The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-11-27
Man Who Murdered His Wife, Was
Tortured by the Thoughts Of
Her Headless
Body.
USED AK ON THE PAIR
Turned Over to the Police BY the
Clergyman and is Closely Guard
ed to Prevent
Lynchlng.

mented by the mental picture OF his
headless wife and her paramour,
whom he slew. Pasquale Marchesi, 81
years old, a merchant. went to a
priest and confessed the double crime,
which bad heretofore not been dis
covered. The young avenger was
turned over to the police, who are
closely guarding him for fear of pos
sible mob violence.
According to Marchesi, he went
home and surprised his wife Rosario
and his cousin and namesake. The
younger Marchesi, who was not of
age, had been favorite Of the hus.
band, and the scene drove him mad,
no said.
Without allowing his presence to
become known, Marchesi went to a
woodshed, procured hand ak, crept
TO the bedroom and chopped off the
heads OF the two.
Taking his baby, months old, from
the arms of his slain wife, Marchesi
washed the blood from it's face, car
ried 1t to the home of his brother, and
said that his wife was ILL., He return
ed to the house, dressed his daughter
Josephine, 4 years old, and tooA her
to his brother.
Marchesi then returned to the
house, concealed the hatchet and be-
gan wandering about the city. AS
morning began to dawn the specters
that had haunted Marchesi all night
drove him to hide in the basement of
an Italian Catholic church.
4 In the darkness of the church base
ment. he said. he heard the death
cries OF his wife and saw the horrid
forms of headless persons rushing at
him through the blackness.
AS the music of the morning mass
came family to his ears from the au-
ditorium above him IL said he
thought he distinguished the words:
Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord
Then he rushed from his hiding place
and went to the home of the parish
priest and sought relief in confessing
what he had done.
After the priest had turned Mar,
chest over to the police the slayer
told connected story of the crimes
pleading that he had felt justified in
killing the pair at the time the deeds
were committed, but that latJr he was
sorry sucn an awful crime had crept
into his life He said:
Il went home last night earlier thar
l had expected TO return. ] had Mt
suspicion of my wife, but just for fur
i peeked in at her bedroom window
was driven to desperation by the
sight that met my eyes.
II became as one insane / ran tc
woodshed in the rear and seized {
lumberman's hand-ax. / returned tt
the chamber window with only one
thought--that of avenging myself.
carefully raised the window, so as no
to be heard. crawled in unseen ant
crept to the bed. My arm strengthen
ed by the sight chopped off ~
cousins head at the first blow of the
ak. He did not move, but the sount
Of the blow aroused my wife.
"She started up and fought desper
ately. She begged forgiveness, throw
ing herself on her knees. That wa'
the end Of her. Her defense had pre-
vented the fatal blow, but her praying
posture allowed the ak to swing free
ly. was mad, but ! had sense enough
left to avoid striking the baby, which
my wife had grabbed up as sh'
sought to defend herself"
Marchesi went on to tell how III
had struck at his wife repeatedly, al
most severing her head, but was al
ways taking care not to harm the chii
dren. He said he struck at the head
less body Of his cousin after he wal
satisfied his wife was dead.
Marchesi has lived in kenosha TO
ten years and acquired considerable
wealth. He was one of the leaders
among Italians in the West Sid'
quarter in which he lived.