New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-14
SUICIDE IN THE ToMBs.
AN ITALIAN WHO KILLED HIS yRIEND
HANGS HIMSELF,
SPECIAL ORDERS HAD BEEN GIVEN 10 wArun
HIM. AS HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INSANE
WHERE DID he GET THE ROPES

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Camille Bongatti an Italian charged with mur
der, committed suicide in his cell in the rombs
last evening, using piece Of rope that he had
cut from his cot to hang himself He had been IN
the Tombs since June 2. and had unusual privt
leges, as it was supposed that he was lunatic
rather than criminal. He had shot another
Italian named Francisco San Vito on May %. and
ell the circumstances attending the killing were
such as TO indicate that he was insane at the time.
Orders had been given OF the Tombs TO have him
watched with special care.
1t is supposed that Bongatti hanged hjmself
about 625 o'clock and 1t is asserted by tho prison
officials that he could not have been alons
more than two or three minutes. he oo-
cupied a double cell, used as q hospital cell
In the lower corridor of the old prison.
AS Is customary In such cases, o man was assigned
as his cell-mate who had been sentenced TO tho
Tombs for few days for trivial offence. and ho
was expected 20 look after Bongatn. This tenn
porary nurse was allowed TO leave the cell at win.
and BoDgsta found bis opportunity in requesting
his companion to go out and get pail Of water,
that he could bathe. II is hardly likely that the
short-term man used any great haste, and when
he got back he found the Italian in the last con-
vulsive struggles Of suffocation.
The rope used was about three feet long. 10
had been tied around the water pipe at bend
barely four feet from the door. The man bad
probably drawn up his feet until consciousness
left him, and he slowly strangled TO death. He
Was cut down, and DR.. Charles K
Magee, the prison physician, was quickly
SUNNI oned, but life was extinct when he arrived
Two Of the keepers, Frank Smith and Hugh
McGovern were on duty in the corridor where
Bcngatti was confined, and they declare that
he was all right few minutes before his cell-mste
found him hanging. So far as the facts dis
closed last night are concerned, there Is perhaps
no proof of any special negligence on their part.
but no explanation was given Of the presence
Of the means Of suicide In the cell Of o lunatio.
Commissioner Porter went to the prison as soon
as he heard of the affair, and Tribune reporter
asked him about the matter, but he was apparently
unable to give any explanation. What sort
Of a cot it is that has q rope about II, or what
means Bongatti used to cut the rope, was not
explained The prison is at present in charge
Of Deputy Warden Finley, Warden Osborne, whose
health has been bad for some months, being now
IN the Saranac Lake region.
Bongatti had received many favors from the
man whom he killed, and the friends OF both have
no doubt at al that the former was insane Both
men were employed In the furniture shop OF
Formica s. Winner, No. 81 South Fifth-ave.,
although Bongatti had been laid Of for . day
or two He had picked quarrel with San Vito
the day previous, but only a moment before shoot
ing him he had asked San Vito TO pardo1 bis
rudeness. After the shooting he said he had
poisoned his own little daughter, but IT was found
that this was not true.
The coroner was informed Of the suicide last
night, and this morning the body will be removed
TO tho morgue.