Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-11
LATTER ENTERS SHOESHOP
TO GET MONEY CHANGED
His Death Follows With Mystifying
Circumstances.
SHOEMAKER UNDER ARREST
Denies His Guilt and Says He Was
Not at His Place Of Business
at the Time of Shock
Ing Tragedy.

hS AidScoy.
Because fourteen-year-old. golden-hatr-
ed Harry Smith suffered a request to
have quarter changed. Tony Melano,
shoemaker by trade" butt OF small boys
OF the neighborhood. believing himself
Knocked for his broken English, threw his
shoemaker's hammer at the boy in a
spasm Of sudden anger with fatal ac-
curacy in his little shop on Boss corner.
4th and H streets, Saturday afternoon.
and later set fire to the shop to hide the
the police and. In their opinion, is the
only explanation of the strange and puz-
zling homicide that apparently will adjust
itself to all the circumstances.
Melano. 1t Is alleged, has thrown his
hammer before at small boys Of the
neighborhood. The gang has followed a
universal custom of small boys batting
the alien with doggera rhymes. making
faces at him. beating at his door. throw
ing pebbles at his window. and irritating
him in various ways, running away from
him when he offered retaliation.
The Italians idiosyncrasies have been
responsible for the attitude OF the boys
to some extent. they doubling his sanity
That he is entirely sound OF mind Is
questioned by many Of his fellow coun-
uymen who are acquainted with him.
The strange woman in the case has
been traced and the mystery surround
ing her connection with the slain boy. say
the police, Is apparently entirely eltmi-
mated. She seems to be q Mrs. Netue
Radelaff of Hyattsville, and had hired the
boy to lead the dog she had brought TO
town to try to sell.
Boys Movements Traced.
The movements OF Harry Smith up to
the time that the boy left her side In the
Emerald drug store at 4th and Massa-
chusetts avenue. just around the corner
from the shoe repair shop. have been fair
ly well accounted for. No incident that
would further compicate the tragedy
enters into the case the detectives de-
clare, and much missing and mystifying
details are supplied today.
According to the mother Of the boy.
Mrs. Matte Smith. who dwells at 1907
Florida avenue, she gave har son a dime
Saturday morning when he asked her per-
mission to go downtown. She arranged
to meet him later in the day and provide
him with carfare to return home. The
boy left the house at about noon and
went to the fire engine company quarters
on 18th street between G and H streets.
Here the boy fingered for a long while.
fascinated by the paraphernalia and fire.
fighting devices which had always proven
powerful attraction for him.
He wandered over to Schmid's bird
store, diagonally across the street. where
other charms, animals, birds and dogs.
held his interest, as they had often done
before. The boy is we'll known at the
fancier's. where he has often been al
lowed to linger. sometimes taking dogs,
of which he was very fond. out on the
street for exercise.
Engaged to Lead Dog.
1t was while in Schmd's bird store
that the boy was engaged by Mrs. Rad
eloff to lead her dog. The wo.-.an, after
to the fanciers regarding her
dog and Offering 1t for sale. brought II
to town Saturday afternoon and carried
il to Schmids to allow him TO see II
and decide If he would take II on her
hands.
of a guaranteed pedigree 10 warrant MI.
Schmid in purchasing IL. AZ her request
for direction TO other dog fanciers ny.
Schmid referred her To shop on Loulsi-
ana avenue.
The boy was in the store at the
time, and Mrs. Radeloff persuaded him
to lead her dog for ner TO the place
she wanted to go From the Louisi-
ana avenue fancier's the woman. ooy
and dog ii is probable. walked over In
the direction of the street car line Tor
Hyattsville which turns into 5th at
G street, two blocks away from the
scene Of the subsequent tragedy
Sought Change for Quarter.
The woman, seeking change so that
she could use the telephone In the En-
erald drug store. 4th street and Mas
sachusetts avenue, when fifteen year
old Eddie Slattery, son OF the pro-
prietor, could not give il to her. sent
Harry Smith to get change for quar-
ter in some of the neighborhood shops
The boy went across the street. hrst
into a grocer's shop. where the grocer.
who was lying down. admits he was
too indolent to get up and make the
change.
The boy then disappeared around the
corner out of sight of the drug store.
passing the Chinese laundry directly
on the corner, and was seen, by wom-
an living on the opposite side OF the
street from Melano's shop, to open the
not again seen alive The time is
fixed at about $50 o'clock so far as the
police have found
Opinions Regarding Melano.
Many Italians OF Washington regard
Antonio Melano as mentally unsound. 1t
is reported that he was recently refused
in the Victor Emmanuel So
ciety, an organization OF Italians in
Washington. because Of his erratic char
actenstics. Help was given him by tho
society, 1t Is reported. and other coun-
trymen gave him assistance. sending him
customers or aiding him In other ways.
Melano was in an excited frame or
mind Saturday evening shortly after tho
tragedy, according TO an Italian boy. Jo-
seph Di Marco. who lives at 46s II street.
and who was standing with several other
bows opposite the shoe repair shop al
about o'clock.
MeIano was walking UP ana down IN
his SHOP from one room to the otner.
talking TO himself and breathing heavily.
nj MARCO observed him. and remarked TO
his companions that ho had never seen
Tony SO excited
Melano Protests Innocence.
In his prison cell Melano maintains
composure. sticks 70 his story that he