The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-15
LEFT AT HOME TO DIE.
An Italian Lemon Vendors Cruel
Treatment of His Children.


Treatment of His Children.
Trissa, the fourteen months old child Of
Joseph Cappola, an Italian lemon peddler,
died yesterday morning in a one-room
cabin in the rear of a house No. AZ Mont
gomery street, near York street, under cir
cumstances which have stirred up some
Indignation among the Italians The
mother of little Tfissa was at her accus-
toned stand in the market at the time the
child died. Those who visit the market
will recall woman who usually had her
infant at her breast as she sat in market
and another little girl of about peddling
lemons. This was Mrs. Joseph Cappola,
and the thin, spare old lemon pedder, who
is known all over the city, is her husband
Early yesterday morning Cappola, his
wife and Raphaella, the 6-year-od, went to
the market with their lemons, leaving the
sick child in charge of Miguel Cappola,
lad of "A years. Shortly before s o'clock
the boy came running to Mrs Purvis, who
lives on the first floor of No. ~ Montgomery
street, and begged her to hurry and come
and see the chlid. She went at once and
found the child dying Mr.. Purvis called
Mrs. Lloyd and Mrs. Vandolen, who occupy
the second floor of the house, and they hur
moment or two afterward. Mrs. Purvis
sent Miguel. the boy to the market for the
child's mother, and about 9 o'clock the
father came in. The child was buried yes
terday afternoon.
That neglect had much to do with the
little ones death is self-evldent In an in
terview with a MORNING NEWS reporter
last night Mrs Purvis said that she told the
mother more than once that she ought to
af h6rrNa nd rrttr no al,It hnY.iy
attention and careful nursing. In spite of
this advice, Mrs. Cappola went to market
Saturday afternoon at O'Clock, leaving
the sick child with the boy, and she did not
return until 10 o'clock at night
MORNING NEWS reporter visited the
Cappola cabin last night and found the
Italians eating a frugal supper. The
mothers eyes were red as if from weeping.
The father and mother understand English
imperfectly and they do not attempt to
speak it. The boy was asked as to the
charges made by the Italians in
the city of the cruel treatment
by Mr.. and Mrs. Cappola of their
children. He admitted that he had said
that his mother mad at one time thrown the
baby down on the floor. The mother
seemed to understand this and gave dis
approving gesture, after which Miguel
fastened to say that the child had fallen
from its mothers breast, and that his
mother had cried about it. He said that his
father had often beat him when he would
not bring in 81 80 from the sale of lemons,
but that he had threatened to run away,
and his father had quit beating him. He is
now selling lemons for himself, and went to
a trunk and, bringing out small fig box,
he said that it was his savings bank and it
was nearly full of ten cent pieces.
The father when he learned that an in
quiry was being made into the cause of the
infants death went and collected the bot
ties of medicine and powders which DIR.
Sheftall had prescribed, the mother, it
seems, having taken the child to him for ex-
animation.
Cappola began telling how poor he was,
but when he was asked if it was not true
that he had several hundred dollars he be-
came very much excited and exhibiting his
ragged coat, coarse shoes out of repair, even
to ms ragged socks, by signs and voluble
Italian gave the reporter to understand that
he was making these sacrifices for his two
children.
Just then little Raphaella, the 6-year-old
girl, came to the door from the street. She
is little bit of a midget, and speaks
English. When she was asked if she sold
lemons lin the streets, at houses, and in the
saloons, she said Eyes When she was
asked if she was whipped sometimes if she
did not bring money enough, she nodded
her head, but when her mother took her
and began to fondle her the child repeated
what the mother, said, that the little
girl sold only in the market, and with her
mother
John Scott, John Moreno Raphael Mo
reno and Domenico Francesca, live on Pine
street, and they were seen there. Scott
said that owing to Cappola's cruelties to his
children and the dirty habits of the family,
he had made them move out of the house.
They all stated that Cappola was very cruel
to the boy, and they were indignant over
the neglect which they said resulted in the
death of the little one Francesca sent a
lengthy complaint yesterday to the
Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children and Animals.
After reciting the circumstances of the
child's sickness and death from the parents
neglect, Francesca said that the Cappolas
have from $500 to 81 900 in their possession,
and could have given the child careful
nursing had they cared. Francesca added.
This is only part of the cruelties l
know. If you go to the house and consult
the little boy he can give more information
of the brutal conduct of his parents to this
little one and to all the children. Hoping
you will see to this in the name of God and
infants"
The case was looked into by the authori-
ties but no action has yet been taken.
PASSING COUNTERFEIT COIN.