Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-26
SHOT FULL OF HoLEe.

Frank Martucci, an Italian Murdered by
 Three Brothers Whom He Had Offended
 No Trace of the Assassins Can Be
 Found.
 People living on the lower end of Rail- road Hill street were startled last evening at 6:45 by rapid discharge of revolvers in house occupied by two Italian families on the west side of the street near the foot of the hill. Immediately afterward a woman's piercing shrieks rent the air and three Italians left the house and ran down the street near the Naugatuck road. There was terrible commotion in the house and when the neighbors rushed to the place they were mortified to learn that cold blooded murder had been committed.
 The victim was Frank Martucci. aged 27, junk dealer, who lived with his wife, child and father, the latter an old man of "a, an organ grinder, on the second floor of the house. The murderers were John Novello, aged 32. Thomas, 21, and Joseph, Is. who lived with their mother and sister down stairs. The trouble was over pair or rabbits which the murdered man kept in the cellar. The Novelties said that the rabbits ate their vegetables and demanded that they be re- moved from the cellar, but Martucci paid no attention to their threats. Yesterday afternoon the Novello brothers returned home from work drunk and engaged in an argument with the elder Martucci and the murdered mans wife about the rabbits. Frank Martucci, who had been out collect ing funk, arrived home at 6:45 and after a few words Thomas and Joseph Novello opened fire on him with revolvers while the elder brother ran into his apartment and secured shotgun. Martucci ran into the yard, but fell riddted with bullets and died in few minutes.
 Officers Healey. John Sullivan and J. Brickel. were early on scene. but it was 9 o'clock before Medical Examiner Axtelle arrived. He found four bullet wounds, either of two of them being sufficient to cause death. A thirty eight caliber ball had entered the victims left breast. assed through the lung and lodged just inside the skin of the back. It was cut out by the doctor. of the abdomen and passed clear through the body. A third bullet passed through the right shoulder. while the fourth lodged in the left shoulder. At least four four more shots had been fired, which did not take effect.
 A search of the house was made by the police. A gun and revolver were found in the Novello apartments, and the pictures oi the murderers were also secured. The police of neigLboriug towns were notified and Detective Egan and Officer w. Brickel started for Naugatuck in search of the murderers, but were unsuccessful.
 The police have not been able to obtain a good description of the murderers. They are low-sized, stocky men, with the usual black hair and dark complexion of Ital- ian laborers. Two of them were employed at Plume < Atwood's factory and the third at Benedict & Burnham's. Thomas and Joseph were arrested for breach of the peace two years ago and settled their cases for S20 each. All bore bad regulations. The murdered man lived in Waterbury for five or six years. He was a junk dealer, in partnership with James Carlo. a coun- tryman. and regarded as a quiet, indus trious man.
 The Italians living in the Brooklyn dis. trict are very much excited over tho tra gedy and gathered together on the corners to-day to discuss the matter but not a word could be learned that would throw any light on the whereabouts of the assas- sins. The men are we'll known, yet it is impossible to find any of their coun- trymen who will admit that he knows them, and even the murdered mans wife has become very reticent any refuses to talk on the subject.
 This afternoon Chief of Police Egan ob- tained the following description of the men. John Novello, aged g years, 5 feet inches in height. weight 175 pounds. very dark and swarthy. Thomas. aged 21 5 feet 5h inches in height. weight 16O pounds, not so dark as John. Joseph age dis, 5 feet f inches in height, weight 135 pounds, not so dark as John, but some what darker than Thomas.
 The remains were taken to Undertaken Moriarty's morgue to-day where an inquest will be held on the arrival of Coroner Mix, who is expected here this afternoon.
 This is the second Italian murder in Wa terhury within short time. On February s, 1893 Frank Testa stabbed Tomasso Valetto to death in Canal street saloon. The murderer made his escapo and has never been heard from since ths night of 1l,