The Washington herald., 1908-08-02
TRAGEDYOF REVENGE.
Italian Leaves Prison TO
Kill Own Children.
FOE HAD MARRIED DAUGHTER
Did Not Know when He Shot Them
Down from Behind Tree that Vic
Blood, and Failed to Slay the
Man, whom He Hated the Most.

Rome. Aug. 1-Seekins revenge on the
descendants Of the Zoe TO whom he owed
more than half a Hfetime's Imprisonment.
Edmondo Oaeddu killed his own daugh-
ter and three grandchildren al Mroro.
Sardinia, last week. and. on learning
later Of his awful error. wrote fun sex-
plaration OF the reasons for his crime
and dashed out his brains on the bars Of
his cell His confession. with the bald
police report Of the tragedy. has Just been
received here from Cagliari. the Sar-
dinIan capital
twenty-five years ago, Oneddu. then
only tventy-four years old. fell despev-
ately in love. his confession says. with
Caterina. the wife OF Francesca Deogra-
cias. ueighboring farmer. one day
/ DeoEracias surprised the couple together
and a desperate struggle ensged. Tie
husband proved the stronger. and finally.
wrestling Oneddu's knife from his hand.
plunged it, not into the iatter-s but into
I the woman's body again and again
/ Then. locking Oaeddu and the dead
woman into the house together. he rushed
out and raised an alarm. swearing that
/ Oneddu had killed his wife because she
/ repulsed his advances
Tried TO Protect Woman.
Oneddu was arrested at once and. act
I uated. his confession declares. by a sense
o. chiyalry common in Sardinia. con
4 h-med Deogracias' story as the only
means Of protecting the dead woman's
/ memory from reproach-
He was convicted on his own confes-
sion and sentenced 10 twenty-five years
I Imprisonment His wife and baby daugh-
{ ter-for he was a married mamie was
I compelled 20 leave In wretched poverty
I Furious az her husbands 8 faIthlessness
! SiEuora Oneddu never communicated viii
[ him. and. during his entire term OF I'm
( prisonment. he knew nothing of either hel
fate or thai OF his child
He was stiH in prison when. IN lsaS
i DeoEracias died Some time later th'
latter-s son Henry returned from servS-,
in Africa with the Italian army. ne
Oueddu's daughter Margleri-a. by tha
time q beautiful young woman. and mar
risd aer-
On his release from prison f1rtnigh
agu OneGdu's first thought was reveus.
or Deograciss and his family. Buying
ca-bine with his savings. lie hurried TO
ward NCoro. Without calling az his for
Ter home be visited DeuEraC-lS. Wler'
he heard foT the first time that his fp'
was dead. The latter's son Henry, h
was informed. however. was IN the field
with his wife and three little ones
Killed Babies First.
Ignorant who his foes son had mar
ricd. he followed. 70 find Deogracias and
his wife at work and the children play
ing about them E~aborers near bv as
surea him THAI the man was son o
/ Francesca De0Eraciss. the woman hi
vife, and the little ones their children
Intrenching himself behind a tree. h
opened IRE. frst on the babies who a
the carbire cracked. fell one by one be
fore their terrified parents eyes.
Determined that D~orraclzs should SCI
the entire tragedy before he himself tlst
&C Of death. Oneddu next shot the former
wife. and was just aiming at the HUSBAND
when the laborers. who had seen IN
shooting. reached and dlsarmed him
his Capt07s dragged the murderer away
raging az the delay which had cost hin
the victim he most desired, Young Dec
! gracias He cid not know until after p
reached prison. however. that the wOmal
ne had killed was his own daughter AM
the little ones his grandchildren