Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-22
Prominent Italian Found Shot
Through Heart on Street.
ONE WITNESS OF TIE TRAGEDY
He Claims to Be Warm Friend of
Murdered Man.
NINE SUSPECTS ARRESTED

CHICAGO, February 22.-A murder. be.
lieved to have been the result OF a vendetta
was perpetrated near Grand and milwaukee,
avenues, this city, late last night Saliva
tore Giovanni was found shot through the
heart, with Carlo Battista who recently
arrived from New York, standing over him.
battlsta, who Is held pending developments,
says he and the murdered man were warm
friends and that while on the way to Gio-
Ndhhl nome they were attacked by three
men, Battlsta was not injured, but carried
a revolver which had not been fired In the
dead mans coat pocket, however was re-
Volver from which three shots had been
fired. This mystifies the police. since Gto-
vannis wound would have prevented him
from restoring the weapon to a place of
conceaiment. In his pockets also were
many counterfeit coins. Giovanni, one of
the most prominent Italians in Chicago
was member of several secret societies
and came here from New York three wears
ago.
Nine Italians Arrested.
Within five hours after the murder the
police raided a house at III Milton avenue
and arrested nine Italians said to be SYM
pathizers of the Chicago branch of the
Mafia society.
The persons arrested are: Dominic Gata-
Ian, Nofel Philip. Rafael Litta, Capalna
Makea, Malkri Ferna, John Ronte, Simon
Rafael, Tony Spargno, Joseph Mariso.
Mariso was suffering from severe bullet
wound in the mouth and he was taken to
the county hospital. 1t is believed by the
police that Giovanni was lured from his
home to the place of ambush and that he
was there set upon.
When the raid was made on the house in
Milton avenue the nine men were found
huddled in a small room. In the room were
found numerous dirks, stilettos and revol-
vers.
1t is believed by the police that the mur-
der may have been prompted by revenge on
account of some old feud. matter that
they are puzzled over is the deposition in a
divorce case that was found In the possess
sion Of the dead man. This is the case of
DR.. Ralph Gundove against Colvinda Gun
dove, 100 South 4th street, ST. Louis 1t Is
believed that Giovanni was acting as agent
for some attorney, and this may have had
something to do with the plot to end his
life.
Were Friends in Italy.
Giovanni and Battista were friends in
Italy. For seven years Giovanni was labor
contractor in New York and Boston Three
years ago he came to Chicago and conduct
ed cigar store on Polk street. Six months
ago he engaged in the restaurant business.
He was man of considerable means.
At o'clock this morning one of the pris-
oners said the members of the band be-
longed to an organization known as the
Sicilian Society, and that Mariso was the
president of the organization.
Motive for the Murder.
A clew to the motive for the murder was
found among the letters in Di Giovanni's
pockets. One of these, written by man in
St Louis, spoke of a murder committed in
Mulberry street, New YORK to which Di
was a witness.
The theory Of the police is that Di Giovan-
nj was murdered to prevent his appearance
at the trial in New York Letters found in
the murdered mans pockets showed that he
had been summoned east for this purpose.
The Malta society is mentioned in the case.
but as yet there is no evidence directly i'm
plicating that society.
In connection with the murder the saloon
of Frank Morici. 81 Grand avenue. was
raided by the police today. The proprietor
and ten inmates Were placed under arrest,