The New York herald., 1921-08-16
PICNIC CROWD SEES
Man FATALLY SHOT
Victim Drops Amid Throng on
Hotel Porch at New
DOrp Beach.
NEW BOOTLEG MYSTERY
Joseph Sileo Refuses to Say
Who Shot Him-Says He'll
Settle Own Troubles.

Laughing at District Attorney NAL
10y of Richmond county and declaring
that, despite doctors assurances that
he would die within twenty-four hours,
he would be out of the hospital in a
few days and able to settle his own
troubles, Joseph Sileo, %, of 10
Franklin street, Manhattan refused
last night to tell who shot him twice
at an outing of the Sunshine Associa-
ton at New Dorp Beach.
Sileo has bullet wounds in his right
temple and his abdomen. The police
say his shooting must be credited to
the bootleggers' ring, and that If he
dies his murder will be the nineteenth
in recent weeks, due to the same
cause.
The shooting Of Sileo took place on
where there were gathered at least
fifty persons, including about fifteen
women. No information of any value
whatever was obtained from any of
them. Several declared they had not
even heard the shots. Sileos two
brothers, Peter and Salvatore, were
about two hundred yards away when
the shots were fired. They were un-
able, or unwilling. to throw any light
on the tragedy.
AZ for the Sunshine Association. the
shooting did not interrupt its festivities.
The picnic continued until nearly mid
night. and the $50 who attended seemed
to enjoy themselves. despite the presence
Of a guard of uniformed policemen sent
to see what they could pick. up in the
way of information and to prevent pos
sible further trouble.
Though they failed to reveal the evil
dence on which to base the assertion, the
Staten Island police declare they are
convinced that Sileo was lured to the
picnic TO be shot, and that he knows the
identity OF his assailant. The refusal
of those near him at the time to give any
information they put down to the fear OF
the criminal organization that they be-
lieve ordered his death. Despite his
wounds and his critical condition, Sileo
continued conscious all evening and
steadfast in his determination not to say
q word that would aid the authorities.
So far as the police could learn, no
one left the vicinity of the hotel and
the beach after tho shooting, and they
asserted their belief that the assassin
had mingled with the picnic crowd and
had Joined their diversions. A careful
search failed to show a weapon of any
sort among the crowd or anywhere In
the vicinity.
The Sunshine Association arrived at
the picnic grounds about 40, mainly
in expensive automobiles. About 100
of the picnickers were women.
New Dorp Beach is within a mile OF
the spot where. a few weeks ago, Ar
thur Martinez. %. of 20 Spring street.
was shot in a lonely patch of woods.
Martinez at first accused Dominic Scat
tellaro Of i6S Mulberry street of shoot
ing him as result of a bootleggers'
row and Scattellaro was arrested.
Later, when Martinez learned that he
would recover. he retracted his state
ment. He Is still in hospital and Scat
tellaro is out on $4,000 bail waiting ex-
animation on a charge of felonious as
Sauf. Scattellano took Martinez to
Staten Island in his automobile and was
arrested at the ferry as he was return
ing to Manhattan.