New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-18
Murdered Foe at Ex-Off-
calls Death Threat,
MOntimagnO SWearS
NERVOUS,
TAKES NOTES BUSILY
Gunman Describes Events
Leading Up to Shoot
ing of Giamari

It was not avarice alone, not wholly
the greed for blood money, that led
Gaetano Montimagno TO murder Michael
Giamsri, Michael A. Rofrano's political
enemy. Testifying yesterday in the
Supreme Court, the slayer swore Ro-
franc had threatened him with death
unless he killed Giamari, as we'll as
promised him rewards and safety if he
id.
For ten hours Rofrsno, former
Deputy Street Cleaning Commissioner
and a political power in the I'd As
sembly District. sat scribbling in long
hand the story Montimsgno poured out
so internationally from the witness
stand. His aimless anxiety to record
what trained hands we've adding flaw
lessly to the court record was the first
sign of nervousness he has shown since
the trial began.
The little, cool. square-jaw gun
man, who was taken from the death
house to testify, declared Rofrano
urged him to kill "the Horse" as Gia-
mari was called, from the time he first
met Rofrano in his clubhouse in Madi-
son Street before Mayor Mitchel's cleo
ton, in 1918, until he saw him in North
William Street, just above Brooklyn
Bridge, a few moments before the muir
der, on March 3. 1915. On that oc-
casion, Montimagno said, Rofrano
threatened to have him killed if he
didn't put Giamsri out Of the way that
very morning.
Tried TO Raise His Courage
For two months, Montimagno testi-
fed, Rofrano, through Rox Cornell.
Frank Fennimore and Joe and John
Brondini mis- henchmen, had been try
ing to spur his courage TO the shooting
point, and they had even taken him to
Chinatown to smoke opium in the hope
that it might do some good. Twice. the
witness told, Rofrano had been sum-
moned to Joe Brondini's home in Bor-
ough Park, Brooklyn, 10 screw up the
gunman's courage by giving MIN money
and assuring him that he (Rofrano)
was so powerful in Manhattan that the
MAYOR. Police Commissioner and the
District Attorney did his bidding.
Montimagno swore Cornell assured
him if these officials dared to cross
Rofrano's path the Deputy Street
Cleaning Commissioner would break
them in a minute and set them shining
shoes on the streets.
Every time Montlmagno was heart
ened by such talk he promised to go
right out and shoot "The Horse" and
he testified that he actually mace
fifteen trips in the first week in Narch
TO Giamaris Madison Street home with
John Brondini and Salvatore Curlca'
known as Chocolate" to do the homi-
eide" as he expressed 1T. But each
time he lost his nerve.
Early on the fateful morning, Monti,
magno said, the conspirators appeared
under the window of his home, 1913
Hamilton Avenue, Brooklyn, and by
peculiar whistle signslled 1t was time
TO go over 10 New York for another
try. The witness, although he had
spent the previous night in the opium
den IN Doyers Street, got out OF bed
obediently and even brushed his teeth
before joining the conspirators.
Stopped in Saloon
On the way to Court Street all
stained in a saloon at Henry and
Tndneer Streets. While Montimagno,
the Brondinis, Fennimore and 'Ch9c-
olate" were drinking, Cornell tele-
phoned to Rofrano, the witness swore'
"The boss wants to see you IN New
York at once" Montimagno quoted
Cornell as saying when the latter
rushed out Of the booth.
ave went right over to New YORK,
continued the witness, "and about two
hundred feet above the Bridge In VIII
lam Street, Rofrano stepped up 70 me.
"'Tommy,' he said, you know wneh
a man is taken into a confidence suen
GO this and he refuses to do as ne
nTornises. he shall die. II you do not
Commit this murder this morning, you
shall die to-day
81 said Il have not the courage 70
kill a man for nothing" the witness
vent on. "When said that, KoI
drew a razor from his pocket, AND
eeid. shoot "The Horse" to-day or
III clash YOUR face He struck me Two
~ .bree times on the lapel Of my coat
wben Fennimore grabbed nm Dy inc
arms and stopped him.
=" " 80 will CO. Frank said. he
iN"N''' Y l. doeerit he will