New-York tribune., 1916-04-27
MUTESCONFESS
MURDER IN NOTES
Pair Admit Killing Deaf
and Dumb Wife of One
in New Haven.

Until early this morning detectives
sat in Police Headquarters writing
note after note 10 two men who faced
them across table. No noise save
the scribble Of pencils and the tear
ing Of paper broke in upon the strange
gathering Giuseppe Costello, OF 2l3
West 1O3d Street. and Frank Wetter
cf 4s9 Park Avenue, Brooklyn. accused
OF killing Anna Costello in New Hs-
ven Tuesday, only shook their heads
as they read the questions the bits OF
paper bore. After hours of this weird
short-range espondence. they broke
down and confessed their guilt.
II was only after hours Of writing
that the police attained their end. 1t
wes their only way of questioning the
man who sat before them. Neither
Costello nor Vetter heard exclamations
Of satisfaction which arose when they
signed the sheets Of paper on which
they had scrawed their partial con-
fessions Neither Of them had ever
heard anything. They arc deaf mutes.
Aided as Favor TO Friend.
Anna Costello was Giuseppe's wife
and Vettcr's former sweetheart The
pair killed her in New Haven on Tues
Gey. Costello because he had grown
tired of living with her and she re-
fuse dto get a divorce. Netter wrote
that he had aided in the terrible silent
murder "ss favor for my friend Cos
tello and also for money" Anna Cos
tello could not cry for help when she
was beaten to death. Like her mur-
-
That vas the substance OF the con
fession which the police forced from
the two Italians after hours Of silent
griiling.
They believe the two men committed
the silent murder in the roomng house
where the horribly battered body Of the
sound The woman was deaf mute.
Young woman was found. They believe
that Netter and Costello crcpt up the
stairs cautiously, because it was broad
daylight and the boarding house was
filed with people. They think they at
tackled the woman and beat her 10
death silently. because neither they
nor their victim had ever uttered a
sound from birth. The woman was a
deaf mute.
No Noise Accompanied Murder.
40 noise cohld have accompanied the
murder other than the sound Of blows.
Il was before 5 o'clock in the after
noon when il was done. The board
ing house was filled with people.
A few minutes after servant
came upstairs TO the floor where the
strange patrons Of the house. neither
Of whom could speak. had taken room
that morning. The door 10 the bath
room at the end of the hall stood open.
The floor was covered with bloodstains.
A trail led along the hall TO the room
the deaf mutes had occupied. Its door
was locked. Police were summoned
and the door hammered in. The wom-
ans body lay half erect on window
seat, shockingly dsfgured. Except
! for the body the room was empty.
Coroner Mix. OF New Haven. was
/ called. His physician found that the
woman's head was fractured in three
| places, apart from other injuries. Her
/ description fitted the general alarm
which New Haven Police Headquarters
/ had received from New York. Detec-
tyes from Headquarters took Netter's
picture with them when they went 10
New Haven to investigate. Mrs. Celia
/ Munson, proprietor of the boarding
house. recognized the photograph as
! that of the man who had come there
I with the murdered woman.
Wife Disappeared on Easter.
At the home Of Costello the police
/ learned yesterday that his wife. whom
/ he was trying TO divorce, had dissp-
peared on Easter Sunday. On Monday
she had sent a postal to her husband
II said: "Goodby. | am going away with
a man. From your wife" On Tuesday
/ Costello went away. On returning hs
explained to his motherin-law. Mrs
Vincenzo Fortia, that he had been &c
see Vetter.
Vetter was boardcr. also deal
mute. who had been driven from Cos
tello's house because OF his attentions
10 the mans wife. When Costello re-
turned he told Mrs. Fortia he had seer
the man he suspected and that he was
not the one. He refused 10 go 10 Po-
lice Hesdsuarters and tell of his wife's
disappearance. His mother-in-lsw then
gave the alarm.
Costello was arrested yesterday
morning, when Coroner Mix arrived
( from New Haven. Later Vetter was
also brought to Headquarters. Letters
| confscated in the latter room. the
police say. linkAim with the husband
I ii the murder