Omaha daily bee., 1893-12-15
s-TIT |-TI
ENGLO AAPPE. HANGED.
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Gives His Life farSJaying Frank Hslmstetter
in IL Fourth of July Scrap.

-.ts. .... - rf. -tTpIH"T- -- ..
Gives His Life f,rS}aying Frank Hslmstetter
in IL Fourth of July Scrap.
PITrsBuRG, Dec. 'l4-Englo Zappe, con.
victed OF the murder of Frank Helmstetter,
was hanged at 10 80 o'clock this morning.
He was resigned, slept well last night, but
ate very sparingly this. morning. At 1850
O'Clock the men was marched 10
the scaffold, He walked firmly and mounted
the steps without a tremor. After prayer
by Father Gambert, his spiritual adviser, the
black cap was placed over his lead and the
moose drawn. At 10 "a the trap was sprung,
and nine and a half minutes later life was
pronounced extinct. He died from strangu-
lation. 1t was the quickest execution in the
history of the county.
1t was during a general quarrel among a
number of families on Jdly 4, 1892, that
Frank Helmstetter, aged 90, received a knife
wound from which he died, and Englo and
Joseph Zappe, brothers. Italians by birth,
were in September, 1892, convicted of muir
der in the first decree and in November SEN
fenced to death.
The parties resided at Matilda and Yew
streets, East end. and celebrating the
Fourth of July. First the women began to
quarrel. Frank Helmstetter interfered in
behalf Of his wife, and during the quarrel
Joseph Zappe appeared and assisted his
wife. A general fight ensued, drawing a
large crowd, among whom was Englo Zappe.
who Immediately entered the pitched battle.
Knives, pistols and glasses were the weap-
ons used, and Heimstetter received mortal
wounds. n
The Zappe brothers were arrested and
Mrs. Helmstetter testified that the Two Ital-
ians had done the fatal stabblng. The
Zappes were penitenJ and NJ. Drose,
the Italian interpreter, and other prom
inent Italians interested themselves in
the case and formed "A committee in all the
cities of the country to aid in the defense of
the two, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago
and Pittsburg contributing, and in a short
time 81 900 was raised among the Italian resi-
dents of these cities. Major Montooth and
three other attorneys We're employed to de.
fend the Italians ana one of the hardest
fought legal battles in the history OF the
country was the result. TIL case being lost
in the lower courts the defending attorneys
asked for "A new trial on a writ of error.
This was refused and the case was then
taken to the supreme court, meeting with
the same fate there.
The pardoning board, the last resort, was
| appealed to with the result that six weeks
ago It agreed 20 the Communication of the
death penalty of Joseph Lappe to imprison-
ment for life, but declined TO interfere in
the case of Englo, who was then sentenced
TO be executed December IA.
Tn brothers during their Imprisonment
coupled adjoining cells in the jail, hut were
quietly separated iastiweek. Englo has of
late constantly received spiritual consolation
from an Italian priest, acknowledged his
" guilt, but insisted on the innocence of
his brother, and appeared resigned to face
The Zappe family are Stunned By neigh
bors and are reported to- be starving.
Progress OF tho Meyer Triai.
New York, Dec. l4-The day in the Meyer
trial has been consumed in taking the eyl-
dence of experts on Nuisons. DR.. Peabody
| testified that from lthe'symptoms described
he believed Brandt had died from poisons IN
his body. On cross.axS animation he admitted
that he had known9f ldpses of 100 grains of
arsenic and 40 gIrilns of anthony being
taken without CAUSING death.
Prof. Horatio GIVNood followed DR.. Pea
body ON the stand. giving technical evidence
relative to the effeit OF different poisons ON
the human body. That concluded the case
against DIR. Meyer as prepared by Prosecutor
John +. Mclntyre.
On Mr.. Brooke's motion an adjournment
was taken until 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing. when the opening address will be made
by Lawyer Chandler for the defense.