Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-19
THE DREADED MAFIA
INDICATIONS THAT IT IS AT WORK
IN NEW YORK.
Police Professionalism He
Is Heing Houhdcd.
fpy telegraph % .he plsps.cn.l

EEw YORK, November 1s.-The police
are investigating the story that the
Mafan are at work in New York and are
bounding victims. When Antonio Flac-
comic was mysteriously murdered in front
OF Cooper Union few years ago. Inspector
Byrnes made the discovery that q secret
assassinating society was fourishing in
the metropolis, and in Chicago, St. Louis
and other cities. Yesterday Mar
zio Gondice. an intelligent Italian,
came to police headquarters and
asked for protection from the agents of
the Mafa. Gondice asserts that his wife,
who died q year and q half ago, was
poisoned By agents of the Malta, robbed,
and her body stolen from the grave. His
wife left property in Italy. he says, and in
order 70 gain possession OF II the Mafia is
seeking his life and that Of his 11-year-old
son. He also asserts that q grudge the
criminal classes had in Italy against his
| father, an Italian nobleman, had been
transferred TO him now that his father is
dead. The police promised him protection.
ooNDIcE's HISTORY.
Gondice, who lives at 119H Washington
| street, was turned over to Charles Formosa
and George Alonce, two of Inspector Nc
| Laughlin's detectives, to whom he told his
| htOIN. 10 tutIu bdiu us lhbutI Hho hu
| Italian nobleman. In 1860 O murder was
committed in the parish where his parents
| lived. His father was O wealthy man,
| against whom the lower and criminal
| classes had great hatred. To cover up the
real murderer his father was arrested and
| cast into prison. where he was kept for
three years, Notwithstanding he was inno-
cent of the crime. He was let go upon
| paying a large sum of money. Several
| Italians who were identified with the
Mafa bore q grudge against the older Con-
dice. which has been transferred TO his
son.
| Mario came to this country in 1867. He
| studied pharmacy for three years and
| then went 20 business here, making bal
| looms and selling flowers. He Travelled all
| over the country attending fairs, where he
| sold the articles he manufactured. lie
| says that he has been bounded now for
many years and threatened with death.
| Since the death of his wife the agents
| have sworn to kill him and have been on
| his track harder than ever. Francisco
| Mortorelli, bandit who is now in Italy,
| sent three men here to kill him, he says, q
| few years ago. The men are Augustine
MortOrelli. Franclsco's brother; Rigo
| Gondice, Marzio's own step-brother, and
| third man, whose name he does not know.
| Augustine MortoTelli. he says. Is at the
head of the Brooklyn branch of the Matla.
POISONING or HIS WIFE.
His wife died April 2lst of last year. She
| had been sick fifteen days. The Mafia, he
says, tried to palm off one of its members
as doctor. but he discovered the fraud.
Shortly before his wire died an Italian
priest came to the house and ordered
every ohe ont of the room. The priest
| sent him for medicine. While he was gone,
he alleges, the priest induced the dying
| woman to give him $780, which he SAID he
would send to her brother. Antonio Buone,
| a soldier in the Italian army. When his
wife died her body turned reddish hue.
but the attending physician gave a certih-
cate of death from pneumonia. She was
| buried in the Holy Cross cemetery, in
| Brooklvn. Later, he says, the body was
taken from the grave. He says his enc
mics had the body exhumed, so that he
| could not have it examined. The money
which his dead wife gave to the priest was
never sent 10 her brother.
Gondice says he knew nothing OF the
money affair until few months ago, when
| he received q letter from friends IN Italy
telling him Of a confession made by Luiga
(iuatrino, an Italian who was living IN
| BROOKLYN a. the time of his wite's death,
| and went back to Italy, where he died.
| Before he died he confessed that Gondice's g
wife had been poisoned by agents OF the
| Malta in order 10 get her money aud pro-
| perty Iii Italy.
THREATS FROM A PRIEST.
Goudice told Detective Formosa that he
went TO see the Italian priest. who, he said,
was connected with a church In President
street, Brooklyn. and accused him. OF
keeping the money. The priest, he added,
| threatened to have him killed If he said
ANYTHING about the matter.
Gondce SAYS al his letters are intercept
| cd and he is being bounded night and day.
| About three months ago, he says. he made
| up his mind to go to Italy, in order to get
possession OF his wife's property. His enc
mics got word of It, and they tried to get
| him to go in company with q young man
| who, Gondice asserts. he has since learned
was one of the Malta and who was to
| murder him at the most favorable oppor-
| tunlty. Gondlce is trying to get enough
money to get back to Italy, but he fears
| that he will be murdered before he gets
| away.
| Detective Formosa told him the police
would do everything in their power to pro;
tect him. The case Is being investigated
| L.. l.t