The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-05
SHOOTS AUNT; KILLS HI MSELF
BOY Was CELEBRATING FIRST
FOURTH IN AMERICA.


Filled Pistol by Mistake with Loaded Shells
and Fired I'm Play at Her-when He
Saw Her Fall lie Turned Pistol Upon
Himseif-An Are Wen to DO Isaaans
While celebrating Fourth OF July for the
first time yesterday eighteen-yesr-old
Arthur Carrano. just three months over
from Italy. accidentally shot and killed his
aunt. Mrs. Alfonsina Focarile. in the back
yard of her home. 2sS Pleasant avenue.
Frenzied at what he had done. young Car
rano then placed the pistol against his "
head and with two shots ended his life.
The Focarile home. a three story house
owned by John Focarile. a retired con
tractor. was decorated yesterday from
top to bottom with the mingled Stars and
Stripes and the. tricolored nag Of Italy. To
do full justice to the day the whole Focarile
household-Johp. his wife. their son. Joe;
their daughter, Nettie. and their nephew.
Arthur-rose early and began a celebration
that made the house a centre for the noise
Of the neighborhood. Arthur entered into
thes spirit Of the day with great zest and shot
on torpedoes and frecrackers with all the
gusto Of young America.
But what pleased him most was a pearl
handled revolver which his aunt had given
him the day before. He popped away
until three boxes of blank cartridges were
gone and the back yard was Uttered with
empty shells. As he started on the fourth
- -. m IL --A-A Ill IL l.
some accident had become mixed with the
blank cartridges. he pointed the pistol at
his aunt, who was sitting near by combing
Nettie's hair and smiling at his enthusiasm.
and told her to watch him shoot.
As he fired he was surprised to see his
aunt fall. He rushed up to her and found
blood coming from a wound in the temple.
He called to her and tried to raise her.
but she did not move. AS he realized
that she was dead and hat he had killed
her, young Carrsno turned the gun upon
himself. The first shot grazed his temple.
The second entered his brain. He fell
TO the ground beside his aunt. The little
girl, who had seen the shooting, ran
screa ming into the house.
Focarile rushed out and beca me frantic
at the sight that met his eyes. His son and
neighbors who came running in answer
TO the outcry had great difficulty in pre-
venting the man from harming himself.
Policeman Gilligan Of the i04th street
station sent In a hurry call to the Harlem
Hospital, but both were dead when the
ambulance arrived.
Meanwhile extra policemen had to be
summoned to keep back the crowd of ex-
cited Italians who swsrmed around the
place. II the order OF Coroner Shrady
both bodies were removed to the Morgue.
Focarile, the uncle, is said by Italians
who know him to be worth several nun
bred thousand dollars. He owns the house
he lives in and several other houses in the
neighborhood. His nephew, Arthur. who
had made his home with him since his ar
rival in this country three months ago
from southern Italy. was apprenticed to
the printing trade. He recently wrote %
his parents, who are well to do people
in Italy, for $500 to pay his expenses while
he learned the trade. He received
a letter a day or two & saying that the
money was on its way across the ocean.
No arrangements have yet been made for
the funeral of the aunt and nephew.