The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-07
MAFIA COUMOOUTANEYE
A LAWLESS ITALIAN RUNS
AGAINST THE WRONG MAN.


Tries to Garry 1t Out, but opposite
Shoots First-Detective Wetherhorn
Looking for Coumo TO Arrest Him
on Two Warrants at the Time
The Italian Colony Gives the
Wounded Man a Bad Reputation
and Charges Him With Being a
Member Of the Malta.
Tony opposite tried to kill CASTILLO
Coumo with bullets in the market yesterday
morning, but only succeeded in putting out
his left eve. The market was crowded at
the time OF the shooting, and it is wonder
that some one was not bit as we'll as Coumo.
Both men are Italians. They met on the
main bridge Of the market about O'Clock,
and a number Of people noticed that hot
words were passing between them. Finally
Coumo threw his hand into bis coat pocket
in an excited way, and. ,quick as a flash,
Esposito drew his revolver and fired two
shots at him IN rapid succession. Coumo
threw his hands to his left eye and stag
Rered back against a stall, while blood
spurted between his fingers. opposite ran
out the Bryan street door and disappeared
In every part of the market building, and
in a few minutes the place was scene OF
great excitement People crowded from
every direction around CounO, who was
covered with blood and crying that he was
killed Several policemen and Detective
Wetherhorn we're among the first to get 10
bis side, and TO Detective Wetherhorns
surprise he discovered that Coumo was the
man he had come TO the market to arrest
on a warrant charging him with assault
with intent TO murder and carrying COM
cealed weapons Just before the shooting
took place.
RsPOsITO ARRESTED IN HIS ROOM.
The detective asked who shot him, and
the only answer he could get from the
wounded man was MAN with crook neck
Detective Wetherhorn knew at once that
Esposito was a crooked-neck man, and
without waiting for any further inquiries
be hurried to Esposito's room, over Mic
Aprea's store, on Bryan street. As soon as
he entered opposite said exoitedly, "Pm the
man who killed him. He was Msfian. l
surrender"
Detective Wetherhorn started downstairs
with his prisoner and met Policeman
O'Neill, who wanted to take charge OF
opposite because the shooting occurred In
the market The detective, however, stood
on his rights as a county officer and de-
carried him before Justice Naughtin,
secured commitment for assault with in
tent to murder and landed opposite in Jail.
Coumo was carried into Solomon's drug
store, at Congress and Barnard streets, and
was Rfterward sent 70 the Savannah hos
pital where Drs. Boyd and ColdiDg removed
his eye and took out the ball. His left arm
was slightly grazed, showing that the Sec
ond bullet from Esposito's pistol had given
him a close call. Coumo will be all right In
about three weeks, The doctors said.
THE PRIsoNER's STORY.
Esposito said he had shot Coumo because
the latter had threatened his life repeatedly
and was in the act of carrying out the
threat when be got the drop on him. This
part Of Esposito's story seems to be corrob-
GRATED by the fact that Coumo, a moment
after he was shot, pulled a revolver
from his coat pocket and threw
it behind stall, where a colored woman
found it aud turned it over to Policeman
Jones. He was shrewd enough not to be
caught with q concealed pistol on his
person.
opposite claimed that a few months be-
fore Coumo held him up on Bay street and
made him give up IS at the point of a pis-
toll, threatening to kill him If he took any
legal action about the matter. Recently he
made several more demands on Esposito
that he intended to kill opposite at the first
opportunity. After consultation with his
friends opposite decided to have Coumo ar
rested, and be swoTe out the two warrants
which Detective Wetherhorn intended to
serve yesterday morning
In the meantime opposite put pistol in
his pocket for self-protection. AS he was
walking through the market he came face
TO face with Coumo. opposite told him he
had heard OF the threats against his life and
wanted them stopped. Coumo, he claimed,
replied that he had also heard about the
warrants and would stop everything -
quick there with bullets, and at the same
time tried to pull his pistol. IL was little
quicker than him. said Esposito, land got
out my pistol FIRST and used it.
CoUMo A MAFIAN.
According TO the almost unanimous story
of the Italian colony Coumo is a member of
the Malta and an all-round bad man.
who has made his living here
pistol, and compelling them to give him
money under the threat OF being put on the
Mafas death list.
He had TO leave Italy, it is said, because
be was under constant police surveillance.
He went to Boston and there got into
trouble and went TO Jail for term. Next
be had a similar experience in New York,
"a sSl wal u VI Alk4llk W OudTlHbEOn only to
again get behind the bars there. Coumo
finally struck Savannah about eight months
ago, and put up pitiful tale TO his country
men here. He behaved himself for a while
and they took care of him. Then he held
up number of his countrymen for small
sums. One day he expressed a desire to 90
back to Boston and the Italians here were
30 delighted at the opportunity to get rid OF
him that q purse was made up and he
was sent there.
But evidently Coumo thought Savannah
was about the softest snap he had ever
struck, and he returned here about a month
ago. Instead Of going to work he started
IN on q career OF lawlessness. He would 60
around, according to the stories Of those
who claim 20 know, slapping the faces of
Italians and demanding money under the
threat Of death. II objection was raised
Coumo would promptly show his gun with
the result that the money was given up.
SCARED INTO GIVING HIM A JOB.
After a week of this kind of ''sport''
Coumo called on Frank Gentle, a fish
dealer, in the market and said he believed
he would take charge of one Of
the stalls. Gentle replied that he
guessed not, and Coumo informed him that
he was a Ma1sn and had to have work or
blood. GENTLE became badly frightened
aud offered Coumo a job at "a a week and
aud board. He accepted. and actually
frightened Gentle into letting him act as
he pleased. The employer would get up at
O'Clock in the morning and go TO the mar