Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30
ROMEO AND JULIET.
The Old Story, with Modern Accessories,
Retold In Naples.

ROMEO AND JULIET.
The Old Story, with Modern Accessories,
Retold In Naples.
From the New York Sun,
In the criminal court Of Naples the story of
Romeo and Juliet in modern life was told re-
Gently. Lieut.. Leone of the tenth regiment Of
artillery, while stationed in Palermo, fell des
perately in love with Catherine Notarbartolo
de villarosa, q beautiful young woman. The
Notarbartolo family is among the most power
full in Sicily, where o good deal Of the old
feudal system flourishes, in spite of the Italian
unity. Donna Maria Beniiragna, widow Notar
bartolo and the mother Of the young woman,
had a brother executed in 1869 for political
offenses and she was banished but she re-
turned to Sicily with Garibaldi. Although she
is six.y-four years Of age. she administers the
rich patrimony of her family. The beautiful
Catherine was her youngest child.
The question before the court was whether
the young officer committed suicide was
murdered by the brother of the young girl
His body was found at the door Of the Notar-
bar olo mansion. He had been shot through
the heart, and pistol was found at his feet
The evidence for the prosecution was that he
had been called into the house by Gather
ines old nurse, Calogera Tinnerello and that
GATHERINGS brothers, who were his sworn
enemies, had waited for him at the en-
trance, and had shot him. Francesca Notar.
bartolo, who was accused of having organized
the plot, had previously fought duel with the
lover. It was one-sided fight, however,, in
which all the fury with Notarbartolo
Leone, who was an export swordsman. foiled
all his desperate attacks, and allowed himself
to be wounded rather than run the risk of kill
ing the brother Of his lady love. francesca
was also the recognized chief of the Malta So
ciety in Palermo. Eleven times he was on the
point Of being arrested, but on each occasion he
was saved by the Malta, and at one time he was
concealed in the house Of q near relative OF the
chief Of police.
The trial of the case extended through two
years in Palermo, and then the venu was
changed to Naples, where it lasted for eighty
days. Love letters in abundance from Leone
to Catherine and from Catherine to Leone
were read, in which the tender passion was
painted with all the high coloring peculiar to
the Italian school. The brothers Notarbartolo
did not deny anything of the love affair be-
tween their sister Catherine and the young
officer; they simply confined themselves to a
denial of the charge Of murder. One of them,
Pietro, declared in his examination that Leone
was completely unknown to him when he re-
ceived the following note:
Sir love your sser Catherine. Pronounce the last
l shall abide by it and insist no longer
In describing the effect of the letter Pietro
said: 81 spoke of that letter to my mother,
who said, The young man is crazy. The mar
rage is impossible l informed Lieut.. Leone
Of this decision and advised him to postpone as
far as possible the stupid notion Of getting mar
ried. We parted on the best of terms. few
days afterward. while we were at dinner. we
heard pistol shot outside the door. We came
down and found Leone dead at the door. He
had just sent bullet through his breast
The medical reports seem to establish that
Leone did not kill himself, but was murdered"
the president of the court remarked.
ION the contrary" Pietro responded. "He
shot himself in the heart. Lovers always shoot
themselves in the heart and bankers always
shoot themselves in the head. Whether it is
the heart or brain, it is always the affected
part that they aim at"
The old nurse who carried the letters of the
lovers, denied that she induced Leone to come
to the house.
The deposition Of Leone, ST., the father of
the young man, was particularly dramatic. He
said: "When learned that my son was in love
with one Of the Notarbartolo young ladies
knew that 1t was all over with him. All the
lovers Of the young ladies were killed by the
brothers Notarbartolo. francesca killed Boo
cardo and his brother-in-law Coppola."
IF l struck down Coppola," the accused
francesca interrupted, lit was because he be-
gan to court my sister Constance and then de-
serted her to make love to my sister Maria
And now poor Constance is crazy from love-
'You are also accused of having killed Lieut..
Leone. Why did you run away after the
tragedy" the president asked.
because l know that would be suspected.
have already been in prison for beating police
men and know what it is to be shut up In four
walls
Other witnesses gave the details of the duel,
in which Leone was kind enough to allow him.
self to be wounded by the brother of his ex-
pected bride. Letters were then produced to
show that when the broken hearted lovers we're
parted by the orders of the proud old woman
and of the terrible brothers. who sustained her
decision, Leone for time accepted his fate,
but on receiving burning and fearful docu-
ment from Catherine begging him to continue
his suit and asking him if he had ceased to love
her he weakened and determined to return to
Palermo. His brother officers urged him not
to GO "They will kill you," they said.
Well, let them kill me-" Leone said; II
can't give up my love-"
: Several Of his comrades testified that he never
had any idea Of suicide. The evidence pointed
to murder, or at least to manslaughter, for q
quarrel between Leone and the brothers was
also described. francesca Notarbartolo was
convicted and sentenced to five years impris-
onment The others were acquitted, and now
Catherine is crazy.