITY, NO.. May 26-In the yard
adjoining one story frame house in the
srear of No. AIS East Third street, at $50
O'Clock last evening, lay the lifeless body
of Mrs. Mary Cita. From a cash just over
her heart crimson stream poured and
formed pool upon the earth. Surrounding
the body from which the spirit had just
taken its flight, were hundreds of curious
men, women and children, both white and
colored. Bending over the remains, calling
her endearing names and wailing piteous-
ly, were the four young children of
the dead woman. At the same time
Officer Willis and two citizens were
hurrying to police headquarters with
George Corido and Josephine Corido, his
wife. At the station Mrs. CoIiio was
booked for murder, and her husband
was booked as accessory. Both are Italians
The dead woman is said to have been a
Corsican. She was known among her
neighbors as the flame French woman"
She was forty-two years old and was lame.
She and four children lived in the rear of
the building, No. Az East Third street, a
one story frame structure. The murderess
was only thirty-six years old and the
mother of one child, girl OF about six
years of age
The tragedy was the outcome of u quar-
rel that has been going on between the
OWO WOiLSA more budu IL Week past
Mrs. Cita obtained permission from Mrs.
Mary James, colored woman who lives
in the house in which the tragedy occurred,
TO hang her clothes after they were washed
in the yard to dry. Mr.. and Mrs. Corldo
lived in the east half of the house, and
rented from Mrs. James. They objected to
Mrs. Cita using the yard. The result was
that Mrs. Cita became more determin c j than
before TO do so. On Thursday morning
Mrs. Corldo and Mrs. CIta met in the yard
and engaged in a wordy alteration. Mrs.
Cita picked up piece of board and struck
at Mrs. Corido, who in the encounter re-
ceived a black eye and had her hair nearly
pulled out by the roots, she alleges. Mrs.
Corido then procured IL Ratchet and was
about to Stay Mrs. Cita, when an officer
appeared upon the scene and put end to
fugther hostilities for the time being.
Vest erday AFTERNOON the quarrel was re-
newed. Mrs. Cita went to Mrs. Mary
James, the colored woman who rents half
of tia house IN which the Coridas lived,
and asked her ii she had not permitted her
to hang her clothes line in the yard.
George Corida,. who by
vehemently denied that permission
had been given. II was not talking
to you,' said Mrs. Cita, confronting
him angrily. Il was talking to you
and you had better beware" was
the reply of the italian, who grasped the
woman's arm Mrs. Cita struck him a
stunning blow in the face and stepped into
the colored woman's front room At this
moment Josephine Corida, the conceriina
player, dashed in at the door with a butcher
knife in her right hand. There was brief
struggle and then Mrs. Cita sank upon the
floor and breathed her last without a word.
The butcher knife had been plunged into
her heart.
Josephine Corida, the murderess, for al
most two years has been familiar sight
on Main street. In summer with a heavy
sunshade almost hiding her face, and in
winter with black shawl hiding
her chm after the fashion of Span
ish women, she was always seen with
her concertina and green shade over her
eyes, pretending to be blind, and pas
sers-by of en- marveled to see pretty little
golden haired girl playing about her feet.
The woman was always disguised, for on
the street she seemed to be sixty years of
age and deserving object of charity.
Mary James, who saw the entire affair,
John Sharp aud Robert James were sub
penaed as witnesses by the coroner last
evening.
KILLING AT LEAvENwoRTH
LEAvENwoRTH, May pa shooting OCT
CURED in the dive at 80 Choctaw street
this morning at l 80 o'clock. The woman
who kept the house had asked for police
protection because her husband. Ben Black,
had threatened her. Officer GOodell went
to the place and saw Black enter. He re-
manned outside till he heard the woman,
Lille Black, scream:
Take that pistol away from my head"
Goodell then opened the door. Black drew
q revolver and fired at the officer, the ball
glancing on q button of his vest, causing a
slight flesh wound. Goodell fell forward
on his kness, and drawing his weapon, a
44-self-acting revolver, shot Black three
times in rapid succession. killing him. The
second shot passed through Blacks heart.
The cause of Blacks trouble with his
wife was her failure TO keep her promise
to lead a better life. They we're 10 have
gone to Colorado this morning. About four
years ago Back was discharged from the
army here. He met the woman and mar
ried her, though he knew her character.
They opened a saloon and boarding house
near tn DEPOT and all went smoothly till
she aroused his jealousy. One night they
quarreled, she took morphine and Black
got drunk. When Mrs. Whiteside and Cal
lahan, who We're called to save the wohl-
an, entered the house Black cana rush
ing down stairs with shot gun and ran
them up Main street for several squares.
The woman recovered without medical aid.
The coroner's jury returned verdict of
shooting in self-d fenss, totally exonerat-
ing Onicer GoodseH
Henry Shindler, Kansas City Times corre-
spondent. has sworn out a com paint charg
ing the officer wit h conspiracy and murder.
and Good sell will probably be examined
this afternoon. Shind,er charges that
(Ioodsell has been visitor TO the house
daily for some time, often spending two
and three hours there, and that Black shot
Mt the officer because he had good reason
to do SO.