The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-13
Held for Murder, Battles
with Keepers in At-
tempt to Escape.
IRON BAR GROUND TO
POINT CAPRIO'S WEAPON
Fatally Wounded by Guards,
He Dies in the City
Hospital.

After stabbing two keepers with a
small iron bar, one end of which he
had ground down on the hoor Of his
cell to needle point, Angelo NJ. Caprio.
prisoner in the county jail on a
charge of murder, was rddled with
bullets early today by third guard.
and died shortly afterward in the city
Hospital
The desperate attempt to escape was
made on Murderers' row. where Caprio
was being confined. The men he weund-
ed are John Bryant, Civil War vet
Gran, 6s years old, who is known as
Indian Jack" and lives at 20 Rich
mond street. and Matthew j. Smith. of
1I012 Van Buren street
Bryant is in the City Hospital with a
stab wound in his forehead, another In
his left hand and severe bruises about
the abdomen and the neck, where he
had been kicked by his assaiiant It
is thought that he will recover.
Smith also has a stab wound in his
head, but it is not very deep He was
attended in the jail and removed to
his home.
Three Fatal Bullets
Caprio was killed by three bullets
fired by John Corby, another keeper.
who had been attracted to murderers'
row after Bryant had shot once This
shot went through both of Caprios
legs.
Caprio had been confined in the coun-
ty Jail since June l. He was taken
there on charge of murder and neld
+ without bali. The case in Which he
Was accused was tnat OF Salvatore
Borrecca, who was found stabbed and
dying in the hallway of his home, at 40
Garslde street.
In the City Hospital, where he was
taken, Borre cca, on his deathbed, said
that he had been held up by TWO men
in the hallway one of whom grabbed
him while the other plunged a sriietto
into his breast. He said that Caprio
was one of his assailants and Antonio
Fiori the other. Fiori was later ar
rested in Pittsfield, Mass and brought
back here.
At the time of this occurrence Capria,
who was employed by the Shade Tree
/ Commission, lived at Mt Prospect
avenue, with his two sons, Angelo. aged
Is and Pietro, 10. His wife and several
small children 1--we in Italy.
Following the stabbing OF Borrecca he
disappeared, but was later arrested n
this city and after the mans death WAS
committed without bail
/ In the county jail Caprio at once be-
gan to make trouble He at first
Ieigned to be demented. His keepers
felt that he was shamming but took
the precaution to call in DR.. Roth, the
iail physician. lie found Caprio to be
sound mentally, and as the alleged mur-
derer continued his wild disturbances
he was confined ii a padded cell TINS
restraint soon had the desired result,
and after a few days caprio was taken
OUT Of TINS cen, mis- spirit subdued aud
/ lns pretended madness gone.
/ Violent In jail.
] For a few weeks Caprio seemed a
/ changed man. HIS habits altered ana
mis- keepers hopes revived. But l.
/ tney thought their troubles were over
they were greatly mistaken, Tor 1t was
not long before Caprio again began 10
snow Signs OF violence and discomfort.
His complaints against his detention
Z and his 1ood were followed by opeh
( threats of bodily harm against his tel
/ low prisoners.
Also he would remain awake at
night, utter ear-splitting screams and
rattle his cell door with such noise
tnat the guards would rush TO him and
threaten again to conflne him in the
padded cell. Still he kept on doing the
things that were forbidden, refusing 10
work. throwing over his food and Civ
ing trouble generally. So, at last, he
was placed in Murderers' Row. That
was 1our days ago and he was given
the best cell on the row in the hope
that it would appease him.
Keeps Plotting TO Escape.
But instead of changing his riotoas
ways, Caprio kept them up, and plotted
his escape. He realized that he could
not do this without Staying at least one
of his keepers, so he prepared, slowly
and deliberately, to commit this crime.
From the chair in his cell he wrenched
an iron rod, and on the cement floor of
his cell he began TO sharpen this. He
worked quietly and well. and was not
overheard, and when dawn sbroke to-
day he had one end ground down TO
! dangerous point
The guard is changed at : o'clock
each morning Caprio knew this and
decided to take advantage of 1t In his
desperate plan to escape. From be-
tween the bars OF his cell door he
watched his keepers preparing TO go
home. and when he felt that some OF
them had gone he picked up his spoon
and cup and threw them out into cor
ridor. They clattered 70 the feet OF
Keeper Bryant He rushed TO Caprio's
pen. and to his surprise, found him
4 with his hat and coat on. So he de-
cided to investigate, and unlocked tha