Middletown transcript., 1915-09-11
ITALIAN KILLS THREE PERSONS

PoCoMoKE CITY, Md. .-Segt. g.
Frpnk Grano, an Italian shot and killed
three persons within an hour on the
farm of Levin T. Robinson, about
three miles from Snow Hill, this morn
ing.
His victims were Levin T. Robinson,
a farmer; Mrs. Robinson, and Aonzo
Rettan, a laborer employed on the
place.
Grano said that he killed the three
persons because he, Grano, was in love
with Yrs. Robinson. He believed Mrs.
Robinson had shown fondness for Ret
tan, and he could not endure the
thought of permitting her to love
another man. =
Grano had been employed on the
Robinson farm himself.
He :ame to Pocomoke City about a
year ago with other Italians to work on
road being constructed between Snow
Hill and Pocomoke City. After that
work was completed he went to work
for Robinson and had been there for
several months.
KILLS WOMAN FIRST
This morning he returned to the farm
from Pocomoke City. having come here
Saturday. He found Mrs. Robnsot a
handsome young women of 80 years,
alone at the farmhouse. After some
minutes of conversation with her, ne
drew a revolver and fired into her left
temple, killing her instantly.
At that minute Robinson himself ap-
peared, driving up TO the house in a
cart, with his three year-old daughter
beside him. A man who had been
working near and who had heard the
shots when the Italian killed Mrs. Rob-
inson ran over to the house and seeing
both Grano and Robinson, tried to warn
Robinson.
The Italian ran into this man and
knocked him down. AS the husband
drew near the house Grano took aim
and fired, striking him in the temple
Mr.. Robinson fell from the cart, killed
instantly The horse, with the child
clinging to the cart ran away and was
stopped mile and a half distant, at
Scarboro Station. The chil1 was not
hurt. She was her parents only child.
KILLS MAN AT FLOW
Leaving these two victims as they
had fallen, Grano went out into field
where Rettan was plowng. Giving
him as little warning as he had given
the others, he shot him through the
heart. Firing two more shots into Ret
tan's body, where he had fallen, he
wandered off in the field.
SHOTS BRING NEIGHBoRs
The shots had attracted attention
and neighbors hurried to the Robinson
farm. After the had recovered from
their first horror automobile searching
parties were organized and machines
hurried over the roads in all directions.
Grano suddenly stepped out in front
of one of these on the road between
Pocomoke and Snow Hill.
81 guess you are looking for me?"
he said. "Well I'm ready to go along.
The Italian had begun his shooting
at 10 o'clock He was captured an
hour later The coldblooded delibera-
tion with which the woman and the two
men had been killed had excited the
people greatly, and, as he was carried
through Snow Hill in an open automo.
bile, there were threats of lynching.
He was taken to the Jail without any
attempt being made to seize him, how
ever.
Grano is about 45 years old and was
born in Naples.
ROBINSON WAS NOT RICH
The Robinson farm is a small one
and he and his wife were not rich, but
both tie Robinson's and Rettan were
regarded as quiet, self-respecting peo'
pie.
Mrs. Robinson was about to become a
mother.