New-York tribune., 1902-07-25
ARREST IN SACK MURDER
SICILIAN ASKED TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE
KNOWS OF CRIME-BODY
IDENTIFIED.

vincenzo Troyia, a fruit packer. of No 604
Hicks-st.. Brooklyn. is in the Raymond Street
Jail on a technical charge of vagrancy. while
several detectives are engaged in trying to con-
meet him with the murder of Giuseppe Catania,
whose body was found in sack at the Shore
Road and Seventy third st. on Wednesday night.
Quick work was made of the Identification OF
the mutilated corpse and of the arrest of Troyia.
who. so far known is the only man with
whom Catania. the grocer, was on bad terms.
The search for evidence TO connect Troyia with
the crime came more slowly. however. Detective
Vachris said last night that he had made some
progress but said the case in such shape
that he did not feel it to be wise to reveal
what he had learned
A careful examination of the clothing found
in a bag near the bag that held the body. in the
clump of bushes at the base of the Shore Road
cliff revealed bill of lading and dispossess
notice. Both were made out in the name of
Giuseppe Catania, No. 1877 Columba-st.. South
Brooklyn. BY 8 o'clock in the morning the de-
tectives of the Fort Hamilton police station and
Detective Antonio Vachris, the italian sleuth Of
Captain Reynolds's staff, were at the Columbia
st. house. There they saw Mrs. Catania and
her six children. 1t was learned that the head
Of the house had been missing since last Tues
day at IL 80 a. m. II was not hard TO establish
the identity of the dead body and of Catania.
not only from the fact that the grocer was
man of unusual size but also because ne mad
a portion of two fingers gone.
The first thing the detectives next looked FOR
was a motive. Mrs. Catania at once said she
did not know of any one with whom her nus
band had had trouble except a person named
Troyia. This was corroborated by the other
members Of the family. According to the story
Troyia who worked as a fruit packer for Luigi
Nosdeo. at No. 500 Hicks-st. had owed Sl4 TO
Cstania for some time Last Sunday the grocer
visited Troyia to collect the money. There was
a quarrel, and the grocer was thrown down
stairs.
On Monday however. Troyia went to Catania' 5
store pretended to be sorry for what he had
dore. and promised to pay the money on tues
day. Mrs. Catania is sure that her husband had
agreed to meet Troyia somewhere on that day
for the purpose of getting the money. On Tues
day morning Catania told his wife that he was
going to Manhattan to attend to paying the
duty on some Italian delicacies which he had
imported. The matter was being cared for
through a friend of the Italian, Custom House
broker. The grocer had only So, however. when
he left his house, and. although he did not
say So il seemed probable that he was count
ing on the S14 from Troyia 10 assist him IN
paying the duty.
II has been discovered that Catania did not
body who saw him in Manhattan on that day
so far as can be learned. AS matter or tact
Detective Vachris in his attempts 10 trace
Catania's movements on the day he disappeared
experienced the greatest difficulty
After the detectives had learned OF IIoyla
from the grocer's wife. they at once started loI
his house being guided by one OF the dead
mans little sons. Troyia is a Slclllan FROM
Palermo and has been in this country only
about year He is twenty-sN years yad oad 1,su ns-
tective Vachris began TO question him closely
H. said he knew Catsnia and owed money 10
him. There had been quarrel he SAID out II
had been hxed UP on Monday, which was the
last time he had seen the grocer ~
Troyia was closely searched and his clothing
scrutinized Nothing of an discriminating nature
or any blood was found on his person. After
being taken into custody and started on Tor the
Fort Hamilton station, the oIner usee0uSe0 Ne
made close examination OF the room. NO
where were there any signs OF blood or any
other indication that a murder had been com
The room was dirty, and in one corner. near
the window. II appeared as though the moor
had been mopped UP hastily but even then the
suspicious looking place was small and there
Catania was a large person. and If one man
killed him there certainly must have been a
struggle and blood was probably scattered
around freely. One man may have caused the
death OF the Italian, but beyond question he had
assistance in packing the body into the sacks
and conveying il TO a lonely spot, where IL was
found. on the Shore Road. The transfer from
ped Hook where the crime was probably COM
mitted TO the Shore Road. was made either in
a boat or wagon. Both possibilities We're ac-
cepted and a search made for a wagon and
boat stained with blood. This search had not
been successful last night.
In Troyia's room were found several torn
pieces of newspaper, the same paper and the
same date the pieces found in the bag with
the rnutilated body. When Troyia was arraigned
in the Coney Island court he denied any knowl-
edge of Catania. although previously he had
admitted that they had had business transac-
tions.
1t was learned that Troyia had worked all
day roasting fruit on Wednesday, and he was
seen in barber shop that night. The police,
however have come TO believe that Catania was
murdered Tuesday night, and his body de-
posted where il was found before daybreak.
Four Sicilians who live in the rear of Ca
tanias store. and who are friends of Troyia's.
are being closely watched.