New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-20
MANNING CASE DEEPENS.
POLICE SUSPECT KIN.
Bon Fails to Identify Nerc Prisoners
His Stories Conflict.

Antonio MannlnO
yesterday. Three persons arrested IN coiiiieO
ton with the case were discharged as the boy
failed to identify them They were Francesca
Relic his wife and Alfredo Horn all of NO ia
East e-hundred-and-sixth-s whera 1t WIS
suspected the boy had been detained 30 eA-
actIy did the APPEARANCE Of these persons tally
with the description given by the boy OIL ms
captors that they were brought before ANTONIO
Cuccoza the man identified the one VINO
iured young Mannino away. he also reIuseu !"
identify them.
According TO the story of the boy, he was
kent In a little room In Harlem in a rear tene-
ment In the apartment were stout man.
thin man. a woman. and a baby called judy
Every day a third man appeared. Then the poS
was locked in a room alone and never csIV TINS
visitor. The other men, he says. wore DiacA
clothes.
After they were discharged by the Brooklyn
police the three went home in great wrath. Inc
two men disappeared but Mrs. Bello was seen
last night. She declared that the arrest was
an outrage and a great mistake. as her HUSBAND
was perfectly respectable man-foreman OF d
shirt factory in Broadway She said she had
herself returned from Italy only short time
ago.
The police of the hundred and-fourth-st
station continued their search for the boys
keepers all day. They found out that two men,
named Geralgelli, and said to be brothers had
rented apartments in No. 204 East One-hun-
dred-and-sixth-st three or four days before the
Mannino boy disappeared. Pretending to be IN
spectors OF the Board OF Health, two policemen
carefully went through the apartment but went
away without making any arrests.
That the boy was kept in house In One
hundred and-sixth-st was pretty well estao-
Iished yesterday. both from the boys story ana
from the work of detectives who trailed per-
ha OP a
hathouse in that street.
EVIDENCE OF RANSOM.
Salvatore Mannino the cousin who said he
met the child at Columbia-st and Atlantic-ave.
was held by the police or charge OF kidnap-
ping. They did not believe his story. He was
held by Magistrate Tighe in $1,000 ball, which
was furnished by the father of the boy.
The police had theory yesterday that II was
relatives OF the kidnapped boy who took him
away and kept him prisoner, and that Mr.
Mannino. the father. paid a ransom TO the
kidnappers
They saw they have evidence OF secret negotia-
lions with the kidnappers. Part of this they
say. was furnished by woman who called at
the police station yesterday and said she
relative OF Joseph Sigreto. partner Of Joseph
Msnnlno In the contracting business. She re-
| fused to make full statement saying that her
! only desire 10 help the police IN detecting
| the guilty persons. She said:
! II have positive information that an arrange
/ ment was made 10 send a man 10 One-hundred-
/ and-tcnth-st and Third-ave. with $500 late sun
( day night. lie went. but the kidnappers did not
appear. Whether the final made
through the payment OF ransom, / cannot
say"
! Captain Rooney believes the woman's story.
and has reported it to Assistant District Attor-
: ney Courtney. Mr.. Courtney says he viii make
7 further examination OF Sigreto.
other information 10 the same effect fur
! nishcd by Michael McQuaid a seloOnkeeper IN
| Amity and Hicks SITS. lie says he a
Hamilton-ave. ferry at the time OF the boy 5
! return and saw him with a short dark man.
/ He thought he recognized the boy and asked
| the man II he was not Tony Mannino.
Sure" said the man. I'VE have found him
/ and are bringing him home"
At the landing he declares he saw Salvatore
| Mannino whom he knows well. step forward
and take charge of the boy. This proves abso-
lutely the police believe. that there was an
appointment made beforehand by which the boy
returned.
Mr. Mannlno however declares that all the
suspicions directed against himself and ms
friends are unfounded. When a Tribune re-
porter saw him last evening he said he had not
been able to learn anything new about the boys
from home Mr.. Mannino declared emphaticaIly
that he had made no compromise with the kid
nappers Moreover he said, he was willing tc
assist IN the prosecution of the kidnappers II
every way within his power.
Mr.. Mamma said Salvatore Mannino. who
found the boy was as fond of Tony as he tho
father was himself and he could not understand
why any suspicion should be cast the cous
ms statement
BOYS STORIES CONTRADICTORY.
The police OF the Amity-st. station con
WINGED that the boy has been thoroughly
schooIed by his father to answer to nothing thai
would bring the kidnappers TO justice. and tn,
boys queer behavior has served TO deepen tbs
mystery. 1t seems absolutely impossible 10 ge
a straight. consistent story from little Antonio
himself He has been cross-examned repeated
w. and has told several conflicting tales. He
stanmers in answering, and seems uncertain a:
to what he should say. While yesterday he sale
that one OF the men in tho house where he wa!
kept had Il smooth face and the other a mus
| tache, the night before he had described boil
as bearded. He has coutradicted himself sew
eral times as to the relationship between tn
three persons. He became involved that hi
father refused TO allow him To be examine
further.
The boys first story to Assistant Distric
Attorney Courtney is:
Angelo Cuccozza asked me 10 go to NewYork I
interpret for him, He said no would pay me
, cents and my fare. l was not afraid 10 60 al
before. A stout Italian dressed in black me
= us. We walked blocks and then got on hoTsecal
We went long ways. many blocks. Then we 80
off and walked more blocks At last we reached
, house that is white and they hrought me into l
was one Italian family We went up 10 the top hooi