The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-02
VENGEANCE OF
malta LEAVES
MOTHER WIDOW
Parent, of Three Tots Falls
Victim to System of
Black Hand Gang.
FIND BODY LIFELESS !
FAR FROM HIS HOME
italian District About Her
bert Street Excited Over
Mystery.

In6 sinister SHADOW or the BlaCf
Hand crept into a home Christina:
eve. It's message was needed, anG
where there was a happy family o1
five there remainssa woman worn out
with toll and tears, and the care OF
three children.
John Buonatato, his wife Rosie, and
their children, the Oldest Of whom is
seven years and the youngest Is
months, lived at 73 Herbert street
Their home wasn't much-it looked
out on dump-but John had good
job and three f1ouris1ling children and
an energetic and helnful wife.
Christmas eve Rosie sat at home
with her playing children and told
them tales Of the Yuletide. They
were all anticipation waiting for the
father to return, as they had been led
to believe he would be bringing candy
and presents.
When he did return late in the
evening he bore a haunted look. He
skunk into the house. He ordered
his wife to bundle the children Off to
bed and then told his story.
Her eyes sunken from crying and
her slight frame showing that heI
work is not confined to the factory,
Mrs. Bounatato said to a Farmer re-
porter today:
ssI don't know what it is all about.
I been doing nothing but crying and
crying all the time. All I know is my
husband is gone, i have no money, and
I'm left alone with three little babies.
''TIe came home to me that night
before Christmas and made me send
the children to bed. He was scared
He said: Rosie, Il got to leave you.
Bye and bye send for you, but not
for long time.
II cried built didn't do no good. He
said he had until Dec. 81 to get out
of the city or he would be killed.
He didn't tell md why.
THE babies cried, too, but they
didn't know what for. Early the
NEXT morning, long before daytime.
he packed some things in a bundle.
AAen sneaked ott Of the house SO
nobody would see him going away.
He kissed me goodbye and said he
would go to his aunt In Pennsylva-
MIA, If she would hide him. He, did
not know whether she would know
him to not-sl1e hadn't seen him
since he was a little boy-but he had
to go somewhere. ~
That was the last saw OF him.
They bring word to my house by
telegram the other day that he's
been killed-found his body An Penn
sylvania. don't know how he's
been killed except that train didn't
1kiA him. They found him near the
3 r ~ ~
er 1t was gun, knife, or what.
''It's those bad Black Hand,
Malta, something Hike that.
..Hc never did anything he told me
about. don't know why they kill
him. Once before-a year ago-he
had to sneak away and hide in Walnut
Beach-tfe gang was after him."
"IIave you told the police about
it," Rosie was asked.
She appeared frightened. and al
though she speaks English fairly we'll,
relapsed into dialect: me? No.
I'm afraid. / no want get into trou-
BILE. got three babies. Nobody else
take care Of them
Rosie had learned through the tele-
gram that her husband has been bur-
led In Harrisburg, near which city
he was killed. His body was found
On the morning Of the 27th-the day
appointed for his death.
The ma me and address of his aunt
was found in one of his pockets and
a description was sent her. asking
if she knew man corresponding to
that. She replied that she did not.
This was natural, because she hadn't
seen John Buonatato since he was a
boy. Further inquiry developed the
from Bridgeport and Latch identifca-
ton was established
The police OF Harrisburg have been
unable to find what caused Buono-
tato's Seath. according to Mrs. Ruoho-
tato, but she says she doesn't know
whether the body had a knife wound
or bullet mark. .'All know" she
said, !" is he wasn't. killed by train"
Gossip and such Information as is
from mouth to mouth in
the Italian neighborhood have con-
vinced her Of this.
"IIe didn't leave me cent, either
said Rosie, 1T got job now and I
work outsise alter I get out Of the
factory, but I got three babies.
EVERY time I think of it I got to
cry. Oh. those bad gangs They're
awful. He never did nothing to no
body, either, that I know Of"
Rosie is working in the trimming
room of the H.NO. Garfield Co. Two
of her children amuse themselves
while she's away-and that's most of
the time-and the third, who is very
young, is cared for by a neighbor.
The neighborhood is still excited
The Wemen of Italian birth will dis
cuss the mystery wondering. They
don't know what it's all about but
they know it is. The men won't talk
about it at all. They do know.
VOTE ON LITERARCY