The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-29
Had Alteration with Lizzie SpaIding,
Killed by Her Husband
FEMORAL ARTERY SEVERED
ITALIAN BLED TO DEATH SHORTLY
AFTER HE WAS sLASHED.
COmpetello Kept a Fruit Stand on the
Market-The Police Looking for
Joe Spn1ding.

Raphael Competello, a young Neapolitan
fruit vender, was stabbed to death at 10
o'clock last night on East Washington
street by a negro thought to be Joe Spald-
ing. of East Court street The murderer
quickly made his escape in the crowd and
confusion that followed The circum-
stances of the Italians death are more or
less clouded in mystery, but out of the mass
of statements made by excited bystanders,
the police at once went to work on clews
that seemed TO promise the apprehension Of
the murderer.
Competello, who conducted a fruit stand
in the city market, kept his wares in
cellar under the secondhand store of
David Asoptsky, at 541 East Washington
street, near where he met his DEATH Last
night, after arranging his fruits he locked
the cellar door and went to O'Brien's
restaurant, at East and Washington
streets. for supper. Later, meeting a fellow
countryman, the two went to Browns bar
rel house, on Washington street just east
of Liberty street, and had number of
drinks together. They remained there. il
is said about an hour and half. and were
quiet and orderly while in the place.
ATTRACTED BY CRIES.
People who live in the second stories of
the buildings along East Washington
street, between New Jersey and East
streets, were drawn to their windows about
10 o'clock by the voluble cries of a coIored
woman, and the excited protestations OF a
frightened Italian, who was lodging
powders and stones that she hurled at
him as he ran into the street in front of
the barrel house at the corner of New Jer-
sey and Washington streets. The woman.
who was said to be Lizzie Spalding. wife OF
the suspected murderer, was screaming at
the top of her shrill voice and doing her
best to hit the fleeing Italian with one of
the big rocks she was hurling
In the midst of the uproar three negroes
ran out of North Liberty street into WASH
ington. One was a little yellow negro.
dressed in brown clothes and minus a hat.
The other two were taller. the onlookers
noted, and remained in the background.
The little negro made rapidly for the
woman and the Italian. shouting for her to
tell him what was the matter. Several
people. who were within earshot of the
two. declared that she told the little negro
that the Italian had stopped her and had
the little negro ran to the fruit vender.
pulling a knife as he ran, and plunged it
into the Italians right thigh.
With blood pouring in a stream from the
severed femoral artery the Italian walked
unsteadily TO the sidewalk and then west
for nearly a square, leaving a trail of blood
that Redeemed the sidewalk. In front OF
Smith, Day & Co.'S office In the new
building near the corner of East street.
Competello, overcome by weakness from
loss OF blood. fell 10 the sidewalk A crowd
Of people collected around him rapidly and
several tried 10 stop the flow OF blood with
handkerchiefs. One man closed the wound
for a few seconds with his fingers, but the
big artery was entirely severed and Com
petello died within ten minutes after he
fell. The body was taken TO the city
morgue.
A few minutes after the fight with the
negro woman took place colored man ran
into Browns barrel house where the
Italians had been drinking and said that