New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-21
Sought Rule of Har-
LENS Little Italy;
Found Death.
RODIES SEATED
AT LONG TABLE
4Nine-F Fingered Charley
Gave Life for Chief,
Trapped in Flat.

Joseph de Marco, who aspired to the
rerilous position of leader Of Harlem's
turhulent Little Italy, was found dead
Yesterday afternoon seated at the head
Of long table in a vacant fiat at %
lanes Street. on his right hand was
seated the body Of Charles L. lombard,
oNine Fingered Charley" De Marcos
one faithful friend.
One bullet through the head had
killed the aspirant to the place left va
rant when Giosue Gallucci and his son
Iucea were shot to death in Harlem
more than a year ago. Ten bullets had
riddled the body of mine Fingered
Charlie" and on the wall behind the long
table hung ten hats.
Seeks leadership; Finds Death.
Two bodies doubled up in their chairs,
ten hats hanging in row, a single
dollar bill crumpled up under a square
Of gray cloth in the centre of the table,
and ten chairs, scattered and upset, met
the gaze Of the policemen who fastened
from Headquarters in automobiles
through the dingy maze of streets that
lie in the shadow Of the Brooklyn
Bridge.
No sooner had word that De Marco
had been shot reached Headquarters
than detectives familiar with the in
trigues Of Little Italy recalled that he
had long been seeking 10 levy on Har-
LENS Little Italy the tribute which
Giosue Gallucci is said TO have demand
cd and obtained in incredible amounts.
Curiosity Lures Crowd.
Deputy Commissioner Seull and In
spector Cray were among the first to
arrive. A procession of speeding auto
mobiles drew throngs OF curious and
fearful 70 the narrow streets. Word
Of the tragedy flashed from house to
house. Fire escapes were thronged.
Shawled women and scared men sham
bled, as if by accident, past the door
way Of 81 James Street, genufecting
and crossing themselves unostenta-
tiously. The reserves of the Oak Street
station had 70 be called out to clear
path for the detectives.
Save for the accident of the rain that
began 10 fall about half-past five yes
terday afternoon the bodies Of De Mar
co and Nine Fingered Charley" might
rsfl1 - ,,OIsrcA.~o-o1 b,t
long table. No one in the house heard
the shots The closest friends of "Nine
Fingered Charley" who is said to have
paid the rent Of the three rooms, pro-
fessed ignorance Of his habit of going
there.
Woman Hears Fatal Shots.
Detectives learned that for six
months the rooms, which were unfur-
nshed except for the table, the twelve
chairs and twelve hooks on the wall,
nae been used by De Marco, Mine Fin
gered Charley" and others. Heretofore
hey had not been visited except late
al night
When Mrs. Angelina Jsnita, whose
ntchen al 43 Oliver Street overlooks
the narrow areaway, lined by cellar
oooo's, that separates the rear of the
IVer Street tenements from those on
Sames Street, heard the patter of rain
sne fastened 10 take in her clothes.
O. e. she was drawing in the line a muf-
su tst-tat-tat came TO her ears. She
.opped her line, clothes and all, into
e yic. In any Little Italy in town
mere the revolver is the acknowledged
ne alsrm, the sound of shots is un-
hunnlng TO the street Mrs. Janita
esnu fatrolman Brewer. IL was not
ts minutes since Mrs. Janita's clothes
au p. Mapped TO the courtyard, but
O"ef found the back room at 81
Snes ssa street empty save for its two
teSsome tenants. No one had emerged
49,. the front door, but il was evil
~ mat the narrow succession of
SS'eeAyards, half hidden from upper
inuoWS by the crisscrossed clothes
rssJ, S ana their burdens, had offered
'Auy means of escape.
Sister Identifies Body.
% ~ INST no one in the house seemed
st know either of the two men. One
~ another Brewer led such shrink
he tenants ss he was able TO lay his
sS SanuS upon into the room. All
otusgeu their shoulders with hands
sSS sSptesd TO denote utter ignorance
~ -u haStily effaced themselves from the
boy declared, however, that
mo thought Lombardi's father and
SSner M hved on the third floor.
mere the only occupant Of the fat
siaI heien, Nine Fingered Charley's"
dsnyear-old do sister. She was brought
II 70 me grim twilight scene to see
" .Iie she could identify him.
bro,tsmy my brother! Charley, my poor
p,Ssnei, nel. she cried, and then, with the
which marks the children of
lanes Street and similar neighbor-
Hooos, What will his family do?"
Nine Fingered Charley" despite his
n'e reminiscent of violent deeds,