The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-25
MAN ACCUSED Of SHOOTING
KILLED At MARTINS FERRY

BeladS, inc nuTueTtu HlsiD, anu ms
brother-in-law. Frank Machri wero
wounded in a shooting affair early the
morning OF October 10. in Aetnaville,
Ohio. DiBellas was shot through the
hand and Machri received bullet In
the head that put out one eye and
caused his life to be despalred OF for
many days. DtBellas told Bridgeport
and Martins Ferry police that he and
Machri wore attacked by holdup men
who shot them. The story was discred-
tied. and Dil3ellas was arrested. charged
with shooting his brother-in-law. d.
Bellas has since been released under
$4,000 and was under bond in that sum
at the time he was murdered. to answer
the shooting charge. Machri is'stlll q
patient In the Martin Ferry hospital!
recovering from his wound.
Police Get Call.
Just after GAS o'clock last night.
Martins Ferry police received tele-
phone call saying. the officer at the
telephone understood. that woman
had been shot Mt the house where d.
Bellas lived with his sister. The tele-
phone call came from woman whose
name the officer did not learn.
Policemen Ellwood Rothermund. Jerry
Burton and Truman Frazier. in the po-
lice patrol. rushed TO the address given,
at tho juncture OF the Burlington and
Cemetery roads Arriving there they
found. instead OF a woman shot. the
murdered body OF Sam DiR"tias lying
on a platform porch over which he una
his sister are said 70 have beer IN the
act OF entering the hou3e when D!beII2S
was shot down. Mrs. Machri WIS on
tho porch beside her dead brothers
body. screaming and crying. The door
key was found lying at the door Sill
where either DIBellas or his sister
dropped Il when D!Bellas was shot. The
door had not yet been unlocked.
A hasty examination OF DtBellaS
body showed that almost the entlre
back OF his head has been blown away
by a discharge from shotgun. Inc
course taken by tho shot and the hna-
ing OF a few shot in the woodwork just
higher than DiBellas' head would nave
been when no was killed showed the Of
acers thar the shot had been fred from
the Vicinity OF tho garage stJnding 80
or 40 feet back In the yard. The Thr'
was searched. and n double barreied
shot gun was found. In one barrel was
an empty shell still smelling "r f'eSh'E
burned powder. In the other barrel was
a la-Eauge shell loaded with NO. SH"t'
Coroner CLYDE {. lTardcSly vas n"h-
fed and went In the course "t n" h"Nr
to Martins ferry where he oeEIn MS
investigation OF the murder. Inc
corpse OF DiRellas was removed 10 Hes
lop & Sons morEue. where Il was
viewed by the coroner.
At Hcslop's morgue last night. pr {.
r. Messerly. made an examination OF
D!Bellas' body. He found that 4 g"rd
portion OF the contents OF the shotgun
entered the mans head and several shot
penetrated tho brain. There were j.
distinct shot punctures at the base OF
the mans brain and in the neck. ana
| three in the right shoulder.
DiBellas was an italian. 30 years %
age. He had lived nj Martins Ferry
| about three years. and had another sis
ter residing at Pittsburgh. II" had
/ made plans to go Saturday TO Pitts
! burgh. TO visit her.
! Coroner Hardesty at midnight direct
ed Heslop & Son to prepare DiBel'as
| body for burial. No funeral arrange
! ments have been made.
Recent Shooting Fray.
! The shooting fray in which liBella'
and his hrothcr-in-law. Frank Machri
! were wounded. Is still fresh in th'
= minds OF Wheeling district people. /
; occurred as the two men. truck p"ddlers
! we're returning to Martins Ferry from
: wheeling early the morning OF October
~. The fray occurred about 4:45 n
, m. lust above the Aetnavillc end or th'
! bridge.
! piBellas. with a bullet through hi
! hand. ran from this point TO Rridgepor
| police headquarters. where he told
| story OF himself and his brothcr-in-lav
: having been held up and shot by nigh
! wavnen Police from both Bridgeport
and Martins Ferry rushed to the scene
! and TOAD Mftcht lying In pool o
! blood in the middle OF street ca
track. A bullet had entered his hcat
| and put out one eye. MaChri was rush
ed 10 the Martins Ferry hospital wher'
his lite was dcspaircd OF for many days
! but more recently no IL said TO haN'
been recovering. Near the spot wher
MachrI was found 20 calibrc rerotveT
with five shells emptied.
Police Doubted story.
! DiBcllas repeated his story TO polio
/ and said that two ma asked men had melt
! up himself and his brOthcr-in-law. 10
/ lice secuted the story. They sa!d the!
! could not understand why one man wa
! so nearly killed and another only slight
, " wounded In the hand. Then. too. tn
! suspicion OF the officers was aroused
by a bullet hole In the top OF the motor
| truck in which the pair had been II
| Wheeling. which. they said. indicated
| that the shot was fired either from II
| or close TO the truck. biBeilas was ar
/ rested and taken TO the Belmont count!
! iaIl at ST. ClalrsYillc, from which n
was lateer released under $4,000 bont
TO answer a charge OF shooting MAchrl
! Machr! has never yet been able to leav,
! the hospital. and the charge against ID
RcIlas was still pending when he was
killed last night.
Martins Ferry police say riBellas VA
single man. and that since the shoot
ing OF his brother-in-law. he has bee,
living with his sister. II" was formerl,
J. owner OF a small store In Martins Ferr.
and later engaged with Machri In
motor-truck drayage business.