The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1891-04-14
MURDER IN CHARLOTTE.
A NEGRO KILLS AN ITALIAN ON
SATURDAY NIGHT.

The Deed Was Done at Midnight and
the Rascal Stole $3.50 and Redeemed
His PaWned Clothes.
Especial to STATE CHRoNICLE1
CHARLOTTE, N. c., April 13.-Char-
lotte is considerably wrought up to day
over dastardly murder, committed
Saturday night about II 80 o'clock, in an
Italian fruit store on West Trade street.
and near the Richmond & Danville rail-
road depot. John B. Mocco, al Italian
and the owner of the store, while in the
act OF drawing a glass of cider for
negro, was struck On the back of the
head with freight car coupling pin and
his skull was crushed, and he was robbed
of $3.50. =
Act Discovered in Twenty Minutes.
So quietly was the act committed and
50 stunning the blow that the murder
was not discovered by the police until
twenty minutes thereafter, when Ser
geant Rlggler heard the groans of
the dying man from the street
and went in and found him Frustrated.
He was carried to his bed upstairs and
Sunday morning at ten o'clock he expir-
ed. He never was conscious from the
time he received the fatal blow. The
| assassin's name is Henry Branham, a
negro gambler we'll known in the police
courts of Cha1l 1leston, Savannah and At
lanta. This negro has been hanging
| orOupd fhio Of oro all dow and fou,
utes, before he committed the murder
Mocco's son saw him in the store and
Identified him Sunday morning. On his
person was found handkerchief, in
which the pin was wrapped before the
murder. The handkerchief was soiled
with rust and plain imprint of the pin
| Last Saturday night he sold the suit
of clothes he wore at the store to col
ored porter at the Buford Hotel, an(
Sunday morning when captured he haC
on 81 silk hat, fine black cutawa.
serge and handsome pair of paten
leather shoes. These clothes were il
pawn, and Saturday night he redeemed
them with the money, and only $5 wa
found upon his person Sunday morning
The negro is suspected of the burglar
at the Buford House two weeks ago Sur
day night, when some one entered th
room of w. J. Johnson and took $40
and his watch and clothing.
John B. Mocco, the murdere
man, was an Italian, having~recentl
|, come to America from Italy and directl
: to Charlotte from Gaffuey City abol
! two months ago, since which time
J has been keeping a small fruit stand c
!, West Trade street He could scarce
:, speak English, but was quiet, we'll b
: haved citizen and his foul taking off b
greatly incensed the people Of Charott
: and especially the twenty Italian-bol
:, citizens Of the city Knots Of citizal
!, were gathered on the streets all day di
. cussing the propriety of lynching tt
murderer Sunday night. The plan W
20 20 to move on the Jail while the peop
r. were at church, but the plan leaked OF
~ :. and the Sheriff now has the Jail guard
- with forty of the ornet Nests reifemsl
:, - There will be no lynching to night, al
=, - the intense feelings will cool down
!" fore another twenty four hours. Sher
:. - smith assured the crowd Sunday aftt
- - noon they would have to walk over
:; "dead body" before they could lyn
= this negro. The Sheriff is plucky, a
:, ~ is determined to prevent lynching b!
- mob however provoking dhe cause. I
~ criminal court meets to morrow, a
30 90 Henry Branham will have immedis
| trial