The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-09-03
lTALY'S CELEBRATED CASE.
CRIME THAT HAS OCCUPIED At
IGNITION FOR THREE YEARS.
Uursveling the Mystery Of the Benmartini
Murder At Boiogna-The Persons Con-
cerned and the Motives ~ They We're
Disclosed at tho Trial-Tho verdict.

Murder at BOioEna-The Persons Con.
cerned and tho Motives ~ They Were
Disclosed ut the Trial-Tho verdict.
No romance OF Grim ever penned by
Gaboriau, or by any other novelist who
has based his plots on criminality, is equal
a. enc realities Of the Bonmartlni drama,
which has occupied the attention OF Italy
for the last three years, says London
Truth. The persons concerned are: Prof.
Murri, one OF the leading physicians In
Italy: Tullio, his son; Linda, his daughter;
Count Bonmartini, q wealthy nobleman
Of Bologna; Secchi, q medical man; Bonetti.
the mistress Of Tullio; Naldi gambler.
Prof Murri lived In a villa near Bologna.
He had two children, Tullio and Linda.
Tullio was municipal councillor or Bologna.
Linda had fallen In love with Secchi, who
was her fathers assistant when she was
girl, but she had subsequently married
Count Bonmartini. The marriage does
not seem to have been happy one. He
appears to have been a good-natured but
weak man, and to have done his best to
make her happy. She disliked him. The
pair had two children, and the family
resided in the Bonmartini Palace at Bologna.
and she passed as lady Of almost austere
virtue, but was always complaining to
her friends that her husband was loose
liver and neglected her, and thus evoked
good deal Of sympathy.
At one time she induced bin to agree to
an amcable separation. but the quarrel
was made up, and they once moro lived
together. About three years ago Linda,
with her children, was at Venice. where the
Count visited her, and then went to pass
few weeks at his country house In Romagna.
He had told her that he contemplated
passing the night Of Aug. 80 at his Bologna
palace on his way to pay visit at Padua.
On the evening Of that day he reached
Bologna, and was seen to enter his palace.
Az is usual with the owners OF these Italian
palaces, he occupied the first floor, and as
the servants and the family were away the
porter was left In charge.
At $50 p NJ. he was seen by the porter
10 arrive, and passing him with q travelling
bag in his hand he entered his apartment.
Days passed and nothing further was
seen Of him. As he did not seem to have
left his apartment, and there was a sicken-
ing smell proceeding from 1t. the porter
informed Prof. Murri and Tullio. and sug-
geeted that the police should be invited
to break open the outer door OF the apart
ment to discover whether he was still there.
This was done, and the police we're accom-.
panied by Tullio as the representative OF
the municipality.
OF the Count was discovered lying on the
floor near the entrance door, pierced with
several wounds, and In q state OF decompo-
sition. In the room where the children
we're accustomed to sleep two beds appeared
there were the remains Of a supper, with
several half -emptied bottles Of wine. In the
Counts bedroom the bed was dlsarranlged
and q woman's nightgown was found on
signed by him. apparently written TO a
woman, and inviting her to pass the night
with him. A portfolio containing several
thousand francs that he was known to
have had with him had disappeared; .
Linda, who returned to Bologna, and took
up her residence at her fathers house.
The theory Of the police authorities was
that the unknown woman had visited
: him and that during the night had In
troduced one or more male confederates:
and that he had been robbed and murdered
by them. The Count was popular IN Boz
logna and the greatest sympathy was e1-
pressed by all for him and for his family.
Anonymous letters were, however. soon
received by the police, limiting that the
murder had been committed by Tullio In
conjunction with Linda and other persons,
and some of the newspapers demanded
tHeu buoul0 10
These rumors were confirmed by Prof.
kiurri Linda and Tullio suddenly betaking
themselves to. Switzerland A few days
later the two former returned to Bologna
without Tullio. On this a warrant was
issued for the arrest of the latter, and Prof.
Murri wrote to the police informing them
that the Count had been killed by his son.
Shortly afterward Tullio returned to Italy
and was arrested, and this was followed by
the arrest of Linda at her fathers house.
A lengthy investigation then took place
before a Juce d'instruction, which led to the
further arrest Of Seochi, Naldi and Bonetti,
Tullio's mistress.
Last year the public trial Of all the accused
was commenced, but on some technical
ground the jury we're discharged and the
trial put off to this year. 1t has lasted
nearly GA months before Turin jury, with
the result that all were found guilty. Had
Italy l doubt whether they would not all
have been acquitted, but the Turinese are
very hardheaded and not 80 much influenced
by sentimental appeals as by hard facts.
The trial disclosed the real story OF the
crime. Linda was proved to have been the
mistress of Secchi, and the pair used secretly
to meet in a room at Bologna that he had
hired and fitted up. Tullio had determined
to murder the Count. According. to him.
he took this resolution because Of his great
affection for Linda, and his conviction
that her health was suffering from her dis
like to her husband. 1t was, however,
proved that few months before the muir
der Linda and Secchi had gone to Germany
and had bought some curare the poison IN
which the natives OF South America dip
their arrows) at a laboratory In Darnstadt.
This they had brought back with them
to Bologna, when an experiment was made
Of its effects on a lamb In their presence
and that Of Tullo, and Secchi had subse.
quently handed over to the latter some OF
the poison with hypodermic syringe.
When Linda went with her children to Venice
she took with her as her maid her brothers
mistress under a feigned name, and the
evidence went to show that on her husband
visiting her her brother, who had also come
there. challenged the Count to a trial OF
strength, while Bonetti stood by with the
syringe prepared to use it while he. was
wrestling with TUllio. The scheme, how
ever, failed owing to the husband proving
much stronger than the brother.
The plan Of assassinating him on his
passing night in his palace In Bologna
was then devised. Secchi gave e.. 600 to
Linda, who handed it over to Tullio to bride
bravo to aid him and az the Count had the
key OF tho front door OF the apartment.
Benefit was sent back to Bologna with
second key of the door which Linda had had
made for herself. Tullio gave the $4,000
to a certain Naidi, who frequented cafes