The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-11-06

OBJECT OF
Il TERROR
,Santaro's Corpse Carries
Sinister Warning to
Someone.

iue mystery Oh Cno muTuoT VI
Ernest Santaro, the Italian whose
body was found Wednesday night
on the road to Minnehaha park
with 81 stab wounds, deepens. In
hopes of securing information
which might give the police clew
To work on, Chief Rice yesterday
stationed himself in the morgue
and closely crutinized every Ital-
Ian who came to view the re-
mains.
"a peculiar circumstance noticed
which deepens the mystery was
that sight of tattoo on the inside
of the dead mans left forearm
cansed several Italians consterna-
ton, while passed apparently un-
noticed by others.
At sight of the tattoo those who
noticed it quickly crossed them
selves. On being questioned they
claimed to know nothing about it..
IT is believed to be the emblem of
q secret order.
The tattoo is a crude work, being
an unskilled outlining OF a human
faxe. Below it are marks where
lettering has worn off. The police
today hold more than ever to the
''Black Hand" theory. Chief Rice
is of the firm belief the murder
was something of warning to the
notorious Frank Bruno.
Itsis believed that the murderers
sought to intimidate Bruno by
striking Santaro down within a
few rods of the Bruno residence.
huno is afraid of his life. The
murdered man was the one Bruno
was escorted home by every night.
THE supposition that Santaro was
murdered by Joe Barbato, or his
friends, is little credited. 1t was
ascertained yesterday that Bar
bhto's woman has been living in
Hillyard with Santaro. She did
not know of the murder at the
time Sergeant Herndon and De-
tective Briley found her home. Bar
hato disappeared from town sever
al weeks ago but is not known to
have returned.
The precision with which the 81
stiletto wounds were struck, their
location and number, lead more
than ever to the belief that they
were placed with a view of giving
sinister warning.
1 The fact that Santaro spent sew
eral years in South America and
was Lothario also brings an ele-
rpent into the police endeavors. A
Spanish custom. when seeking re-
ayenge, especially against such a
nan as Santaro is said to have
'Aeen, is to give one stab for each
Family he had been the cause OF
breaking up. No strange Spaniards
lave been noticed around town
lately. A hired assassin usually
does this work.
An effort is being made to get
some information which will throw
light on Santaro's operations in
South America.
Local Italians claim to know lit
tie OF him and nothing of his
He was evidently "a
member of the higher element of
italians. Chief Rice is so puzzled
over the matter that he said this
morning he would be surprised at
nothing in connection with the
case. Santaro may belong to a
titled family and been followed
from italy, over South America,
British Columbia and finally as
sassinated here.
The ordinary murder Is usually
q bungling and hasty job
a @bungling, hasty and grewsome
job. This murder was the most
complete and well planned In local
police annals. 1t appears from evi.
dences that the murderers held
their victim still while the stiletto
wounds were placed with precision
and accuracy according to a pre-.
arranged plan.