The Jersey City news., 1891-08-01
PULL With THE MAFIA
Woman Stabber Romanie11o
Comes Within an Ace
of Getting Free.
A BROOKLYN LAWYERS WORK.
Money and Friends Are Plenty for
the Murderer-Extradition
Warrants Now Ready.

Frank Romaniello, the Italian who
stabbed Mrs. Gautano Fioro MoRIio on
Third street on July l6, and who was cap
tured on July 90 by the Brooklyn police,
working In conjunction with the detec-
tiyes on his trail from this city. came
within an ace of securing another lease
of liberty yesterday. Romaniello is held
In Brooklyn pending the arrival Of extra
dition papers.
On the morning following Romanielio's
capture Chief OF Police Murphy sent De-
tective Colvilie Smith over to Brooklyn
with instructions to make necessary affi-
davits that the prisoner might be held un-
til requisition papers could be obtained.
Justice Tighe. before whom RomanieIlo
was arraigned, said there would be no ex-
animation, and he remandeG Romaniello
until August 5. The police authorities Of
this city lost several days in their efforts
to secure the requisition papers because
of the vacation season. On Thursday the
authorities on this side were notified to
appear in Brooklyn with witnesses
against Romaniello, otherwise he would
be discharged.
MAFIA AT WORK
Detectives Doyle and Dalton endeavored
to get the eye-witnesses to the ssabbing
affray to go over, but they refused to go.
The usual degree of clannishness,
mingled perhaps with fear, had strongly
manifested itself Detectives Doyle and
Dalton went over to tell the Court that
they would appear with the affidavits OF
the eye.witnesses yesterday. Clerk
James Norton, of the First Police
Court Of this city copied the atfi-
davits, and Chief Murphy and Detectiye
Dalton started for Brooklyn at one
O'Clock, as the examination was set down
for two, At Justice 1ighe's police court
the Chief learned that the case had been
removed into the Supreme Court on q
writ OF haoeas corpus returnable at two
O'Clock. Hurrying over to the Supreme
Court he found Judge Cuilom had
issued the writ. Court had
adjourned. hut the Judge had left word
that II the Jersey City police authorities
could show proper reasons why Romani-
clio should be held he would give them
an opportunity to do SO at four o'clock.
At that hour Chief Murphy went before
Judge Cullom and told him that Cover
nor AbDett's requisition papers
had been forwarded to Cover
nor Hill on "Wednesday. l. was expected
they would be in the hands Of the Brook.
lyu police by Saturday morning tthis
morning. The Chief stated also that he
had telegraphed to Governor Hill at one
O'Clock, asking II the extradirion war
rants had been issued. The Judge then
allowed him until six O'Clock to procure
the papers or show that the warrants had
been issued.
Meanwhile Detective Dalton was tele-
phoning to Brooklyn police headquarters
To get Immediate information of the ar
rival OF the answer from Governor Hill to
the Chiefs telegram. At half-past hve
O'Clock the Chief received word from
Superintendent of Police Smith OF this
city to the effect that an answer had been
received on this side at one o'clock from
Governor Hill saying that the extradition
warrants had been mailed yesterday
morning.
THE PRISONER HELD.
Inspector MckeIlar OF tine Brooklyn
police made an official copy of that tele-
phone message. Armed with this Chief
Murphy started on a run to Judge Nc
Cullom's house. half a mile away. There
he found the defendants lawyer waiting
to secure the discharge Of the prisoner.
As soon as the clock hands indicated
the hour of six the Chief showed
the Judge the officially copied telephone
messages from this city stating that the
warrants had been issued. The defend
ants lawyer declared the message was
not official. He made long speech. in
which he claimed such a message would
not warrant the Judge in holding the
prisoner.
Judge MeCullom, however, cut his
speech short by declaring the message
was official enough for him. and he re-
manded Romaniello until Monday next.
As to the cause of all this trouble, if
Justice Tighe had held an examination,
as the authorities of this city say he
should have done on the morning follow
ing the arrest. necessary Information
would have been on file in Brooklyn to
be reviewed by Judge MeCullom or any
of the Supreme Court Judges. and the
writ dissolved as soon as the papers could
be examined.
Romaniello is but au ordinary italian
rag picker, yet while he was in the Gus
tody of four police detectives at least
twenty Italians followed him from
prison TO the court. The best of counsel,
too, had been secured to attempt 10 OBJ
tain his release.