The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-08
COUMO GETS SIX YEARS.
Tony ESpOSitO'S ASSailant Convicted
in the Superior Court.

ana AlA4 some OF his NoAAtA y men
he Creates a Scene in Court by
Threatening Attorney Morgan.
Catello Coumo, the notorious italian
desperate who is thought ts'be member
of the Malta. was convicted in the superior
court yesterday Of assault with intent 20
murder Tony Esposito Judge Falligant
sentenced him to six years at hard labor
in the pcnitcntiary
Savannah S Italians are happy over the
result of the trial, which removes Coumo
from their midst for a while at least, and
they can go to bed at nights for few
years and walk the city's streets in the
early hours of the morning before day
light in pursuit of their avocations with
out fearof being murdered with cold steel.
For months Coumo inundated his
countrymen in Savannah into Supporting
him under threats of numbering them if
they refused his demands and finally,
when Tony opposite, better known by the
sobriquet Of Crook Neck" tired Of being
constantly harassed for money, notified
Coumo that he would no longer contribute
TO his support, the desperate sent word to
Esposito that he would be killed on sight.
THE MARKET SHOOTING.
The almost tragic meeting between the
two men in the market one morning early
in March is well remembered They met
on the main bridge going N opposite
directions among the crowds of people,
but COumo determined to wreak his ven
geance then and there without regard for
the lives of others. He made a movement
10 draw a weapon, but opposite was pre-
ODD fo1, tho am and the M
his enemy put his hand in his pocket he
drew revolver, and, stepping up close to
avoid shooting among the people, opposite
shot a ball into COumO's left eye.
AS the mafian dropped he threw the
pistol with which he had intended to kill
Esposito under a stall, where it was found
later by the officers. COumO was taken
TO the Savannah hospital in an apparently
dying condition, but when the surgeons
removed his eye they found the bullet inn
bedded in the socket. His recovery was
rapid, but while Coumo lay on his bed in
the hospital he was planning to kill
Esposito The latter swore out war
rant for him and Detective Wetherhorn
was to have removed the one-eYed mafian
to Jail April /. The hospital authorities
had hidden his clothes to prevent an
escape, but lack of clothing was too small
an obstacle to stand in the way of the
mans having revenge on opposite for the
loss of his eye.
THE ESCAPE AND ASSAULT UPON EsPosITo.
March 81 Coumo borrowed a razor from
one of the hospital attaches to shave him
self and that night, when everybody was
asleep in the ward he got on of bed, cut
his blanket into strips, tied q rope,
escaped into the street and made his way
in his night clothes to EspositO's boarding
house on Bay street, near Montgomery
43,, I'd.
piece of cloth and waited under the stoop
for his victim, knowing that opposite
would start for the market about 4
O'Clock.
AS soon as the latter stepped into the
street Coumo dealt him a stunning blow
on the back of the head and then jumped
on him and began plying the razor on his
face, crying out in his native tongue:
IAN eye for an eye.n EspOsito's screams
attracted the attention of the Waterman
at Guckenheimer's building, and his
timely arrival is all that saved the uu-
fortunate mans life Coumo escaped,
but was caught two days later. opposite
came near losing one of his eyes and was
in the hospital several weeks as a result
of the cutting.
THE INTERESTING TRIAL.
COumo was indicted by the grand jury
last week, and yesterday he was placed
uu lIlhl. Gulu ~ AtuuGuS. uGIeuuCU MN
and T. S. Morgan, Jr., ESQ, assisted So
licitor General Fraser in the prosecution
The entire Italian colony was present and
the trial attracted quite a number OF
other spectators.
Coumo came into the court room neatly
dressed in black suit, with a black
bandage over the socket rendered
eyeless by Esposito's pistol. He
stepped with the naughty air of a
1lg IF and han no lpplgan at hfg
sembled countrymen he curled his lips
contemptuously and lcered at them sn
a way which indicated that he
would make lively scene if given half
chance. The court officers did not like the
matian's style and two deputy sheriffs
kept close to him for fear he might take
notion to become obstreperOus.
During the examination of the witnesses
the prisoners counsel had considerable
difficulty in keeping him quiet. COumo
wanted to conduct the crOss-examinatiOn
When Frank Gentle, his former employer,
told how badly Coumo had intimidated
him and said he was afraid to discharge
the man for fear of being killed the
prisoner laughed outright
TESTIMONY OF FOREIGN TONGUES.
The efforts of the prosecuting attorneys
to pronounce the names of the states wit
nesses and get from them the story of
kept jury and spectators in constant
laughter. Some of the witnesses would
start in broken English, and, as they be-
came excited in their narra-
tives, dropped our language en-
tirely and RECALLED the jury with an elo-
quent flow of Italian, ornamented with
lively hand gestures. An Interpreter had
to be secured finally, and then the state
had no further trouble in making out a
very strong case.
When opposite took the stand to tell
his story COumo became unduly excited
and for moment or two it looked as If he
intended making an attack on his former
victim in the court room. opposite was
frightened and got as close to the wall as
possible
While opposite was telling the story of
the assault upon him, as related above,
Coumo kept his piercing black eyes CON
stantly fastened upon the witness and
muttered steadily in uniutelligible
italian
WANTED TO ATTACK Mr.. MORGAN.
Coumo told his story to the Jury in
broken English. He gave his version of
the market shooting claimingu that
Esposito shot him without cause He
said he ran away from the hospital TO get
his clothes. which were at Gentilo's
house, and on the way met opposite. who
made an attack upon him. Coumo said
he knocked opposite down with a brick