The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-07-24
POLICE SHY AT
CONFESSION OF
CASTRONOVA
Nothing To Lose and Every
thing to GAIN" is Way They
Size Ii Up
HREWD, RESOURCEFUL
CRIMINAL, SAYS SLEUTH
bOuld Free Coma TO Pave Way
To Own Liberty, Declares
Detective Witte

Nothing 10 lose and everything 20
pin," is the way Cola Casironova 5
Confession" made In Jackson prison
saturday that Pietro FranzoHo and
bt Francesca Coma, was the SLAYER
81 Patrolman Charles School strikes
tany police officers VINO kept close
lb on the case in which CastrOnOva,
Nranzone George TumasselH ana
n mGalati figured, the hod-up OF
y italian minister, and the subse-
fent killing OF Patrolmau John Cor
bn, Castronova, incidentally 70 his
confession absolving Coma and
taming Franzone, also absOlyes him-
elf from the actual killing of Pa
tolman Gordon; and says that Fran.
bne fired the fatal shots
Detective Edward Mite, who with
effective John Reid handled The Cor.
bn homicide case, and made unique
icord by getting confessions from
he Close-mouthed Italians. says that
ola Castronova is a shrewd, crafty
'alian, whose resources for protect.
sg himself were we'll demonstrated
ffring the investigation OF the Cor
on killing
& Cola tried to impliCate his brother.
am CastronOva. TO save himself and
elcceeded so we'll that Sam was In
Durt, charged with the killne when
BE confessions were Yrung from the
Tisoners, and Sam was found TO
ave been 'jobbed" by his brother
Cola CastronOya, after the shoot.
Ag, which occurred on a rainy night,
talked into his brother Sans room
ID his cartridges in sam 5 trunk and
Eft his own wet clothes on the chair
4 Sans room placing Sans dry
othing on himself All this came
tlt in the original confessions here
FLOR to the sentence of the men sam
as arrested on account OF the wet
othes. Later the officers found that
was wearing Sans clothing, and
am was wearing Colas
J. In his confession al the time he
as sentenced here, Castronoya ad-
litted that he and George Tumaselli.
God In front OF Gordon when the
lots were fired Franzone and Cal
n we're at one side and did not
loot at all, II was said
THAT Is the sort OF man who =
ow 'confessing' TO all OF he crimes
yer committed in the Italian colony;
lat is, he says, they We're committed
y somebody else, SAYS Detective
Gitte. He is a shrewd, Tesol'rceful
criminal and he is very we'll placed
light where he U.s. His soNciWde for
rowing the innocence OF Coma is
herely a means to the end OF pre-
airing the way for his own escape for
enlistment for the killing or Cor.
on.
The confession OF Castronova ap-
arently, establishes the innocence OF
francesca Coma, serving 2 life sen
ence for the Staying of Patrolman
choof. Coma has protested his inno-
ence at all times. Attorney Louis
olombo has always been satisfied,
e says, that Coma was an innocent
ictim Of circumstantial evidence.
iona was identified by a policeman
fho was with School when the latter
Fas shot, in an east side alleE
Castronova now says, in his con-
hssion, that Pietro Franzoue. one or
he bandit gang, who Is serving a IA
ear term for robbing the minister.
fas the real slayer Of Patrolman
choof He says that Franzone and
me Pietro Adragna, another member
Il the bandit gang who was never
aptured, lay in wait in the alley 70
Ill Carlo Callego but shot Patrol
ban School by mistake.
Prosecutor Frazer will thoroughly
Investigate the confession before he
hkes any action in Conas case