The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-02-29
HIS FACE WAS CRUSHED IN
Police IndustriOusly Striving to Dis
cover the Perpetrators CT
the Awful Crime
Spokane. Wash. February o.

Spokane. Wash. February 25
Domenico PERI was murdered an
robbed in Spokane Saturday night an
thrown into Hangman creek His bod
was found yesterday by John Honey
Just above the high bridge leading t
Queen Anne addition. in the southwest
ern part Of the city. It was taken t.
Gllman's undertaking establishment
where an autopsy and inquest will b.
held today.
Pefrl was an Italian labOrer abOu
% years old, who lived with a brother
IN one of Mrs. Kel!oggs houses OF
ferry street. He was sober and in
dustrlous man of powerful physique
ana was said by those who knew him tt
De always peacefully inclined He
came down town Saturday night, hav.
ing in his possession $3.50, of which $125
belonged to his brother. He visited the
New York dance hall as a spectator
and In company with friend, who left
MIN there at about 8 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 foullv
dealt with. Anxious inquiry failing to
elicit any information regarding him
after he had been seen at the dance
nail, his brother notified the police The
entlre 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
1DStIfV 49, 1o4o
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 a strange
looking object in the water and upon
closer inspection found it to be the BODY
or man, held near the shore by the
Feet having become entangled in the
willow brush. News of the discovery
was telephoned to police headquarters.
@'fhcers McKernan and Nelson, with
CHdertaker Gilman, took the body to
the undertaker's, where Coroner Dut-
ton made superficial eXaminat ton, es-
tabllshlng the fact beyond the posi-
Dlllty of doubt that the man had been
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
ms money in belt or garter around
his leg, just below the knee. That was
missing, but in an inside vest pocket
was small purse containing S1O.1O.
Xhe robbers had doubtless known of
MS peculiar way of carrying his money
and having secured the belt and it's
searched no further.
Perr1 had been struck with a club or
some other heavy blunt instrument
across the face, just below the eyes.
The bridge of his nose was crushed to
a pulp. The same blow had closed the
left eye and inflicted a deep cash over
the point Of the left cheek bone. Death
must have been almost instantane-
GUS.
The theory Of the police is that PERI
was murdered up town and the body
hauled to the creek and thrown in, but
why Hangman creek should have been
in preference to the Spokane
river is beyond conjecture. 1t is plain
that the murder was committed by par
ties who knew that he had money and
were acquainted with his habit of car
lying it in the manner described. This
eads to the conclusion that the MUIR
1erers were countrymen Of his, yet the
italians generally dispute this, some
saying PERI was fond of displaying his
money and by this means any person
night have found out where he kept
t.