The Portland daily press., 1892-08-18
BURIAL OF BATTlsTA,
The Assassin When Arraigned in the Mu-
nicipal Court Said " 1t Is Not so."


Battista De Rosa was buried yesterday.
Not friend, not relative, not even a
fellow countryman followed his body to
the grave or heard the brief, peculiarly
pathetic service uttered by that kind old
man, Rev. Mr.. Southworth.
1t was in the rear room of Rich's I'M
dertaking establishment where the VIC
tim of his brothers wrath lay in plain
ly draped casket The sixty dollars that
Battista had strapped to his right leg,
and which, it is said. furnished the mo-
tive for the crime, paid for the casket
and gave him decent burial.
1t was near 10 o'clock yesterday morn
ing when Rev. Mr.. Southworth came and
the attaches of Mr.. Rich's establishment
and few visitors gathered about the
casket.
The venerable minister read an. appro-
pirate passage from the scripture, after
which he offered short prayer. The
witnesses stood with uncovered heads
and were impressed with the few re-
marks and comments upon the life of the
murdered man. The casket was then
closed and the body inferred in Forest
City cemetery.
There were busting scenes in and
about police headquarters yesterday fore
noon. At the regular session of the Mu-
nicipal Court there was crowd present
that taxed the limit of the room, but all
were disappointed at not seeing the as
sassin, Grabrielle, in the prisoners pen.
He was not there. He was in cell at
the county Jail at the time. In the pen
was Eta Coombs, the woman who, it is
said, was partially the cause of the
enlargement between the brothers. She
was neatly dressed and received her SEN
tence of committal for drunkenness with
stoical Indifference. A couple of liquor
cases were then attended to and crowds
thronged the station, awaiting the arrival
of the murderer. So 81
Shortly after ten O. clock he was quietly
brought from the Jail, manacled and
closely guarded by several officers. He
was thrust into a cell where he was in
terviewed by his counsel, George Libby,
ESQ.,, while the crowd gaped through the
glass in the door separating the cells
from the guard room.
The prisoner looked like wreck. He
seemed like man who had just emerged
from debauch. He was pale, haggard
and cast furtive chances about as if death
lurked near, His hands were twitching
and he seemed more calm when the
grated iron cell door was closed and the
lock clicked upon him.
Charles Casassa was sworn as interpreter
and through him the wording and mean
ing of the warrant was conveyed to Ora
brielle. When asked whether he was
guilty or not, he became excited and
cried out: TT is not SOL His counsel
then waived an examination and he was
committed to await the action of the
grand Jury.
That the DeRosas had love for knives
was demonstrated when the officers
made search of the rooms the brothers
occupied in Stafford's block. Two
knives, of pattern similar to the Ital-
ian's favorite weapon, the stiletto, were
found. They had a keen, fancifully en-
graved blade and handle that resem-
bled oxidized silver. They were fitted
like clasp knife, as the blade could be
closed into the handle.
Four razors were also found and sew
eral letters written to the assassin from
Cosanzo, Italy.