The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-11-28
Romeo Scampini, 1s, Drew
Circle on His Shirt and
Then Fired
WHILE COMPANION,
AGHAST, LOOKED ON
Shooting Took r : in Club
Rooms : y To-
= y

Romeo Scampini, ls.year old son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Angelo Scampini of Berlin
street, was found by the police in the
rooms of the Italian Pleasure club this
morning at $40 o'clock with bullet
through his heart. By his side was 49,
calibre Colt revolver, automatic action
with 10 steel jacketed shells in the cham
Der, one of which had been exploded.
The circumstances point to suicide, but
secret inquest which convened before
Judge G. II. Dale of Waterbury in the
court room at city hall this afternoon is
expected to establish the nature of the
shooting beyond doubt. The boys body
was removed to the Perry & Noonan un-
dertaking establishment in Depot square,
where Drs. B. Fl. Stone and C. F. Whit
ney OF the state laboratory in Burlington
performed an autopsy just before noon.
DIR. Stone, the state pathologist, and
his assistant, DR.. Whitney, were assisted
in the autopsy by DR.. j. w. Stewart, the
health officer. and DR.. j. A. Wark, city
physician The post -mortem examina-
tion was concluded near noon and when
the Burlington doctors returned this aft
ernoon they carried with them the or
gans. The bullet which caused the
youths death was found intact, Just out
side the flesh in his back After pene-
trating the heart, it carried on an angle
between the ninth and tenth ribs and
lodged in a coagulation of blood. AL
though the bullet brought up against the
inside shirt in the back, it did not pene-
trate the garment.
The Italian Pleasure club is located on
the second floor of the Scampini building
on North Main street. 1t was around
1870 o'clock when Natalie Fontana,
of the dead boy, rushed into
the street for help. A short way up the
street he met Angelo Marchetti, Guy
Nitagliano and Charles Bartelli, to whom
he told the story of the shooting. Vita
gliano and Bartelll fastened to the club
while Marehetti and young Fontana went
to the Morse block and aroused DIR. J. A..
Wark. The physician. before leaving his
office, notified police headquarters and
Officer John S. Murley and Deputy Chief
Harry Gamble soon joined him at the
club rooms. Their cursory examination
convinced them that Scampini had died
instantly. Before the body was removed.
Grand Juror William Wishart had been
,alled and in the absence of DR.. j. w.
Stewart, city health officer, Charles Oh
liver, a member of the board of health,
was asked to view the body. The au-
thorities seemed agreed that it was a
,ase of self destruction.
Close friends of the lad as well as his
'amily join in the opinion that Scampini
llled himself and this belief is amply
,orne out by the story of Fontana, who
vas detained at police headquarters as
material witness, and others who saw the
foung fellow during the evening Among
hose who knew the lad intimately there
5 the unshaken belief that his rash act
nay be ascribed to mental alteration
,rought on by dependency. Early in
Iarch he sustained broken leg and
ther injuries while serving as derrick
elper at the plant of Comolli & Co. He
vas a patient at the City hospital for
hree months. and although he had been
BILE to be about town, he never fully re-
overed from the accident. After his
cath it developed that he had been re-
ewing treatment for his injured limb,
Though a sense of Difference to the feel
ngs of his family. it is believed led him
o conceal his real condition.
Act Probably Premeditated.
That the act was premeditated there
an be little doubt. The boy proceeded
D arrange for his own end with unusual
,oness Apparently he had the revol-
er in his possession for two days prior
, his death. as he told his companions
nat he had borrowed the gun from Fritz
ackson, a local dealer in firearms, for
nergencies Early last evening Scam
mi. Fontana and Jerry Burke stopped in
he Baltimore restaurant before going to
he show in the Barre opera house. 1t
as while the party was in the restau-
INT that Scampin drew the gun from
is coat and began loading it. He re-
led in broken phrases. when asked as to
S reason for carrying the gun, that he
light need it before long. Fontana and
urke remarked upon their companions
range actions during the remainder of
e evening, but many of his remarks
ere made. it seemed in jesting mood.
fter the show the boys walked down
orth Main street and Scampini and
ontana turned into the Pleasure club.
There they found other members of the
lb. but as the hour was late most of
ose assembled there were on the point
leaving for home when Scampini and
$ companion arrived. In a serious tone,
smpini bade farewell to those who
ere leaving and said they would not
g him again They dismissed his words
though they were sort of mock fare
,ll and left Fontsna alone with the
A II was sometime after midnight
at Fontana began to importune his
TO go home. The pair had
ei away an hour in playing a friendly
me of cards known as mummy" and
zen Fontans finally insisted on leaving
E club. Scsmpini suggested that they
for a walk. After walking up North
lin street, they turned in their tracks
4 started toward the north end again.
hen they reached the Scampini block.
ntana again deferred to his compan-
i desire to stop in the club. Once in
e the club. Scsmpini, accounting to the