Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-07-21
HUNG HIMSELF
WITH SHOE LACE
FRANK RIZZA, ITALIAN SUSPECT,
COMMITS SUICIDE IN THE
COUNTY JAIL
HAD LIVED AT PRIEST RIVER
Was Taken in Charge BY Deputy
Sheriff Osborn Sunday Night

Frank Rizza, an Italian, committed
suicide at the county Jail yesterday
and A o'clock, by hanging himself
from the top of steel cell with a
pair of heavy leather shoe laces which
he had taken from his shoes.
Rizza was found suspended from the
top of a steel cell in the northwest
corner of the Jail by Deputy Sheriff
Callahan, who went into the Jail to
put away some mattresses which had
been left outside to air. After salts
flying himself that Rizza was dead he
Immediately notified Coroner Saund-
ers. Rizza was the only occupant of
the Jail and had been brought in
Sunday night by Deputy Sheriff Os-
born. He was being held as sus-
pect, his actions of Sunday night in
dicating that he was either crazy or
was guilty of some crime. He was a
man of about 40 years of age. He had
lived at Priest River for several years
but so far as is known, has no rela-
tives there.
Rizza was met Sunday night on the
Bonners Ferry-Porthill road, near the
M. F. Bayer place, by Deputy Sheriff
Osborn as the latter was motoring to
this city. Osborn stopped and asked
the man if he wanted to ride and he
got on the running board. He was
carrying a 32-40 Marlin rifle ON his
back Rizza said that he had come
from Calgary and apparently think
ing that he was still in Canada, asked
how far it was to the line" Osborn
thinking that he meant to Bonners
Ferry told him about Is miles and
after they had driven a few miles
Rizza decided he wanted to get off the
car In the meantime Osborn's sus-
picions had been aroused and he de-
cided to bring Rizza here and inves-
tigate the case He tried to keep
Rizza on the car but the fellow in
sisted on getting off so finally Osborn
told him that he was an officer and
that he wanted him to come along to
Bonners Ferry.
When Rizza was told that the man
he had been riding with was an officer
he became very excited and tried to
grab his rifle and nearly succeeded in
pointing it at Osborn who grappled
with him. Osborn states that he tuS-
sled with his prisoner for about is
minutes in the effort to keep the muz-
zle of the rifle pointed away from
either of them and at the same time
to get handouts on Rizza. This all
happened about 1890 o'clock Sunday
night
Osborn got one handcuff on Rizza
but couldn't hold his prisoner and get
his other hand in position to slip on
the other handcuff. In the scuffling
Rizza got hold of a revolver he car
ried in a homemade cloth holster
and fired shot at Osborn At this
juncture, Mrs. Osborn, who was in
the car, handed her husband his re-
volver and Osborn then tanned his
prisoner with blow over the head.
The blow weakened RiZza but did not
knock him out and he quit struggling
as soon as he was handcuffed and said
to Osborn, I'm be good" On arriv-
ing in Bonners Ferry Osborn took his
prisoner to DR.. FIy's office to have
the scalp wound in his head dressed.
Monday and yesterday Rizza seemed
quite rational with the exception of
a few remarks which he made to Sher-
iff Fisher. He told Fisher, "Ill never
get out of here, (meaning the jaiD
alive" and on two occasions he begged
Sheriff Fisher to shoot him. He told
Deputy Sheriff Callahan that he had
walked from Calgary and intended to
walk to New York and then take a
ocean liner to his home in Italy.
Both the Marlin rifle and the Smith
Wesson revolver which Rizza carried
were old and badly rusted weapons.
He carried SO rounds OF ammunition
for the rifle. He had no baggage of
any kind In his pockets we're found
a number of receipts and great
many clippings of patent medicine
advertisements which he had carried |
about apparently for some time as the
clippings were badly worn. He car
ried a pass book on the Priest River |
bank and also safety deposit box |
receipt of the Old National Bank of |
Spokane. He also carried receipts |
showing that he had sent money to |
Italy.
Mr.. Naccarrato, merchant of Priest |
River, who has known Rizza for about /
10 years, came here last evening to /
take care of papers belonging to the
deceased and to look after funeral |
Mr.. Naccarrato states
that Rizza went to California about
three years ago and since that time
has not remained very long in Priest
River at any one time. He states that
Rizza acted peculiar at times and
spoke OF having been in a scrape in
California and that man was after
him to kill him. He said that Rizza
claimed to have property in Italy and
that he OWNS a hot in Spokane. Just I
a short time ago Rizza took job on
the section at Priest River but only
worked an hour and then quit saying
he couldn't make living off the wages
paid. He borrowed $1,000 from Mac
carrato with which to go to Canada.
Rizza had 15 cents in his pocket when
he committed suicide.
Harold Reid left Sunday for Koliner,
on Lake Pend d'0raff1e whara ho .,v;rl