The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-09
WORK OF THE STILETTO.
The Unsuspecting Victims
Pounced Upon and Fatally
Wounded.
MISERABLE FATE OF SISTERS.
One Had Been Foolish Enough to
Love the Assassin Although
He Was Married.

NEW YORK, N. Y, Aug. S.--A double
tragedy was enacted on the sidewalk ID
front of 325 East Elghty-elghth street al
IL :55 A. NJ to-day when an Italian stabbed
two women repeatedly with stlletto, IN
hieting wounds from which both will, IN
all probability, die. The cowardly assas-
sin is Felipe Giampata, AZ years old, shoe
maker. His victims are Kate Wells, ID
wears old. and her sister Rosa, q years old.
The sisters were. walking down East
Eighty-eighth street on their way nome,
while. ali unknown to them. Glampata
stood in hiding in the vestibule OF NO. $40,
awaiting them with murder IN his heart.
In his hand he held stiletto inches In
length, made from a piece of quarterback
steel, sharpened to a needle point and
placed in an awl handle.
As the two women reached the stoop OF
the house Giampata sprang from his hid
ing-plaee, and, with shout and curse,
seizing Kate by the throat, plunged the
stiletto into her left breast near the heart.
The wounded woman screamed in agony
and her sister called for help. Withdraw
ing the stiIetto, which had been sunk to
the hilt in the woman's breast, the assas-
san plunged it again and again into his
helpless victim, accompanying each deadly
stroke with curse.
Giampata, having wreaked his demoniac
wrath on Kate, turned to Rosa, who
stood paralyzed with fear, and, Selling her
by the throat, drove the keen weapon into
her body over and over again. He was
plying the weapon ON the woman when
George Hohenstein seized his arm. Then
he turned upon Hohenstein and struck at
him with the knife, but, fortunately
without wounding him. Hohenstein then
loosened his hold, and Giampata started
away on run.
Before he reached the corner he was
taken into custody by Policeman Lidel.
Lidel called two other policemen and sent
them back to look for the girls. They
found them where the stabbing had been
done. Kate was still lying on the side.
walk. and Rosa was bending over her. An
ambulance was called, and both girls
were taken to the Presbyterian Hospital.
There it was stated that Kate, who had
seven stab wounds, one near the heart, the
others in the arms, back and breast, could
not possibly survive her injuries. Rosa,
who had received no less than nine
wounds, the most serious being one in the
back near the spine, might recover.
The cause which led to the tragedy goes
back about two years, when Kate Wells,
then 16 years old, met Giampata and fell
in love with him, although he had a wife
living. Giampata made her presents and
spent much of his time with her, and the
usual result followed. He betrayed her
and the intimacy was maintained until
some time last May, when they quarreled
and separated.
Giampata kept the baby which was the
result of their intimacy, and would moi
give 1t to her, hoping by that means tc
force her to return to him, but she would
have nothing more to do with him. HI
still loved her and pursued her with hi.
attentions, following her on the street and
lettering about her home until on July 2
last. when she procured warrant for hi.
arrest. He was taken into custody, but
Magistrate Crane discharged him on his
promise not to annoy her any more.
He still persisted in annoying her, ant
yesterday she again caused his arrest
When arraigned before Magistrate Mot
this morning, Kate complained that h,
annoyed her when he met her on the stree.
and that he persisted in asking her t.
return to him. The magistrate held hin
in $500 bail to keep the peace, and paroleo
him in the custody OF Lawyer Quitmar
until this afternoon to produce bail. There
was nothing in Giampata's manner to in
dictate that he meditated revenge, and ht
said no word that would lead to the belle