Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-28
COSENZO IS DEAD
Roommaies of Victim Claim
 Wound Was Self Inflicted.

Giavannia Cosenzo, age 21, lies dead at Mancini & Ruggerios under taking rooms on Bank street with a bullet hole through his heart. It was about 5:30 this morning that Cosenzo lost his life at his boarding house at 25 Jackson street. There he roomed with Grabiele Santora and Saverio Mingrone. This morning as the men were dressing they claim that Cosenzo while fooling with his revolver sent bullet through his heart. They say that they were on the best of terms with the dead man and the police are inclined to believe the story as they made no attempt to escape But they would have had little chance of escaping had they so desired because all the other board CTS in the house rushed to the room when they heard the shot. The news of the shooting was given to Officer Donahue who was on duty in Brook lyn this morning He notified head quarters and Detective Dodds went to the scene of the fatality and placed Santora and Mingrone under arrest. Later in the morning Detectives Cole santo and Kennaugh visited the boarding house. The proprietor, Frank Meo, informed the officers that the three men had been rooming to- gether for sometime and were the best of friends. They had no trouble as far as he or any other of the in- mates of the house knew and retired last evening without the. semblance of quarrel.
 In the police station Colesanto talked for some time with the prison CTS. They both told the same story which was something as follows:
 On retiring last evening Cosenzo as usual placed his revolver under his pillow. He has done this since he has had the gun which he got hold of recently. Nothing more was sen of it until short time before the men arose this morning. While Santoar and Mingrone were yet in bed Cosenzo got up and pulling the revolver from under the pillow en- deavored to shoot it off. But it fail ed to work. Santora remarked that ''he- better look out for the gun" Cos enzo consequently laid the gun aside for the time being. Nothing was thought of the matter again until the men were dressing. Santoro and Min grone were near the door of the room and were about dressed when they heard the gun go off. Immediately Cosenzo exclaimed, "I'm dead, I'm dead. He died almost instantly. The pistol dropped from his hand on. the floor The men prevented Cos enzo from falling from the chair and then placed him upon the bed. Cos enzo's room mates think that while fooling with the pistol just prepara- tory to putting it in his pocket, the trigger was pulled. The bullet which entered Cosenzo's body was the only one in the gun. Although medical aid was sent for as soon asthe excite ment had subsided, the man was dead before any doctor arrived.
 Deputy Coroner Makepeace went over and got particulars of the af- fair and closely examined the dead mans clothing as we'll as all the be- longings of the prisoners. Twelve dollars as we'll as other things were found in Cosenzo's trousers. He stat ed that he did not think he would give his finding before Monday.
 The police are of the belief that the shooting was an accident. They point to the fact that the three room mates were the best of friends, that no effort was made to escape, that the mans money was still in his clothes when searched, anu further more that there could have been no hard feelings as the three came from the same district in Italy. The de- ceased was waterboy for the o'Brien Construction company while the ac- cused men are employed by the rail-. road.