New-York tribune., 1908-02-24

the poison and then fractured his own skull. and
it is their belief that he murdered. the mo-
tive for which is yet to be discovered.
Coroner's Physician Schultze, after autopsy
the body the morgue. reported that death
had resulted primarily from fracture of the
skull; that there quantity of poison. prob
ably sulphuric acid in the stomach, and that
there were scratches and bruises the neck and
forearm
Domenico Celia. who associated with his
brother in importing winesc and Italian delica-
cies and who was taken into custody by the
police. discovered the body. He told Coroner
Harhureer that at about l o'clock yesterday
morning he passing the warehouse on his
way to his home No. 124 West 18th street
when he saw that the big paddock on the front
door had been removed. He tried the door and
the latch lock Was fastened. so he entered with
his own key and groped his way TO the rear
TO the office.
FOUND BY HIS BROTHER.
When he opened the door he saw his brother
lying on the floor with his overcoat and pill
low under his head Domenico says that he
tried 70 arouse the unconscious man, and fall
ing in this hooked around and discovered the
blood stained hammer and also bottle half
filed with a dark colored liquid and letter.
He hastened the front Of the building and
felephoned to st. Tincent's Hospital for an am
pulSnCe. ana tneT, feEDu 1elFCliNt f\lubOi' VI
the Mercer street station. When DR.. Murphy,
the ambulance surgeon. and kluber arrived
Celia was still breathing but he died in few
minutes.
When Coroner Hamburger arrived he began an
investigation and learned that Domenica Celia
had disappeared and he ordered the police TO
find him without delay. The brother was found
and held as A witness. but when he was re-
leased on this charge in $1,000 bail he was again
arrested a suspicious person Coroner mar
burger took the letter which was found and
which was written in Italian and had il trans
lated. II read;
Dear Brother: Pardon me if | have done any
harm TO you and all. II is impossible with the
life that do in my house. and i pray you TO
al to pardon me. but / can't any longer Make
my funeral private. and place me in the hearse
of 5he dead. Bury me in my plot in Greenwood
Cemetery. That is the place. Adieu forever
GEROLAMO CELIA
The police Immediately began TO trace the
movements OF Celia for twenty-four hours pre-
yious TO the time he MAS found dying Accord
ing TO David Ransetti, OF No IS East Sth street
and Caesar Razetti, of No 81 Washington Place
Celia spent the evening with them in
restaurant in West Houston street playing
cards. and they said he seemed gloomy and
troubled When leaving them about midnight
he asked them if they would come to his fu-
bade him good night
WANTED TO CHANGE WILL.
These statements augmented by those of
faHvc- Joseph Weber. of No. :ilS Broadway, who
haetcned 10 the Mercer street station when he
heard of Cella's death. supported the theory that
Celia might have committed suicide Weber
told Inspector Russell and Captain OReilly
that Celia asked him TO up to the West
ADD on SafuTdav. and he did
He said that celia told him that he wanted TO
have a will made on February =. changed 50
that Bianchi. his stepson. would receive some
Of his property. He seemed according to Weber
70 he in great hurry. and in reply 10 the
lawyers question to the reason for the haste
said that he going on a long journey"
when asked what he meant by long jour
nev" he replied that he intended to go 10 Italy
and that he WOULD return Monday To have
the matter arranged.
Hhile Detectives Londrgan, KlUher and Fftz-
gerald were working on the they began TO
look up some Of |ellas family history and
learned that he had started business forty years
ago in 2 small way. and had prospered until his
Estimated fortune the time of his death was
about S-ooneo He had two daughters by his
first wife one being the wife of Vincent Pisarra,
agent Of the Children's Society. and the other
the wife IF a prosperous Italian in fidgewood.
y ] Cella-s first ~ife died and he married
again his second wife having two daughters
and one son Cesare Bianchi. who is held As a
witness Bianchi married young italian
woman and brought her TO live with his step
father on the top floor of Nos - and "a Wooster
street which the latter owned.
HINT OF JEALOUSY
The detectives learned that there was trouble
hetween Mrs Celia and her daughter-in-law
o,-or Cella-s attentions 10 the younger woman.
end the matter ended by Bianchi and his wife
eoing to live at No 80 Grand street. There was
some hard feeling. II said. between Bianchi
and his stepfather. This statement was borne
or nv Pisarra who told the detectives that
,,ller, his nothsr-n-law found that everything
MS moi all right between her husband and MS
s1.usoi:-s sifc she ordered Mrs. Bianchi out OF
~ i,ouss ith her husband. This was denied
l- I.,-1,...i vino said that he left because of a
s.i.,b. .,,,.-rei. Pisarra said his home last
night:
Il Was calico TO my father-in-laWs store az
so O'Clock this morning by Doinenico' ana
,,,,,i the old n,:.n dead My reading Of the ie:-
ter left ia Ghe store which WAS written IN ti5
fsr,sr-in-lau's handwriting. and my knowledge |
az he ,erturi5ad state of his mind led me 20 be-
~. he had cc-nruitted suicide Basing Il2 |
.r.cfl on those facts solely. should s'hi say I
- = ..ase Of suicide / did not make thor |
o,l.h examination Of ihe wounds on the Dod4' |
aI.boilct, did see 'nc ocnd on the side of me
b4ad. Which believe eoald aAse been seii-ih-
llc:cd -.
ATT the o-topsy rad been performed the
,soc,ors stated Tat they found WOUND on tHe
Continued second page