The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-14
An OLD CRIME RECALLED.
The Murder Of Stephen CabeIO On
State Street Thirteen Years Ago.

His Body Found Packed Away in an
Ice Box in an Abandoned Fruit
shop, Where 1t Had Been Hidden
by the EIurderers.
The revolving details of the MUIR
der of Isaiah Harden and the find
ing of the body in piecemeals. which have
thrilled white and colored alike for the
last few days, has recalled to mind the
finding of the dead body of an Italian
hacked away in an ice box in a shanty on
State street in the summer of SSl, where
it had been for three months. The crime
was one of the most sensational of the
MANY that have occurred in Savannah.
The cool and calculating manner in which
the murderers carried out their deviIish
plot. and the success with which it was
carried out, excited general wonder and
Indignation.
In February, 1881, two Italians or NAL
tese. as they were called, who claimed
Tunis, Africa, as their home, made their
appearance in Savannah They gave
their names as CarmeIo Farrugia and
AndEaw Pavio They rented a small shop
of Philip Hermann in the old twO-story
wooden house on State street. one door
east of Drayton adjoining the residence
of Mr. John Nicolson, where they opened
small fruit store. One of the men ped
died fruit about the street and the other
peddled curiosities in the shape of inge-
niouslv constructed wooden images in bot
ties. They did not seem to be very sue
cessful in their enterprises, however.
The two men were a villainous
pair, especially Farrugia, who carried a
dirk and pistol, and was greatly feared
by his countrymen.
AN OLD IMAGE VENDOR THEIR VICTIM.
There was an old Italian image seller in
the city named Stephen Capelo. He was
harmless, inoffensive old man, and had
made quite little fortune by selling
images of the saints. The two Tunisians
cultivated Capelo's acquaintance. They
learned that he had about 81, 300 in cash.
and succeeded in interesting him in some
business venture which they proposed to
engage in at Brunswick. About the lat
ter part of March Earrugia paid Mr.
Hermann the rent for the next month in
advance. He stated as his
reason for doing so that he was
gong to Brunswick to start a friend
in the fruit business and that he would
bring back his wife and child with him
on his return. In day or two the shop
was closed up and the two men disap-
peared. After a week or two some one
about Mr.. Hermanns place and the lat
ter was notified to correct the nuisance.
MIR. Hermann noticed that there seemed
to be a lot of decaying fruit about the
place. but not wishing to disturb the
goods in the store, as he expected the
partners to return shortly, he scat
tered some disinfectants about the prem
ises and the bad smell disappeared.
TIE BODY FOUND.
month 1,accad and tho no 4 III
not return. Then another month passed
and still another, with no word from the
prOprietors of the shop. Finally. on July
4, Mr.. Hermann decided to clean out the
shop and prepareit for another tenant. In
one corner of the shop was an ice box,
feet long, 3 feet wide and deep. 4 negro
boy, who accompanied Mr. hermann, no.
ticed that the ice box was full of fine
charcoal. Then anegro girl exclaimed that
there was a good pair of shoes in the box.
Mr. Hermann started topick up one of the
shoes when he was Mortified to find that
there was a human leg and foot attached,
and he almost tainted when some of the
bones of the foot came off in his hand
with the shoe.
The police were at once notified, and
Lieut. Howard came to the scene with a
detail of police, accompanied by the coro-
ner, DR.. B. f. Sheftall, and DR.. George
II. Stone. The first impression was that
one Oh ING partners ndQ muTu6reu bQe
other, hid his body in the ice box and
then skipped out to avoid arrest. On ex-
animation, however, the body was found
to be that of an old man, and it was recog-
niZed by an Italian who was called in as
that of Stephen Capelo, the old image
vendor. Two stabs we're ound in the left
breast, and piece OF marlin rope was
tightly wound around the neck. The
body had been packed away in lime, char
coal and rice chat.
DECOYED AND MURDERED.
The coroner's inquest next day revealed
that Capelo, who had rooms at BrOughton
and Price streets, had given up his rooms
about the time that F'arrugia and Parvio
had disappeared, saying that he was going
to Brunswick to enter the fruit business
with some friends. 1t was evident
from the circumstances that he had
been decOyed to the place, bring
ing the money with him, on the pre-
tence of discussing the details of the
business to be engaged in. 1t was doubt
less at night and the two murderers had
no difficulty in making away with their
victim. The method adopted by the muir
derers of concealing their CRIME was so
successful that they had ample time in
which to make their escape. They were
never heard from again and doubtless
left the country with the proceeds of
their murder and robbery. Farrugia and
ParviO were said by the other Italian resi-
dents of the city to be professional des-
peradOes. and were believed to have
committed other crimes before coming to