Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-27
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Datective Egan Goes to ThomastOn in Search of the Murderers But 1t Is & Wild Goose Chase-Mayor KiIduR Can Not Offer A Reward and the selectmen Win Not.
 Residents of Railroad Hill street, who know the Italians who committed the mur- der Wednesday night say that there must be some mistake about the description of the men as published in the local papers, and that if the authorities succeed in cap- turing them they will have to work on in- formation other than the description given to the public. One man said that he did not believe the pictures found by the off, cers were pictures of ths murderers. He said that these people are ever on the alert and practice every device to deceive the police They never leave behind true picture or anything else belonging to them that would serve as means of ldentitica- ton, but often leave pictures of other Italians who can easily prove all alibi in case of arrest. He said most Italians who have pictures of themselves carry them with them, and invariably have one. or more of someone else in their boarding house. which can be handed to the police whenever one of them commits a crime. For this reason it is next to an impossi- | bllity to detect them. They never give
 
 even the aggrieved will assist in bringing the culprit to justlce. But while the fight is in progress each stands up for his own | friends.
 The tragedy of Wednesday night came near ending in one man who hap pened to appear on the scene shortly after the shooting, losing his life. It is said that the father of the murdered man be- came frantic with rage and grief at the sight of the dead body of his son and turned into the house and appeared again in few moments with huge axe and had raised it to strike down someone who had come to the assistance of the dying man, thinking he might have been one of his sons assailants. When the excitement was over and the whole affair explain. d the old man tore out his hair in handfuls, and many thought he had become violently insane. When the dead mans remains were taken home last night the same scene was enacted and the air was filled with ex- clamations of grief.
 It is said that the trouble which culmi- mated in the murder began two weeks ago, when two kegs of beer were stolen from l the Novelo brothers, who were having a celebration.
 There is general feeling that reward should be offered for the conviction of the murderers. The local authorities having no accurate description of the men are all at sea. It is believed by many that the whereabouts of the assassins is known to some of their countrymen who, for a con- sideration, would deliver them up to the police. Mayor Kilduff said to-day that he had no authority under the provisions of the city charter to offer reward
 Section l ,337 of the general statutes pro- vides: "When any crime shall have been committed, punishable with death, the governor. upon application of the states attorney in the county in which it has been committed, may offer publicly re- ward, not exceeding S3, GOO, to the person who shall give such information that the guilty persons may be apprehended and convicted; which reward shall be paid to the lnformer by the state. by order of the court before which such conviction is had"
 Sectiol. 1889 reads: "When any high crime or misdemeanor shall have been commi, ted in any town, it's selectmen may | offer, publicly, reward not exceeding $200, to the person who shall give such information that the guilty person may be | apprehended and convicted; which reward shall be paid to the informer by the town, | by order of the court before which such conviction is had"
 Selectman Pinney said this afternoon that the town has nothing to do with the matter. If it had occurred outside the city limits the selectmen might offer a reward in such a case as this.
 This morning Chief Egan received a telephone message from Thomaston, stat ing that three Italians were there who answered to the description of the men sent out in the papers last night. The chief ordered them arrested and Detective Egan started for Thomaston to bring them to this city, but was surprised when he reached there to learn that the men bore no resemblance to the Novelties They were let go and the detective returned home to resume the search in this city, where it is generally believed the men are in hiding.
 Coroner Mix came to town to-day and made an investigation. With an inter- preter he went to the scene of the mur der and questioned members of the two fami- lies. The sister and mother of the Novello brothers claimed that the dead man began the shooting. firing two shots, one of the bullets lodging in Joseph Novello's arm. On the other hand the family of Martucci declared that he had no weapon and was attacked without cause.
 The funeral of Martucci took place at 3 o'clock this afternoon to Calvary cemetery.