The New York herald., 1921-08-19
SAYS POLICE CLUBS
WRUNG CONFESSION
Raffaele, Accused as Slayer,
Asserts He Was Beaten
in Varotta Case.
BOYS PARENT PRESENT
Witness Went to 18th st.
Home Regarding Will,
He Insists.
MOTHER DISPUTES HIM
She Tells Of Negotiations With
Three Prisoners on Trial
for Murder.
BOYS PARENT PRESENT
MOTHER DISPUTES HIM

A confession which he admits he
wrote and signed was identified yes
terday by Roberto Raffaele. on trial in
General Sessions as one of the band
who kidnapped five-year-old Giuseppe
varotta last May and drowned him in
the Hudson River. The boys father
had failed to pay $4,000 demanded for
the safe return of the child.
Although Raffaele admits the con-
fesnion the jury will not see it unless
II is offered in evidence 10y the prose-
cuton or by Raffaele's counsel So far
It's contents have not been indicated
by any oral testimony.
Raffaele was not permitted to dis
cuss 1t. He said only that it was un-
true from beginning to end and was
extorted from him at Police Head
quarters Detectives beat him until
he made it, he asserted, and told him
that il it was not written to their
liking they would beat him again.
The prisoner insisted he was beaten
with clubs and pieces OF rubber hose
and with uSIS, anu llidI oiiC - S'S AtN'.
who beat him was Salvatore Varotta.
father Of the child of whose death he Is
accused.
Accused of Ransom Demand.
Raffaele took the stand TO con-
vince the jury that ne could have had
no part in the crime. The main testi-
mony against him is that he went to
varotta's house several times after the
child was kidnapped and offered to ar
range the latter's return for $500.
The witness denied he was ever in
varotta's home until detectives took
him there after he was arrested. He in
sisted that the only time previously he
had ever been near the place was on the
night of his arrest. when he accompan-
led one of his codefendants and two
strangers to see "about WILL
The story of the will was not new. for
he had told 1t the night ne was arrested
and had repeated It to policemen and to
prisoners in the Tombs.
On the night of his arrest he testified
: ne had an engagement to meet John
Melchione, one of his codefendants.
When they met. Melchione had with
him two strangers. who offered $50 II
they would give what aid they could in
the matter of will.
'when / first seen them" said Raf-
faeie. they said that Melchione and me
could do one of them n personal favor.
I asked what 1t was. and one of them
said that there was some money coming
to him under will. He told US he was
raised by an italian family. but that his
own parents had left will and that the
italian family had 1t and that IL he
could get it he would be all right.
"He said II one OF us would go to the
Italian family and ask for il they would
give II to us, as II was nothing to them,
and when we asked him why he did not
go himself he said he had family trouble
and would rather not go.
1--WE took walk from Cooper Square
where we were to Thirteenth street. and
while and one of the strangers waited
on a corner Melchione and the other
went TO some house; maybe II was
varotta's. Pretty soon I began TO think
that maybe I was mixed up in something
suspicious 80 l left the man I was with
and spoke to a candy man on the corner
and he told me there had been a kid
mapping, and right after that | was ar
rested.
Under examination by the Assistant
District Attorney. Mr.. Brothers. Raf-
faeie refused to admit that there was
anything improbable In his story or that
it was unusual that he was so willing
10 accommodate strangers over and
over again he denied he was ever at
varotta's house until the police took
him there.
The main witnesses against Raffaeie
were Mrs. Varotta and Mrs. Ray Nicoi-
eta. policewoman. The latter lived
with the varottas and represented her
self to be a cousin of theirs between
the time their child was stolen and Raf-
faele and the others were arrested.
Both she and Mrs. Varotta told OF ne
gotations with three OF the men who
are charged with the murder Mrs.
varotta declared that RafraeIe went 10
her home several times. but Mrs. Nicol-
eta was not able to say she had ever
seen him there