Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09

d. doll; me nova eouatsrnta-' HAVE learned
that there n not much counteffeiting Ia Sicily,
the art since they have been in this country"
THE STORY OF eIoTASI Hosso.
The old detective was asked 10 relate some
Of his experiences with the Italiana- well. 81
said he, II am not now in government service
and don't know that am bound to secrecy
| in this particular case, inasmuch as the man
have In mind is now doing twelve years in
Sing Sing. 1 think bis character bears out every
thing that have said Of the Italians as q race.
| be murderer of three or four people, . jnil-
breaker, q traitor, counterfeiter. an incendi-
| airy, and II there ever was q Malta In New York
he was ct the head of IL. II would take all
night to tell the history of that man. He was
| just stepped in crime and still his conscience
was so blunted to all feeling that he did not
think that he had done anything wrong.
don't think, however, that Dante could have
] conceived . more villainous character.
.'Rosso had to leave New York for some
/ crime and went to New Orleans. While there
he killed man and was sentenced to be hung,
| but the governor committed his sentence to
! imprisonment for life.
now lie GOT PARDoyED.
After Rosso got into prison at Baton Rouge
he went to work and organized a scheme to get
away. The plan included the whole prison and
had been worked up very successfully. The
night before the escape was to have been made
hosso went to the warden and informed him
OF the proposed plan. Upon investigation it
was found tina: Rosso had told the truth and
for his part in the disclosure the governor par-
doned him. Soon after that he came back to
New York and started a small store on Baxter
! street 1t was not long before the store was set
on nre and the entire contents were burned.
His claim for insurance was resisted by the in
surance companies OF the ground that Rosso
had acted as an incendiary and was therefore
guilty OF arson. 1t was funny thing about
that suit. 1t was brought forth in evidence that
hosso previous history was thoroughly bad,
but still the proof was not conclusive that he
had set fire to his store. although it was almost
certain that he had done Nevertheless he
got verdict for $3.50. / asked the foreman Of
the jury afterward how it was that they had
brought in a verdict in favor Of Rosso. Well,
he said, 'Rosso's LAWYER was a mighty good fell
low and We knew he would not get q cent for
what he had done if we didn't bring in . small
Judgment in favor Of the Dago.'
He GIVES INFORMATION.
We'll, later on Rosso came to see me one day
in my Office. I was then working on gang Of
counterfeiters Who had been turning out some
very good work and the queer was circulating
In large Quantities. He said. You da chiefar
"loua knowa me?'
Yes. l have your picture in my rogues'
gallery 1 showed it to him and he had the
imPudence to deny tina. he was the original.
Me gotta soma informash. Me knows plaza
where da maka d.. haffs. da quata, da nick.
Ioua coma witta mo. l showa da plaza. You
coma alone l showa You coma three, four
men l no showa.'
Il said to myself this is q trap on the part Of
that old villain to get me into his clutches but
1 asked him where the place was He told me
that II lad m n aide 4
Dad LOCALITY. and thought to myself that he
wanted to get me out there alone and then
slash me. must confess felt rather timid
about going. not SO tar as my personal safety
not want to kin Rosso. and if he attempted to
cut me made up my mind to kill him Just as
quick a. would shoot mad dog.
MET HIN, BUT No GOOD RESULT.
However. told him that would meet him
at the station of the elevated on 150th street
the next day. / had him Swallowed, and he
went back to a house in 153d street. where he
stayed sometime. The next day kept him
waiting half an hour. My mer were watching
him ali the time and noticed that he came
alone. met him. and as passed by told him
10 go ahead and when he got to the place to
drop his handkerchief pick it up and then
walk on. 1 followed him with my hand on my
gun, which carried in my trousers pocket.
knew it would shoot by just pulling the trigger.
toward me. That was not his game learned
afterward that he had a friend who lived there
brother Sicihan, who had been q pupil of
Rossos in making images of the doh, da
quata. and da halfa. The success Of this man.
who WAS called Colandrino had been 80 great
that he had taken all of kosso customers away
from him. So you see Rosso came to me to get
Coiandrino arrested and sent to prison so that
he might get back his old trade and ct the same
time get his revenge on Colandrino for having
InR hIl hrla Il hal al
watched for six days. could not find that the
four or tive men VINO lived there took anything
away with them or brought back anything in
the way of plaster of paris, acids or metals.
NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.
There really was nothing for me to base my
suspicious on that the men were the counter.
letters had been looking for, consequently
could not get a warrant for their arrest II I
had been certain that they we're engaged in
counterfeiting could have broken in the house,
but II had broken in without a warrant and
found that they we're not breaking the law and
If had been obliged to kill one or two OF the
ltalians had nothing to fall back upon except
the word Of an incendiary, cutthroat, murderer
and all round villain. You know q mans house
Is his castle and you must have good evidence
of rascality going on inside before you
can force All entrance. Well, old ROsso
came to see me again. In the mean
time he had been going to the house Of Colan-
ufilo every Jay. ne said: 'CoiHndr1nO maka
himself a richa man. He have 400doll in image
He sella ia image and saia back to Messina
On q Saturday night He TAXA his one VITA and
two child lou knows resta Colandrino sivs
no more informash.' / did not tell Rosso I
would not act in the matter upon his word, but
L Kept watch on the house and on FRIDAY
Colandrino went over in BROOKLYN to the Office
Of u steamship company, probably to secure
his passage. The next day he and his wife went
to the house Of Rosso. At my last interview
with lSOsso told him that thought it would
be much better to let Colandrino get out Of the
country with his family than to arrest him and
| send him up for long term and then obIige
| the government 70 support his family. Rosso
niust have taken that my ultimatum- On
Saturday he invited Colandrino to his house to
take O bottle OF wine and drink to each other q
prosperity. This learned afterward from nv
italian operative, Palats. Colandriuo went and
was accompanied by his wife.
| Row Rosso GOT HIs sEvExaK.
''In telling the story Palats said: Mr. de
Rosso he var smart man. He var mad wild Mr.
Colandrino- He tink he nc geta even wild Mr..
Colandrino, SO he say: Mr.. Colandrino, you
taxa dinner wild me-" And Mr.. Colandrino he
| say: Il be glad to a coma" But Mr.. Colsndrino
he var smart man, too, and he TAXA his VITA
along. (Palats would always prefix the titls of
! mister. He seemed to have great respect
| for the snartness OF these two men and would
pull down the corner Of his eye with his finger
1 IN ,hasi their ,{e Rocco