The San Francisco call., 1896-02-13
FOUND DEAD IN HIS ROOM
A Bullet Wound Shows That It
Might Be Murder or
Suicide.
WAS ON A PROLONGED SPREE
The Dead Man Recently Acquired a
Fortune and Spent It With a
Lavish Hand.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL, |
.908 Rroadway Eeh 10

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,l
908 Broadway, Feb. II.
Luigi Trofelli, the nephew and heir of
Lorenza Gussi, or Garibaldi, the old
gardener who was killed at Center-street
station by the engine of the local train as
II returned to the pier at midnight about a
year ago, was found dead in his room this
morning. He has been in partnership
with Louis Ceselli on Seventh street UP to
the hrst OF the year, but since then he has
been putting his time in seeing how much
sour wine he could drink.
The deceased came into portion of the
estate left by the eccentric old gardener
and evidently could not stand prosperity.
He has been living in the old Garibaldi
house. Antonio Valenceti, mis- only com.
panion during the night, is in the City
Prison, being held under suspicion of hav-
ing had some hand in the mans death. He
declares, however, he knows nothing that
occurr ed after IL 80, when he retired leav-
Trofelli awake, owing to trouble with his
stomach. On the body was found $38 so.
The body was removed to the Morgue
and Deputy Coroner Quellen dressed it.
he found what appeared to be bullet
wound in the vicinity of the navel. He
notified the officers who made the arrest
He found bullet hole in the shirt and
undershirt and wound that appeared to
be that of a bullet, but was unable to probe
it. On one leg was found some dried blood
and there was also little on his shirt, but
there does not seem to have been much ex-
ternal hemorrhage.
Charles Lockren, who lives at 14571S
Seventh street, just around the corner
from Trofelli, says:
AZ attended the Acme exhibition last
evening, reaching home about IL O'Clock.
About 11:30 o'clock | heard noise over at
Trofellis as If some one had fallen or was
thrown down. / went out to the back
fence and looked over into Trofelli's yard.
saw a man-not the deceased-come to
the door. He reeled as if drunk. l did
not make any further investigation of the
case. know that Trofelli had been drink
ing considerably nf late, but he did not
cieate any great disturbance. / have often
seen men going to his place, one Sunday
there being six or seven"
Valenceti, who is being restrained, is
about 40 years of age, and is we'll known
among the Italians of the city. He is un-
able to speak English, but with the aid of
an interpreter the following statement was
secured:
Last night when Troffelh and retired
we were drunk. / slept in the bed and he
was on cot on the floor in the same room
About midnight was awakened by shot.
/ was too drunk to pay any attention to it
and did not get up and Investigate. This
morning when | awakened / thought
Troffelli was still aslesp l shook him
and then discovered he was dead l was
surprised and thought that he must have
killed himself. There was no one in the
house but Troffelli and myself when We
went to bed.''
A man named Rosso, who resides at
869 Atlantic street, was among the party
who spent the early evening with Trofelli
and his associate. He has reported to the
officers that over two gallons of sour wine
was disposed of during the evening, and
that Trofelll threatened to commit suicide.
Further, he says the threat was not new
one, but that he often made it when under
the influence of sour wine.
Trofelli came to Oakland from Stockton
after the death of his uncle. He was not
located until after the estate passed into
the hands of the Public Administrator.
Trofelli and his brother succeeded in being
appointed administrators. The brother is
now believed to be in Stockton. Deceased
was formerly egetable-gardener, and at
one time worked III San Mateo.
The officers found a heavy revolver in
the bureau drawer to-day with one cham
ber empty. The matter is much of a
mystery, and may take some days to solve
satisfactorily.