The record-union., 1891-04-17
ACCIDENTAL OR INTENTIONAL?
Mysterious Shooting of an italian
TamaIe PeddIer.
The wounded Mans Partner Held the
Pistol-The Police Satisfied That
it was Accidental.

There was mysterious shooting last
evening.
Shortly before O'Clock people residing
in the vicinity of the African NJ. f.
Church, on Seventh street, between G
and ID, were startled by the loud report
of pistol, and upon investigation it was
learned that the shooting had taken place
IN little shanty in the alley, back Of the
church, where several tamale manufactu-
rers reside.
Great excitement prevailed inside the
house, the Italian occupants all talking at
once in their native tongue, and gesticu-
lating wildly.
On the floor of the dingy little kitchen
lay man who was bleeding profusely
from wound on the forehead.
PROBABLY NOT FATAL.
At first nothing could be learned as to
who did the shooting, or how it had oc-
CURED, so excited was everybody within.
But somebody lifted up the PROSTATE man,
and, ascertaining that he was not dead,
asked him how it happened.
''Nevera mind, nevera mind" he
groaned. "Da peestol go off by self. Get
da doctGra.''
DR.. Bruno was sent for, and responded
Immediately. The wounded man was
removed to another room and placed on
q bed, after which the doctor made an
examination. 1t was found that the bull
let had struck the forehead just over tho
right eye, and, glancing OFF, shattered 4
portion of the frontal bone, and carried
away some of the bridge Of the nose. In
order to make such wound the pistol
must have been fired from the side, and
had it gone and inch to the left would
have entered the brain at the temple.
DIR. Bruno said he did not consider the
wound necessarily fatal unless inilamma-
ton of the brain should set in.
WAS IT INTENTIONAL?
While the doctor was dressing the
wound a RECoRD-UNIoN reporter, who
arrived at the scene shortly after the
shooting, made inquiries Of several of the
neighbOrS with the hope of getting some
definite information regarding the shoot
ing. While most of those interviewed
declared that they knew nothing
of the affair except that they
had heard the shot, there were
some who believed that there was more
at the bottom Of the matter than the
Italians cared to tell. One gentleman in
particular, who resides III the alley, said
he had been expecting something Of the
kind for some time. That man who is
shot" he said, sis named John Sperri.
was one OF the first to go into the house
after the shooting, and they told me that
the shooting was accident tal-Ilat Sperm 5
partner, Nicoh Ghippo, was examining a
pistol when it went off and the bullet
struck Sperri. Frank Sperri, the
wounded mans brother, also lives in the
house, and the three have had frequent
rows. They are all tamaIe peddlers, and
I always supposed they quarreled over
the division of the profits.'
THE POLICE THEORY.
Police officer Arlington heard of the
shooting and made an investigation. He
took Chippo to the police station, but
placed no charge against him. The theory
Of the police is that the shooting was ac-
opinion of DR.. Bruno, and the statements
OF Chippo, Frank Sperri and the wounded
man.
Frank Sperri made a statement to the
RECORD-UNIO5 representative, after he
had recovered sufficiently from his eX-
citcment and had learned that his brother
was not dying. There We're no hard
feelings between John and NicOli," he
said, $50 the shooting could not have
been intentional. They were partners
and the best Of friends. Shortly after
supper they were examining an old
pistol belonging to me. They did not
know it was loaded. John was looking
at it, when Nicoli said, Let Inc see it,
and took it out OF Johns hand He was
fooling with the trigger when the pisto
suddenly went Off"
The injured man corrobOrated his
brothers story and 50 did Chippo.
ChippO was discharged from custody
late last night.