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

How did Antonio Calderone,s 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
the case with a view to ascertaining
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, Branca' s
wife. his bartender and his father-in-
law, who say they saw Calderone IN
Branca's saloon for over three hours
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
fcers are. confident, for both Ruberto
and Branca werewolf acquainted with
Calderone. "A Journal reporter, who
| Interviewed all OF the above persons,
| was provided with a photograph OF
Ca1derone, and when the picture was
shown all were positive that it 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 himself
after he learned that he was wanted
! by the police as told in Saturdays
| journal, or he may have consented to
/ have the. cuts Inflicted by some one
else; believing that they would enable
him to plead self-d defense. This could
finding Of "a second knife, which was
reported as belonging to Battalia. al
| the east end of the bridge
T Coroner Williams went to St. Paul
this afternoon to. look up evidence
along this line. -:
Malta Theory Still Held.
BY a slow. process of elimination
the police are arriving at the solution
I of the mystery of the murder of Bat
stalla. 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 is
l he: -. ".
In answer to the first question sew.
eral theories have been advanced anc
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.
Among the. strongest reasons: fol
believing that Battalia was murdered
at the instigation Of the Malta are
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
ermo. Sicily, and the statement Of al
Italian who was acquainted with boil