Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-08
JURY UNABLE TO
UNRAvEl MYSTERY
OF CAL0ll|S DEATH
Apparent Case of Italian
Black Hand Work in
Staying

Never, it is believed, in the history
of Pueblo county has a coroner jury
made such strenuous efforts to unravel
mystery. as did that last evening
while endeavoring to unearth the
identity of the man who killed Do
minick Calolli last Sunday night.
Particularly when each of two 1tal-
ian friends OF the dead man were on
the witness stand; men with whom at
different times Callolli had roomed,
men who knew him intimately. for a
long time, and one of whom he had
practically reared from boyhood; then
did the six members of the Jury as well
as the deputy district attorney and the
coroner ply questions thick and fast,
of every Imaginable kind and from
every conceivable angle. with the OBJ
jects of securing a clew of some sort
on which the officers can run down
the guilty party.
Just SO far. and no farther, could
and when everything possible was
done to shed light on the mystery the
whole affair was practically where it
was at the beginning of the Inquest.
The man who was killed was an
Italian, and the man who killed him
was an Italian; there was the end of
it, tho one OF the jurors was a we'll
known Italian and like the other mem
bers of tho jury. did all in his power
to break thru the veil of mystery.
Rocco Battista and Pete Fortuna to
were close friends of Cablli: he had
roomed and slept with each of these
men at different times and sometimes
for considerable period. The first
named had come from the Same place
in the old country. and he had been
practically raised by the now dead
man. Fortunate had been arrested for
liquor law violations with Calolli and
another man whose namo was given
under close questioning as Del Med
leo. Who reported that they were in
the liquor business and caused them to
be arrested and jailed. Fortunate had
not the least idea. He did LSt know
who II anyone. the dead man had
blamed for the expose. Caloili had no
enemies that either OF his friends ever
knew of. Everybody liked him so far
as they knew. Both stated that they
could get no information from him as
he lay weltering In his life's blood on
the sidewalk and on the floor OF the
Howe drug store. as to the identity of
the assassin. except that he was an
Italian OF medium height. and wore
\ dun colored coat and q black cap.
Both of these men nid they went
to tho hospital about II O'Clock. Sun
Gay hiSnt ana eudc4v0red until
O'Clock to get some identifying infor-
nation from Calolli. but without sue
ccAe.
W. f. Howe. Jr.. the druggist said
the shooting occurred between Sis and
$50 o'clock and that no at once noti-
fled the police station. officer Carl
Schulthiess. who was a block away at
the time OF tho shooting. testified TO
the same time, yet the police officers
At tho Central station testified that the
alarm came to tho station between
$50 and 10 O'Clock.
Likewise there werc several discre-
pencics in the testimony OF the dead
mans two personal friends, but moth.
ing that could materially alter the
case or leave an opening for tangible
clues.
Other witnesses who testified were
DIR. Brown who performed tho autopsy.
Police Officers Pezoldt. Gwyn and
Gray.
So the jury was Obliged 10 bring in a
verdict that the deceased camc TO his
death from Kunshot wounds inflicted
by a party unknown to tho jury. with
fclonious Intent"
The inquest was held at the r. q.
Mccarthy and company chapel. and
was under tss direct supervision of
Coroner II. B. Dibble.