The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-14
Big BULLET In Ills LUNG.
Antonio Meniko Fata lily
Shot in His House by
b Peter Bell, His Boss.

Antonio Meniko, was shot in the left
breast. and probably fatally wounded. by
Peter Bell, at No. 392 First street. in the
morning. Bell was arrested, and Meniko
was taken TO the City Hospital His cons
dition was so low that the hospital SUR
geoDs did not venture to probe for the
bullet.
THE WRONG KIND OF WORK.
M eniko came with q gang of italians
fro m Brooklyn last week to work under
Bell for B. f. & J. M. Stanley, The rail-
road contractors. who are building thes
Consolidated Traction Company's electrie
road from this city to Newark Bellinds q
bass for the Shanleys. Instead s;sa.ssGYS goins
to work as they expected with mick ane
shovel, Meniko and those who csp Sme witt
him were put to work unloading fs-aarur
from cars on the Pennsylvania Rgfis1
road on the Meadows. They were
dissatisfied with this arrangement.
Meniko and bis wife engaged three rooms
on the ground floor of No. 1872 First street.
Several Italians have boarded with them.
Bell and a score of Others have boarded
at No. 800 First street.
HOW THE QUARREL BEGAN.
When the gang quit work, last night,
Meniko upraided Bell for not giving the
work Meniko expected. aud the quarrel
was kept up during the evening. A game
Of cards in Meniko's rooms aid
and many draughts of beer only served
to increase the irritation. A hot quarrel
of words occurred between ten and
eleven O'Clock and Meniko ordered Bell to
leave. He went out, but at midnight
retured, and the argument was renewed.
THE FATAL AFFRAY.
Bell was then savagely drunk. and all
the men were more or less under tfe
influence of drink. Meniko sgain
ordered Bell to leave, and, as.
sisted by some Of his boarders,
is muscular and he made determined
re sistance, but he was forced into the hall
and near the door, when he drew the piss
tol. Meniko jumped back as Bells revolver
pointed squarely at Meniko. went Oft.
The bullet struck Meniko in the left
breast over the centre of the lung. He
ran into his room and his boarder5 ran
out of the hail. Bell walked out at the
front door.
THE ARREST OF BELL.
A small boy informed Patrolman MUIR
ply that a man had been shot in No. 392.
Murphy found Meniko walking about his
rooms with q hand on his breast
A score of Italians were all
talking in much excitement. They could
speak very little English, but Murphy
finally got the statement that Peter Bell
fired the lshot. Sergeant Cannon
OF Gno SocOnQ anu RAbroimau
Bruene of the First accompanied
Murphy into No. 800. They found Bell
and seventeen other Italians aslee 70. on the
floor. The patrol was called from the
First precinct and Bell and Michael
Boni5o, Julian Comelia and John
Neapolitan, who saw the shooting, were
locked up at the First precinct.
SAY IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.
Bell said nothing when brought before
Justice O'Donnell. He was drunk and
was remanded without bail. The other
three were held as witnesses. Bell in-
formed the Sergeant at the desk, when
brought in. that he was IS years old and
lived at No. 207 North second street.
WilIiamsburah. A six-shootsr Smith
& Wesson 38-calibre revolver, with one
chamber empty. was in his hip pocket.
Some of Bells friends who called at
Headquarters said he informed them the
shooting was accidental. The pistol is
not self-eocker.