The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-08-19
SAYS TORSIGNO
WASOUT 0, LUCK
Former Belhaven Police Chief
Defends His Stand In Nasty
Murder Case

Defends His Stand In Nasty
" Murder Case
Victor Lewis, former Chief of
Police of Belhaven, who figured
in a sensational tilt with Solici-
tor J. C. B. Ehringhaus in the
Superior Court in Washington,
N. C. three weeks ago, makes a
statement to this newspaper
which, if true, should receive the
consideration of Governor Nor
rison. :
In a street fight ia Belhaven on the
night of Dec. 16, 1920, James Torsigno
an Italian day laborer, acting in self de-
fense,Y shot. and killed Wiley Radcliffe
"a young white man prominently con-
nected in Belhaven. Torsigno was q
poor foreigner, jobless, friendless and
among strangers. Radcliffe was a ma
tive, of good family. The sympathies OF
the Belhaven Police Chief went out to
him his job as Chief of Police of Bel
haven, the fact is that Torsigno was
acquitted of the murder. Torsigno was
acquitted of the murder, but he was
sent to the penitentiary for twelve
months for carrying concealed weapons.
The former Chief of Police tells the
story in the following Communication to
this newsnaner:
August II, 1921.
Editor The. Independent:
Will you in the interest of justice
kindly publish this letter. / want the
public to know how one man has been
treated; he is an Italian, but man
just the same.
On the morning of December 2, 1920,
four Italians and about dozen Mexi-
cans came into Belhayen from the
Grading Camps Of the Foundation Gems
pany in Hyde County, where they had
been employed as laborers building a
railroad. One of the Italians, James
Torsigno, was beaten up in frightful
manner. One eye was closed and looked
like great red tomato; his nose was
broken and caved in; one side of his
mouth was swollen so that he could
neither eat nor drink anything for two
days; his arm was in a sling with a bad
confusion at the wrist.
. When asked what had happened, he
said Mr.. Hale beat him up. Mr.. Hale
was the head foreman at the Grade
Camps. .
Then after securing medical aid, Tor
signo, with one of his, companions who
could speak good English, went to the
Office of Mr.. John Tooley and stated
the case to him. Mr.. Tooley entered a
suit against Mr. Hale and went before
Federal Judge Connor and secured an
order that Mr.. Hale must give Bond
for the satisfaction of the suit. This,
Hale refused to do, so he was put IN
the Hyde County Jail. This was on the
18th of December, 1920. On Monday,
the 18th, Mr.. Hale sent a phone mes
sage from the Hyde County jail to the
Grade Camps for all his foremen to go
to see him. When they went to see him
he told them to go to Belhaven and kill
Jim and run those other 'swOpps away
from there, as his trial was coming up
the following Saturday, the 18th, and
promised all who took part in it should
live easy afterwards as long as he
stayed there So Thursday, the 10th,
was set apart for the great day. They
sent one of the gang, Mr.. Penny, into
Belhaven to locate the "wopps" and
phone back how many there were. Then
the remainder<of the gang came to Bel
haven on a truck after night and lay in
wait and watched me until I got out
of the way; then got Torsigno on the
street and surrounded him while Wiley
Radcliff, truck driver, began beating
him over the head with machine ham
mer. After he had been beaten over
the head several times with the hammer
he shot Radcliff and made his escape
in hiding until Saturday morn
ng, the 18th, when he gave himself up.
When he gave up, his shirt and the
pack of his coat was covered with clot-
sed blood; and one of the. wounds in
lis head was still bleeding.
Now, from the best information
could get, Torsigno was beaten up the
irst time through sheer wantoness.
Three negroes have been killed in these
same camps by foremen, and scores of
,thers brutally assaulted.
The second time Torsigno was as
,aulted and beaten because he appealed
% the law for redress. Then he was
confined in the Death Ward at the State
Prison for seven and onehalf- months
waiting trial. All his savings were
swept away for doctors bills and re-
placing his clothing. Then the State
;ays to him, 'tYou seem to have killed
n self-defense. but you, carried a gun;
you hadn't had the gun you might
lave ran and gotten away. Twelve
months, in States Prison for carrying
he gun"
On December the 24th, I arrested
Tyson Zone of the foremen who helped
n the attack on the night of the 16th)
~, DoOn IN