The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-06-05
Jury FINDS T0MASSl SHOT MRS. CON
CLIO.
Evidence at Inquest Shows Victim Gave
Her Life to Protect Her Honor Child
rem Witnessed the Murder.

iiNh'ohi 4haN ~, ~ result Oh DelnS
shot four times that same day at her
home IN this city by Michael Tomassi,
boarder, was upholding her honor
at the time and paid Il dear price, that
of her life.
Such was the testimony aaduced Mt
the inquest in the court house on
Wednesday last aud the jury render
ed the following verdict after n short
deliberation. I'VE, the members OF
the eoroner's jury, empaneled and
sworn to inquire into the death of
Della Congilio. find that the said
Della Congilio came to her death in
It. Francis hospital, in the city of
Trenton, county of Mercer and state
of New Jersey, as a result of bullet
wounds i'll the hands of one, Michael
Tomassi, inflicted ut Lambertville,
llunterden county, New Jersey,
Monday, May 20, 1907. =
Pastel Congilio, the 12.year old son
of the murdered woman, told in a
straightforward manner how Tomassi
had been following his mother all
through the house the morning of the
shooting and finally threatened to
shoot her if she did not grant his re
quest. The boy said that Tomassi
carried n revolver with him and ON
one occasion he pointed the pistol Mt
his mother and the boy stepped IN be-
tween the deadly weapon and his
mother.
The ANNOYANCE of the man con-
tinued and the lad did not leave his
mother until he thought Tomassi had
given mp his intentions and desires
Then he went cut to play. In IL few
moments he heard shots and ran in
the house to see his mother Keeling
and blood squirting from her breast.
He asked her who shot her and she
said Tomsssl did. The mother ran
ont and pointed to the assassin as he
was fleeing over the hills.
The boy said that Temassi had be en
boarder Mt his home for long time
and he never knew him to act in such
manner before. He said Tomassi
had dellar i'll his hand, which he
was offering To his mother, and when
he became cnraged he told her that if
she did not take the dollar he would
shoot her. Tomassi also offered the
witness money to leave the house.
Rose Congilio, the l0-year old
daughter of the murdered woman,
told practically the same story as the
boy, but more mInutely described the
shooting She rushed into the house
after the first shot and saw the nun
firing the other bullets into her moth
er. She told of the noise of the re-
yolyer until all the chambers were
empty and the sharp, low click of the
hammer on the dead cartridges. The
child said that the man then fled NJ
the steps aud out door, which is on
the hillside, rs the house IL built nj
the bottom Of one of the high hills for
which Lambertvillc il noted.
Nictorlo Sirollo, pasqualina Tuteta,
| Salvatore Luciano and Mary Imey,
| neighbers, heard the shots and ran t,
| the woman's assistance. They al
| told the Same story Of the blood pour
ing from several wounds IN her brens
and side, and of her declaration thu
Michael Tomassl had shot her an,
| TINT he was fleeing over the hills
They looked in the direction III which
the womnn pointed and saw Eomassi
They knew him. The testimony OF
these women was obtained through
Pasquale Dilio, the interpreter.
Frank Congillo, the husband of the
| murdered woman, testified thut he
| went to work about 3. 30 in the morn
ing md knew nothing of the shooting
until some one came To Moore's sta
ton, where he was empl eyed, and
told him of the crime. He went home,
but the man had fled. He sud that
the man Ind been II boarder nj his
home for about SIX months, but he
had never heard any complaints as to
his conduct toward Mrs. Congilio.
III said that the man had not been
working for about three weeks.
Joseph Bishop, Of Lambertvlle,
heard of the shooting aud went to the
house. He saw Mrs. Congilio, who
was still conscious, and asked her
what had happened. She snid Mich
mel Tomassi had shot her because she
would not submit to his wishes which
were Of an improper nature. The wit
ness said he accompanied the woman
to the hospital in Trenton aud she
reiterated her statement while en-
route to the train.
Alfred II. Ely, mayor of Lambert
Vile, testified that he accompanied
the officers to Trenton to take the
man back to the county Jail of Hun
terdon county. He produced the re-
yolver, which was one of the --latest
improved, invisible hammer and self
action. 1t was Il five chamber gun
showing recent use. He said he knew
the man by sight and that he In,
lived in I.ambertyille about four o
five years. He left the place abou
year ago and went back TO Italy, bu
returned about SIX months ago.
Cyrenas Slack, II constable of Hun
terdon county, was called, and told o
/ receiving word Of the shooting m,
his preparations for search. lie wa
notified in the early part Of the even
ing Of the capture aud he accompnn
led the mayor aud the deputy sherii
Of the county, to this city, to take tn
man back He also told Of an inter
view with the prisoner the day afte
the shooting, when an lnterprete
was present He declared the MAJ
admitted everything but the shooting
That he denied. The constable ais
later took one Of the witnesses to tn
shooting in and he said the ina
| L. ,