The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-02-27

Jimmy This was the last word she spoke, and
it was my name she spoke. I looked at her. and.
God in heaven! | saw that there was a great
hole In her head, and I realized that II was she
/ had shot and not a bandit.
II pounded on the floor Of my home with my
shoe and my brother, who lived on the floor be-
low with his wife, hurried upstairs in accordance
with the signal we had arranged In case ~ dan
ger. lie saw what had happened and ran for the
doctor. When the doctor came my wife was
dead"
Investigation by the authorities uncovered these
facts:
For several months Saplenza had been receiving
black hand letters demanding 5000, under pen
atty, II he refused, Of having his son, the eldest
OF three children, kidnapped and killed. More than
six weeks before Mrs. Sapienza was shot the
manufacturers had taken one Of these letters 10
Chief Of Police A. s. Green Of Irvington, and had
begged that detectives be assigned 70 catch the
men who. he said, were threatening his sons life.
Chief OF Police Green detailed two Of his men
20 follow Sapienza, but when they arrived az the
place where the money was 10 have been paid
over they found no one there 10 meet the manu-
facturer. The chief Of police Of Newark also sent
men 10 watch for the writer's Of the letters. but
they did not find them.
No, "rthclcss, additional letters continued 10 ar
rive. ia" last being received By Saplenza a fen
days before the shooting. In addition TO the
usual signature this missiye was gruegorneIy dec
Grated with what seemed 10 be the blood spots
~ n vivid reminder Of the fate in store for Young
Snpicnzn unless the father deslsted from his e.
forts ia catch the criminals and paid over tie
money demanded by them.
Residents IN The vicinity ~ $50 Col, S-raa-
whore Snpicnzn lived, agreed that be and his
wife had always lived anectlonareIy together.
The manufacturers, the neighbour said. had nere-
heon acon with any other woman.
rnIof IF Police Green NJ IryrDztOn asserted
lint Rnpionzn had always had an excellent -epg-
teton II don't want TO prejudice the case said
tho chief hut I can't help bu, be inclined 10 De
lieya hs story"
The prosecutor Of Newark (of which IrrFrx-or
a q suiufb) thereupOn established 4 p-~eas9--
"a ",ouriar cnses' In his Jurisdiction or rngriny
co, tho raiensr Of SapieDza on $1,000 han. s-s
tho manufacturer left court IN eoz1rauy MIRA
,ouls 4 Vast. his lawyer.
Az Vast snin ~ the case went 10 trial.
which ha then seemed 20 think i. wvuao npt-he
woo,d defend Ills client by citing cases in whsrn
u had poun proved that the defendants had taken
,tra y, committed other acts OF violence. uhe.n
os,oep Although few such cases hare found ,hss-
"c, ,n,, lla courts. there are several on record
rats patlonga tragedy IN fasctnSttngsr interest
,,s /, ~ ~ 80 because IL touches NO closely s-
:, n., experiences Ia cOnneSrfOr lElrh tie
uMa,ts W Dreams" Most OF us dream we Dream
NJ a,,np ur faiiiag ~ appearing n pzSsc sc4n-
,t, ,tei iliusa dreams and Others appear To- hs
,omman ,t 81 az ne, Then there ass our gur
,rd,,,,inni haiilaai dfeatns-Df child loved SCENES.
80 ,,Ao,iets nui ffiaads, Ut personal expe-seocek
Me-, ~ ,s hrea 90 have had our OWL -od1rl12sa