New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-01
Fired On as He Eats Sand
witch in Front of a
Street Stand.
ASSAILANT CAUGHT
HIDING UNDER BED
Tells Police Victim Had Threat
ened Him and He Feared
the Gang.

Pasquale Melio, big, swarthy'
heavy-set truck driver, left his home
at 49, Washington Place yesterday with
loaded revolver in his hip pocket.
He started for the Italian colony just
south of Washington Square. Turning
down Macdougal st, and east on reach
ing Spring ST., he stopped at Clark a.
where on che corner Joe" Domenico
keeps a stand and sells candles, to-
bacco, cakes, pies, coffee and frank
furter sandwiches.
Here Melio found Joseph Palletare'
an understood youth who since his
marriage two yenrs ago has been try
ing to live down a past that included a
prison record with two penitentiary
sentences. go,
Melio called to Pslletare, who, still
munching frankfurter sandwich
turned to look. Melio fired his re,
volver and Palletare put up his hand
as if TO ward off the bullet wnien
struck him in the breast.
Fifty feet away Mrs. Mary Murray
Of 2l9 Spring ST., was buying vegeta,,
bles from a street pedler. She heard
the shot and turned around.
at seemed a long time before the
second shot was fred" said Mrs. Muir
ray to Detective Frederick +. Frank
lin, on the wsy TO Police Headquarters.
81 saw the second shot fired. II hit the
man in the body. ] screamed, Catch
that man! He's killed a mani! The
man who was hit sat down on the side
walk. saw him sit down. Then he
lay down. First he lay on his side.
Then he turned over and lay on his
back. Then everybody ran. ] saw The
man who did the shooting run into ZlS
Spring ST., just near where was ouy-
ing vegetables TO cook with the little
steak | bought for my daughters
luncheon. / said he ran. He didn't.
lie staggered He was so frightened
that | could see it, and when he came
toward me ] wasn't frightened, for l
knew he couldn't shoot any more.
81 went with the crowd. saw man
open the dead mans shirt. There we're
two holes where the bullets hit him.
Then | went home. That's all ! know"
Before Detective Franklin took Mrs.
Murray to Police Headquarters Detec-
tives Castone, Devons and several po-
licemen surrounded the house whore
the slayer had taken refuge and ar
rested him under a bed on the first
floor.
When he was taken before Captain
Cray, head of the detective bureau,
Cray, who knew the dead man, said TO
Melio:
"Why did you have 20 use a gun on
that little fellow? Why, you could
have handled him with your fists"
"Say, Cap" replied Melio, who was
trembling with fear, 1T wasn't that.
II was my life or his. | was afraid Of
his gang. He threatened 70 kill me,
and a month ago he shot at my brother
John"
Palletare's widow. Angelina, told
Captain Cray a different story. She
said:
"Melio owned the little candy and
cigar store at 533 Broome ST., which
my husband bought from him last
April. He couldn't make it a success
and we did. Then he tried to buy it
back. My husband refused and he
threatened to kill him. One Of the as
sistant district attorneys will tell you
that ! went to him, to the Assistant
District Attorney, and he said: 'He
hasn't hurt your husband yet" ] said:
No Then he said: we can't do any
thing. Tell the police"
The records show she told the police
and a patrolman was placed In front of
the store on several occasions, and
then when nothing happened the watch
was taken off.