The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26
HELD AS KADONIA'S SLAYER.
SxTTO had THE TICKET FOR THE
MURDERED MANS WATCH.

~ ~--------
eol1os fss Reno Reason waited 10 Ia,
90 70 Fellow an Obvious Ciue--rett
Preed ~ Q witness and Rearreste'
--"Pve More Evidence" sayS McClusk,
Tcmasso Petso, one Of the gang Of Italian
exrssted on the night Of April 10 as 70
cult Of the murder Of Benedetto Madonna
vas committed TO the Tombs without bal
yesterday afternoon by Coroner Schole'
On the formal charge Of having COMMITTED
ehs murI~r.
Pstto was picked out 8 the slayer been uss
OF the Identifies ton yesterday morning
/ Of . watch for which Petto had the pa wn'
ticket az that which Madonna had when
hslsft Buffalo. The DISQUALIFICATION was made
By Madonia's stepson.
The watch was pawned on the day after
The murder In the shop Of d, Fry. at 27t
1owery. and although the police discovered
the pawnticket in Pettos possession on the
night he was arrested II apparently never
occurred to them 10 act on the clue until
two days ago.
Then they discovered that IL was like
the watch which the murdered mans family
said he had been carrying. and they sent for
the stepson TO come'on here again from Buff
falo. He identified the watch positively at
Police Headquarters yesterday morning and
burst into tears When he saw It, The re-
suit was that Petto was released a. a wit
neas for the State from the House OF De-
tention and Immediately rearrested this
time charged with the murder.
Although the pawnbroker failed yester-
day to recognize Petto. Inspector McCIusky
declared when Petto had been lodged In
the Tombs that he considered the watch
~ clinehing the evidence against the gang
and fixing the actual murder on Petto.
McClusky declared that he had additional
evidences to strengthen his case, but that
he would not make it known until the in
quest. on Monday.
De the bull because Of his great
strength. On the night that the gang
was rounded up by the police and Secret
Service men, Petto was found In company
with Morello. the leader, at Forsyth and
Delaney streets.
As one Of the detectives started to arrest
Morello. Pettb drew a revolver, but Mccall
ferty caught his arm. Then Petto tried to
pull a knife with the other hand and the
two fought. Petto slowly getting the better
OF McCsherty.
Finally the other detective jumped in,
but II was only by knocking him down and
beating him on the head that they finally
got him to give in. He put up the hardest
Fight Of all Of the gang
Petto was searched with the other prison.
ers that night at Headquarters and then
the pawnticket was found along with q
lot OF others. II was numbered "a 800 and
called for a hunting case. gold filed watch.
The watch had been pawned for 81 and
the name Of the owner on the ticket was
john and his address, Elizabeth street.
When the body was discovered a watch
chain but no watch was among the effects.
for reasons which the police
were very anxious to explain Yesterday,
they put this ticket away as not worth
looking up.
Their attention at that time was riveted
on Morello. az they admitted yesterday, and
Petto was looked upon merely ~ . minor
member OF the gang.
In the House Of Detention with the others.
From the start, however. Petto has failed
to tell straight story. He gave the police
several addresses ~ his home. and at none
Of them was he known.
When the murdered man was identified
police asked him about the watch. He
told them. according to the explanation
which Inspector McClusky had to make
that In was a solid gold watch,
although at the same time he gave desorip-
ton Of IL which. II the police looked up the
pawnteket then. would have landed Pett0
in the Tombs four days ago. As the ticket
showed that the watch was a eold-filled
one and had been pawned for only 81. they
paid no further attention to the ticket. and
kAA<l xxx ts.f Ae.. l. a. n..4 81
On Friday the detectives. hard up for
evidence. thought again Of the watch and
went TO the pawnshop. II was found to
correspond to the partial description the
stepson had given. On the back Of IL
was an engraving Of locomotive and
on the stem were several scratches.
When the stepson returned from Buffalo
yesterday he made an affidavit to the effect
that the watch was one that his father had
given him on Christmas. but which his
father subsequently borrowed and which
he carried when he left Buffalo
Petto told no police that q friend named
John, whom hs had known for three years.
but who's lest name he didn't remember,
had given him the ticket to keep for him
on the 18th. Pettc said that he had slept
With the man that night at s2e South Sixth
that there was no such number.
b. even knew Madonia. While waiting
In the Coroners Court Sagliebe. the step
ION. shouted at Petto and CURED him until
The detectives made him keep quiet.
Petto's commitment was made after
The Coroner had read the two affidavits, enc
made by MctafeTty and the other by the
.tepeon, deecritipe The discovery and denti-
fcation Of the watch
Petto declare~s that he car proyc en-
alibi and caB chow hc was with friends
On the night ~ the murder. He hss wife
and two children In Sicily. When arrpete,. ,
be desorib~d himself as q clothes -preeser.
The Secret Service men say that he has !
been n meu'ber Of the gang a long tins +,
and was with the others in the butcher I.
shcp. on Stanton street where Madonna
was last seen IN their company
Inspector McClusky asked Coroner
5choler yesterday to keep all the 9th. r,
Ia the House Of Detention until the IN /
quest. He said that his men had more
evidence than that furnished BY the watch. |
consider. anyway, said the Inspector, |
Ia