Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-27
Murder Follows Card Game
Quarrel in italian Colony.
SELF-DEFENSE HIS CLAIM
Ambrosia Declares Appitto Attacked
Him With Steel"
FLEES ACROSS THE RIVER
Friends of Dead Man Put Police on
Trail and Arrest Follows.
Admits Shooting.

! Angelo AppittO is dead, Giuseppe Bene-
detto is in the Emergency Hospital suf-
fering from a stab wound, and John Am
brosia is locked up at the fourth precinct
police station as a result of fight in an
Italian boarding house at AL G street
southwest last night shortly before mid
night.
| The homicide put a tragic end to an
evening Of festivities in the little Italian
colony. There had been a card game,
a dispute between Appdtto and Ambrosia
and the firing of a revolver.
The bullet pierced the lungs Of Appitto,
and he died from the wound eight hours
later in the Emergency Hospital Am
brosia fed in the excitement, which dazed
all the inmates of the house, but he was
captured about four hours later at the
yard of the Washington Hydraulic Brick
Company, at Brick Haven, Va.
Second Murder in Colony.
Last nights homicide was the second
| among the Italian residents of the Ma
tional Capital within the past few days
The first occurred Saturday afternoon
| when Francesca Cristando was shot down
| by his father-in-law, Frank Mannarino
The two fatal shootings were within a
couple Of blocks Of each other.
Conflicting statements as to what hap
pened in the boarding house prior to the
time the fatal shot was fired have been
made to the police. A rigid and search
ing investigation is being conducted and
1t will culminate in an inquest at the
morgue at II 30 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing. conducted by Coroner Nevitt.
All witnesses agree that Appitto. the
victim, was under the influence Of liquor
last night, as he has been several even
ings during the holiday season. While
Ambrosia denies he participated. the wit
nesses also say that both he and APP
pitto were engaged in card game dur
ing the early part of the evening Ap-
pitto became angry before the party
ended. putting damper on the gayety.
and it is said he threatened Ambrosia.
Followed Him Upstairs.
Following the quarrel and the ending
of the game. Ambrosia went to the up
per floor Of the house. Appitto fol-
lowed in minute. They had hardly time
to meet before angry words between
them were heard.
A revolver shot. suddenly stopped the
verbal duel. Others in the house had
started upstairs at the noise of the quar-
rel Appitto was found on the floor,
blood flowing from a hole in his chest.
In the excitement which followed Am
brosia ran from the house.
The police learned of the shooting with
being rushed to the Emergency Hospital
policemen and detectives were hurried
out on the trail of the fugitive.
Lieut.: j. a. Hartley. in charge of the
number of detectives from their homes
as soon as he was told of the shooting.
He realized that much of a start made
by Ambrosia would put the police at
great disadvantage and possibly result
in the escape of the slayer. Detectives
were sent in all directions, while Lieut..
Flather of the fourth precinct sent a
number of his officers out to participate
in the investigation.
Search Turns to Brickyard.
'Ambrosia works In the brickyard
across the river" ventured one of the dis
sruntied residents of the Italian colony,
"and 1 guess he's gone over there"
Detectives Springmann and Barbee hur-
! ried across the river in a slow-moytns
nlghtiner and searched the brickyard.
Ambrosfa had not reached there at that
time Watchmen in the yard were told
of what had happened and were asked
to do a little detective work for the police
department. 1t was about O'Clock when
Ambrosia appeared at the brickyard.
-Ambrosia was placed under arrest by
the watchmen. He offered no resistance
The patrol wagon was sent to the brick
yard In response to the information that
the man was in custody. and shortly after
5 o'clock the prisoner stood at the rail in
the police station.
His name, age and address having been
| recorded, the prisoner was asked Are
you married or single?"
Married responded the prisoner, but
my wife is In Italy,
A charge of murder was preferred
against him, and he was locked up Later
in the morning the prisoner was inter.
the shooting, and said he had fired the
shot in self-defense.
"Appitto followed me upstairs" he said,
and cut me with a steel. 1 pulled my
revolver out of my pocket and shot him.
Claims He Feared .Appitto.
Ambrosia declared he feared Appitto
was going to murder him, and that his
only safety was in the use of his gun.
He said he and Appitto had worked to-
gether for long time and had been good
friends, but since the latter had been
drinking he had shown signs Of an ugly
disposition. The police were unable to
find any trace of the steel which APP
pitto Is alleged to, have had.
Giuseppe Benedetto, also an occupant
of the T. street house, was among the
witnesses summoned to the police sta
ton to tell of the fatal encounter. While
at the station he complained of a slight
| stab wound in his back, and the police
sent him to the Emergency Hospital for
| treatment. BenedettO thinks he was
| stabbed by Appitto when he went to the
upper floor to see what was going on
| and to make an effort to put an end to
| the trouble.
Coroner hewitt directed that the body
| be taken TO the morgue in order that an
autopsy might be performed this after
| noon by the deputy coroner. Many Ital-
\ ian workmen remained away from their
| places of employment today, some going
| TO the Z street house and others to the
police station. Friends Of Ambrosia will
| employ counsel to look after his interests.
Alleged Rivals in Love.
i The police have found that fifteen per-
sons lived In the five-rOom house. thirteen
sleeping in the three rooms on the upper
floor and two in the front room on the
| lower floor.
Fourteen of the occupants of the house
have been questioned by Lieut.. Flather.
II was declared by some of them that