The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-23

How did Antonio Calderone, the al
legged slayer, Of Salvatore Battalia, re-
ceive the knife wounds about his head
and face?
Were they received in the fierce
struggle which terminated in the MUIR
der Of Battalia, or were they inflicted,
either by himself or some one inter-
ested in his defense, after the murder
had been committed, to enable him to
plead self-defense?
These are questions which puzzle
the officers and may prove an i'm
portant factor in the trial Of Calder
one. The officers are working upon
just when and by whom the wounds
were inflicted.
The first suspicious that the wounds
may not have been received in the
fatal struggle was aroused by the
stories Of Frank Branca, iBranca's
wife, his bartender and his father-in-
law, who say they saw Calderone in
Thursday: also by the story Of Car
mine Ruberto. proprietor of the
Bucket of Blood saloon, and his bar
tender, who say they saw Calderone at
10:45 o'clock on the morning follow
ing the murder. Ali agree that at that
time Calderone's injuries consisted of
cut in his left hand and that there
were no injuries about his face. and
neck.
That these. stories are true the Of
f1cers are. confident, for both Ruberto
and Branca wereswell acquainted with
Calderone. A journal porter. who
interviewed all of the above persons
was provided with a photograph OF
Calderone, and when the picture was
shown all were positive that 1t was the
man they had seen and that his in
juries when they saw him consisted OF
a cut in his left hand with no injuries
about the head and neck.
If these stories are true, how can the
numerous cuts on Calderone's body be
explained He may have cut llimsel1
after he learned that he. was wanted
Journal, or he may have consented tc
have the. cuts Inflicted by some one
else; believing that they would enable
him to plead self-defense. This could
easily have been: suggested by the
finding Of "a second knife, which. was
reported as belonging to Battalia, al
| the east end of the bridge
Coroner Williams went to st. Pau
this afternoon to, look up evidence
along this line. 80 4.y.:
Malta Theory Still Held.
! BY a slow process of elimination
| the police are arriving at the solution
Of the mystery of the murder of Bat;
talia. The arrest-of Calderone Satur.
! day night wiped out one, puzzling
question and now there are, only three
! major queries to be answered. These
are: Why was Battalia murdered:
Who was the third man? Where il
he? -. 81:
In answer to the. first question sew.
eral theories have been advanced ant
yet there seems to be some objection
to all Of these except that he was
murdered at the instigation Of the
Malta society To; this theory there
as yet has been advanced no rea
reason which would make it unten
| able. 1859,
| Among the. strongest reasons fol
| believing that Battalia was murdered
at the instigation of the Malta ART
that he and Calderone, his alleged
| slayer. were. on good terms, barring
a few personal quarrels of a minor
nature that Calderone on Wednesda.
morning made preparations for some
thing unusual to happen, as is shown
by his giving Philippe Battalia
brother of the murdered man, $40
which was to be sent to- Calderone'
mother at Termini, province Of Pal
erno. Sicily, and the statement Of al
Italian who was acquainted with boil