Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-14
The Flicker Of the Flames on the
Midnight Snow, the Marks Of
the Child;s Sled, the Blood-Stained
Path That Led Through the City
Streets---and How They Finally
Fooled the Storm That Fought
Against Justice to Obliterate the
Trail of Murder

ARLY on the morning Of February is,
r as TWO Rochester, y. y. workmen
were on their way home from their
labors OF the night, the faint glow OF leap
ing flames reflected on the white snow
caused them TO pause. The snow was fall
Ing with promise Of heavier drop. They
hesitated whether to investigate, anxious
as they were to reach their warm and COM
Portable beds. II they had gone on, 1t is
as nearly certain as anything can be that
one OF the most brutal crimes in the his
tory OF this city would have gone unsolved.
But as it happened, their natural Curl
osity overcame the promptinGs to pass,
they stopped 20 investigate. Crossing the
street the two workers went up lane and
came to an open shed.
The flames came from a kerosene
soaked barrel, bursting out from a charred
covering OF rag which covered it. The
workmen threw this blazing cover aside.
Within was the burning body OF man
whose blackened face looked up into theirs.
Fighting against their natural repulsion
and fear. they took snow and threw it into
the barrel Then they summoned the
police.
The body vas scorched almost beyond
recognition. 1t was thinly clad and there
was no evidence of shoes. One hand was
burned off and the bones Of one leg were
entirely exposed a closer examination
disclosed a deep cash across the throat
scalp hacked and torn. The face had APP
parenty been badly battered before the
flames had reached it, Blood was still
freely flowing from the wounds and the
great sears which the heat had caused.
Parts of the body were destroyed, while
others were almost untouched by the
names. 1t was dreadful sight, indeed, for
the little group 10 view by their dim torch
IN the dead OF dark, cold night
Thus. b. the accidental passing OF two
men by this isolated spot at an hour when
few il any might be expected TO 80 by, was
that little understood law which DEGREES
that murder must OUT and that there Is
a Nemesis which follows the slayer again
proven most dramatically.
If the iwo laborers had passed by ten
minutes later the flames would have done
their work so effectively that no mark
would have been left upon the body 10 iden-
dfy it. II they had passed half an hour
later there would have been no traces left
Of the trail which the murderer had left.
The body proved TO be that Of Philip Fer
rara, wel.to-do citizen OF Italian birth,
The man accused OF the murder is Christie
pher Mamano. also fairly wcll-to-do and
the husband OF Ferrera's cousin, woman
Of unusual good looks Of the Italian type.
Terrcra lived with the two and behind
his murder is the eternal triangle. the
police say, whose three sides OF passion,
jealousy and love work out so frequently
into the one symbol of death hut in this
particular triangle, let it be said, the wo-
man is innocent OF any wrongdoing.
In this case :he husband had double
motive. BY the murder the police charge.
he thought to rid himself Of the one. too
many in the triangle. and AT the same time
10 greatly add to his fortune in order that
ne might provide better for the woman
he doliZcd
a force Of policemen and detectives soon
reached The shed. And then began most
remarkable pursuit OF fast-fat rg clues.
Within the shed and leading up to the
barrel were marks OF the runners OF a
child's sled II was clear that this was
the means the murderer had used 10 bring
the laden cash TO this place.
But at the threshold OF the shed the
tracks were almost indistinguishablc. al.
most oblteratcd by tho snow. How FAR
had the murderer come? Was it possible
that they could pursue this quickly dis.
appearing trail TO Us source before tho
white blanket. steadily ,hichening. hi, il?
Was the snow to be curtain between them
and their quarry--a curtain behind which
before it lifted that quarry would have
mad time to conceal himself from rctribu
ton?
Calling in more aid they spread out alone
the probable line Of the sled tracks. Green
ing on hands and knees, like Indians in The
woods, they took up the work.