Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-07-25
FOUL MURDER
Frsnces'co PaImirici, an italian Lab.
orer, Was Killed at Grove City
on Thursday Evening.

orer, Was Killed at Grove City
on Thursday Evening.
A foul murder was committed at
Grove City Thursday evening. The
dead man is an Italian. The murderer
is not known. The motive for the
deed was not robbery.
Francisco Palmirici, an Italian
laborer, met his death at Grove City
between the hours of eight aud nine
O'Clock Thursday evening at the hands
of an enemy not known. 1t was about
the hour of nine when some boys re-
turning from the creek east OF the
village where they had been bathing
found the unconscious form of a man
lying alongside the railroad track at
the crossing just east of the village.
The alarm was at once given and the
injured man taken to town where he
died very soon after without con-
seriousness having been restored to
him. Whoever committed the deed
left no clue and there were no eye
witnesses to the crime. The motive
was not robbery for on the person of
the dead man there was later found the
sum of Sl7.63, consisting of a ten
dollar bill and the remainder loose
change in silver.
The authorities of this city were at
once notified and Sheriff Bertelson
and Coroner Morell caught the even
ing train for Grove City, returning
the following morning, having in
custody Antonio Sicoli whom they
held as q witness for the cOroner's
inquest. The Sheriff, however,, sus-
poets that the deed was committed by
one of the Italians comprising the
large crew which has been at work
near Grove City for some time. The
motive may possibly be fothd in some
ancient feud.
The Review yesterday morning
picked up the following fragmentary
story from Antonio Francisco Pal
mirici, the murdered man, and Antonio
Sicoli, his companion, both having
been raised in the same province in
Italy, and other Italians up to about
at work near Grove City. About that
time they quit the colony at Grove
City and joined the one at work near
Howard Lake. On Wednesday two of
the men went to Grove City to draw
their pay and the two men, Frances
and Antonio, followed on the noon
train on Thursday when they drew
their pay, the first named about S43,
and the latter sum in excess Of this
amount. Frances during the afternoon
paid his board bill due at the camp
and few other small bills owing his
companions The sum found on his
person was no doubt all that he had
left after all these accounts had been
paid. The remainder of the time was
spent visiting with their friends at the
latter's camp. According to Antonio,
he and his companion left Italy about
three years ago where the dead man is
mourned by wife and five children.
The coroner's inquest was in prog
, ress yesterday afternoon and was
being conducted as the Review went
to press.
Sheriff Bertelson early yesterday
morning notified all points along the
line including Minneapolis and ST.
Paul to be on the lookout for sus-
picious characters and especially for
an Italian whose description he was
able to give them, and who is sus-
pected of having committed the deed.
-Litchfield Saturday Review.
Yesterdays Litchfield Independent
gives later developments as follows:
sSuspicion rested on one Antonio
Pucci, and after search he was To-
Gated near Dassel and arrested Sat-
urday. The inquest was held Friday
and Saturday. The verdict OF the ju-
ry was that deceased came to his death
from a gunshot wound at the hand of
some party unknown. 1t was very
difficult to get anything out of the wit
nesses. The shooting took place right
in the village, about so feet east of the
depot and ten feet east of the crossing
lust east of the depot. The boarding
cars of the gang were located only a
few feet distant from where the tragedy
occurred, and it seems impossible that
the shooting was not seen by someone.
It would appear from what transpired
at the trial that if anyone saw the
tragedy they decided not to tell the
truth. The entire gang with one ex-
ception were summoned to the hearing
but it was with difficulty that anything
could be wormed from them. A local
party testified to hearing the shot and
seeing the flash, but did not investi-
gate, thinking it might have been a
firecracker. A short man was seen by
some boys going east at rapid pace,
but they could not be sure who it was.
Antonio Pucci had 50 ca]ibre re-
volver on his person when arrested,
four chambers being filled and one
empty. He gave another name when
arrested but gave his gang number
correctly. He had evidently been ly-
ing low in the daytime and moving
nights. He was making detour
around Dassel at the time he was ar
rested. The preliminary hearing OF
Pucci will be held before Justice Her
shey in this city on Monday next.
Annual Excursion to Duluth,