The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-04-21
FOR LOVE OF MONEY.
Terrible Domestic Tragedy in a
Hoboken Tenement.
AN ITALIAN RAGPIcKER's CRIME.

AuReto Saputh mufuefS his NlOtner-
in-Law, Fatally Wounds Her Hus-
band and Is Himself Shot by His
Victims Son-The Murderer Dead
and the Old Man Dying.
HoBoKEN, N. j., April 21.-A tragedy
unique in criminal annals and horrible
as those attributed to the most blood
thirsty of savages occurred in q tenement
house in this city yesterday morning. As
its result two persons are dead, another
is dying and two others are suffering
from dangerous wounds. The parties
are all Italian ragpickers and are mem-
bers Of one family.
Antpnio 6hipchella, his wife and. .their
twosous, conoquito and Anselmo; aged
IS and 90 years respectively, occupied
threeroom tenement at 1876 Grand street.
"A daughter of the family was married
to Angelo Caputa and lived with him at
1S5 Stone Street, New York. The daugh-
ter and her husband paid a visit to the
Chinchellas Saturday and remained for
the night.
It is said that Mrs. Chinchella had
saved goodly sum of money, and it is
supposed that Caputa, who was an idle,
desperate fellow, had determined to pos
sess himself of the old woman's hoard.
1t is not known whether he had confided
his intentions to his wife, but some cir
cumstances lend color to the belief that
she knew Of it.
Almost DisembowIed His Victim.
Nothing is known of the occurrences
in the tenement during the evening, ex-
cept that the party played cards. At
midnight they retired, Mrs. Chinchella
and her daughter sleeping in one room,
Caputa and his father-in-law in the
middle room, and the two younger Chin
chellas, with boarder named Gigala,
in the third room.
Shortly before o'clock Caputa arose
and stole into the room where his wife
and mother lay. Stealing to the bedside
he dealt his mother-in-law an awful
blow with long, sharp knife, striking
her in the abdomen. Sweeping the
weapon around he almost disemboweled
the woman, who uttered one shrek and
was dead. Her blood spurted over her
daughter by her side and drenched the
bed clothing.
Reused by the death shrek of his wife
old Chinchella jumped from his bed, and
seizing chair rushed into the room. He
was met by Caputa, who held revolver
in his hand, and fired two or three shots
at the old man. Rushing upon him he
then stabbed him in the breast.
Shot by His Victims Son.
The sons had been Weakened by the re-
ports Of the pistol. and they hurried to
their fathers assistance. The younger,
Conoquito, had a revolver, also, and he
began fusillade upon Caputa. Nearly
a dozen shots were fired by the two until
Caputa fell wounded and dying upon
the floor. Young Conoquito rushed out
of the house, ran to the station house
and incoherently told the story of the
tragedy. -. -..
An ambulance was summoned and
Caputa and old Chinehella were taken
to St. Mary's hospital, and Conoquito
and his brother Anselmo, as well as Mrs.
Caputa and Gigala, were locked up.
The two sons were both wounded, Como
quito being badly wounded by bullet
in the left breast, his brother less seri-
ously by a cut, and Mrs. Caputa, who
had tried to interfere between the
brothers and her husband, was also
badly cut. Caputa died in few mo-
ments after reaching the hospital. Chin
chella's wounds will probably prove
fatal, but it is thought the others will
recover.
Conoquito, when questioned, said: 81
killed Caputa. He murdered my mother,
tried to murder my father and attacked
me. killed him, and am glad he is
dead"