The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-02-29
An Italian Laborer Murdered and
Thrown Into the River.
HIS FACE WAS CRUSHED IN
Police Industriously Striving to Bis
cover the Perpetrators CT
the Awful Crime
Spokane. Wash. February rs.

Spokane. Wash. February rs.
Domenico Peril was murdered and |
robbed in Spokane Saturday night and
thrown into Hangman creek. His body |
was found yesterday by John Honey.
just above the high bridge leading to
Queen Anne addition. in the southwest
ern part of the city. 1t was taken to
Gilman's undertaking establishment.
where an autopsy and inquest will be
held today.
Peril was an Italian laborer, about
so years old, who lived with a brother
in one Of Mrs. Kellogg's houses on
Ferry street. He was a sober and in
dustrious man of powerful physique
and was said by those who knew him to
be always peacefully inclined. He
came down town Saturday night, hav-
ing in his possession $780, of which $125
belonged to his brother. He visited the
New York dance hall as a spectator
and in company with a friend, who left
him there at about o'clock. That was
the last seen of him by his acquaint-
ances, so far as the police have been
able to ascertain.
AS he did not return home Saturday
night or Sunday. his brother became
suspicious that he had been foully
dealt with. Anxious inquiry failing to
elicit any information regarding him
after he had been seen at the dance
hail. his brother notified the police. The
entire force was set at work on the
case and before the discovery of the
body several plausible clues had been
developed, tending to the supposition
of murder for money. None of these
were sufficiently definite, however, to
justify action, and at a late hour last
night the mystery seemed as far from
solution as at the beginning of the
search.
In crossing Hangman creek on the
high bridge Mr.. Honey who resides in
Queen Anne addition, saw strange
looking object in the water and upon
closer inspection found it to be the body
of a man, held near the shore by the
feet having become enrangled in the
willow brush. News of the discovery
was telephoned to police headquarters.
officers McKernan and Nelson, with
Undertaken Gilman, took the body to
the undertaker's, where Coroner Dut-
ton made a superficial examination, es-
tablishing the fact beyond the posi-
bility of doubt that the man had been
murdered. He had on all his clothes
except that his pantaloons had been
pulled down and one leg was stripped
This bears out the theory of robbery IN
connection with the murder, as it Is
known that PERI carried the bulk OF
his money in a belt or garter around
his leg, Just below the knee. That was
missing, but in an inside vest pocke
was a small purse containing $lOlO
The robbers had doubtless known O.
his peculiar way of carrying his money
and having secured the belt and it,
contents searched no further
Peril had been struck with club o.
some other heavy blunt instrumen
across the face, just below the eyes
The bridge of his nose was crushed t
a pulp. The same blow had closed TN
left eve and inflicted a deep cash owe
the point of the left cheek bone. Deaf
must have been almost instantane
Gus.
The theory Of the police is that PERI
was murdered up town and the bod
hauled to the creek and thrown in, bu
why Hangman creek should have bee
selected in preference to the Spokan
river is beyond conjecture. 1t is plal
that the murder was committed by pal
ties who knew that ne hdu Aohey al
were acquainted with his habit of cal
rying it in the manner described. Thi
leads to the conclusion that the mul
derers were countrymen of his, yet tn
Italians generally dispute this, SON
saying Peril was fond of displaying h
money and by this means any perso
might have found out where he KEEL
it.
Coroner button expresses a determil
alton to investigate the murder so fl
as his authority will permit, and 1t
possible by means of his efforts, con
bined with those of the police, the pc
petrators of the fiendish deed may
found out.