Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-07
WIFE STAYS TEMPER
ConfeSSeS Homicide of Which
Husband Is Accused.
HAD REFUSED TO ELOPE
Shoots Admirer When He Tries to
Force Way Into Home.
HE HAD BEGGED HER FOR KISS
Newark Woman in Series of Letters
Describes Prosecutions by
Married Neighbor.
HE HAD BEGGED HER FOR KISS

NEW YORK. August IA remarka BILE
series of letters. turned over to the New
ark police last night by woman who
had earlier In the day confessed smiling
ly that she had killed a man. made a
Zola-like romance out of what had
seemed a commonplace shooting affair.
The woman was Mrs. Josephine Amore
who lived with her husband. Carmne at
No IS Drift street. Newark Her victim
was Michael Martello, a married man,
who dwelt in the same house. She shot
him because for months he had begged
her to leave her husband and run away
with him.
Il must kiss you: l must embrace you,"
the man exclaimed at her window, after
she had many times repulSed him and
told him to go to his wife and babies.
wait. l must tend to my child" she
said. and going into her room she got d
revolver. When Martello attempted to
embrace her she shot him through the
heart.
Husband Was Accused.
Her husband known to be a jealous
man. was arrested. But he had an alibi
and was to be released.
The police had no idea of who else could
have done the shooting. Mrs Amore
might have been safe had she kept silent.
But she surrendered herself with an air
of pride and then gave the police the let
tiers. which she had written ten weeks
before the shooting.
The first was to Rosa Martello. her vic
TINS wife, and read, in part. thus:
Dear Rosy-I know that at the first
blow you will have great pain when you
read the terrible news. But what could
you want. dear friend? Could l leave
my family as your husband wished? You
kanu I hly
teemed you like sister.
Gould l ever consent to your husband S
wishes? No. never 'and never. l beg
you to tell all my relatives what / have
always done when you and your husband
were angry. and all the favors 1 have
done for you both.
''Conscientiously. l want you to defend
me with the public, because you are the
only one that knows l have loved you as
Il sister and tried to make you peaceful
and happy in your family. l know you
will pardon me and befriend me. Your
affectiOnate friend,
JOSEPHINE"
Made Many Sacrifices.
The second letter was addressed to Do
minico Valentine, Mrs. Amore's brother,
who is a wealthy Newark contractor. 1t
reads:
My Affectionate Brother: When you
hear the news am certain you will feel
like ice. oh, dear brother, only God can
tell how many sacrifices l have made for
this Infamous human f1end. Michael Mar
tello . How could Iaever go with such a
man who has a good family and children
like myself? You cannot imagine, dear
brother, all the means | used to make
him understand The wrong he was doing.
(, Il even knelt before him, begging him
to leave me in peace with my family and
children.
II beg you to love Carmne and protect
me before the public, because I have
done nothing wrong. Your affectionate
sister. JOSEPHINE"
Explanation to Husband.
The last letter was an explanation by
Mrs. Amore to her husband. 1t would
seem. from part of this and certain parts
of the others, that she did not expect to
live after killing Martello This letter
ran:
My Dear, Afectionate Husband: l
know you will feel blow when you read
this, but what could be expected? l could
not do otherwise. Oh. my God! How it
pains me in thinking that for brute I
must sacrifice myself. forsake you with
our children and all of my good friends
But there is only one thing on earth to
revenge the honor-the blood
Now you will understand why I could
not find any peace for long time, while
you were asking me why, and l could
tell you nothing If l opened my mouth
he would have killed me-he swore it,
Then the public would have judged me
bad woman.
II swear to you that you may be proud
of me before the public that he did not
succeed with his intentions. ! tried all
means to pacify him. but he said should
be his dead. or alive. Then I decided to
wait for the moment to avenge myself.
You will pardon me for the sorrow
and pains? Oh, my poor children-how
will they exist without the care of their
own mother? Your affectfonate wife.
"JOSEPHINE"
The woman was charged with murder in
the first degree and was held without bail
by Judge Herr. Her relatives are rich.
and it was said last night that the best
legal talent would be employed to defend
her on the 'unwritten law plea.