The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-18
CLUES ARE
MISSING IN
SEARCHFOR
G()NMEN N
Police Believe Grocer Slain
When He Failed to Throw
Up Hands.

After unravelling q number OF
theories, the police at noon today
declared they are Of the opinion
that John Lacovaro, sixty-two years
old, was shot to death by a robber
who fired on the shop-keeper when
he failed to throw up his hands.
However. it was admitted that no
clue had yet been found as to the
identity of the shop-keeper's slayer.
Shot Through Heart.
Lacovaro was shot through the
heart shortly before last midnight.
when he vas about to close his
dAIieakssssa shop At 46 r street
northwest. Investigation developed
that Lacovaro was extremely deaf.
and- Il ta Ssiisved, that he was shot
when he failed to hear the robbers
command to either throw up his
hands or hand over his monsy.
One Of the theories worked on this
morning. and which now has been
eliminated. was that Lacovaro had
been shot to death by a member OF
the Bon Ventre" band. against
which the police of New York, De-
troit, and other cities have laid
responsibility for eighty-seven kill
ings. 1t was found that Lacovaro
had no enemies among Italians. al
though he had become prosperous in
the conduct of his delicatessen store.
MY husband did not have an
enemy in the world" Mrs. Carmelia
Lacovaro, the Italians wife, told the
police. He had never expressed any
fear or received any threats from a
vendetta band, she said.
Died In Sons Arms.
When Mrs. Lacovaro and her son.
James, reached Lacovaro he was lying
behind the counter, with blood flow
ing from the bullet wound In his heart.
He was carried to a rear room and
died In the arms of the son.
Just a few minutes before Lacovaro
met his death. he and his wife were
in a room in the rear OF
the store. James, the son, had left
tor bed fifteen minutes before. AT
11:20 o'clock Mrs. Lacovaro kissed
her husband goodnight and went to
her room. She had scarcely reached
her room when she heard the report
Of pistol shot and rushed to the
store.
John Parks, colored, 81 F street,
just across the street from the deli
shop, also heard the revolver
shot. He looked from the window Of
his home and saw the slayer fleeing
from the store. Others who saw the
man running from the store are
Charles Matthews, of 81 De Frees
street. who was standing at New
Jersey avenue and First street, and
Petro Guillani, OF 40 F street. All
of the men say the fleeing man was
white.
Police See Robbery.
Detective Sergeants A. B. Scrivener
and Edward J. Kelly, who are in.
vestigating the staying, say that
while they are investigating the
theory that the Italian may have
been shot to death by a member Of
a vendetta gang. they we're mere in
cllned to believe robbery WAS the
motive.
In the cash register where the
Italian was standing when shot, the
police found two revolvers. None of
them had been recently discharged
The description of the slayer given
out is that he was white, wore straw
hat and dark clothes.
Six years ago, Lacovaro was black
lacked and robbed in front of his
store. A negro was arrested for the
crime and sentenced to prison for
five years. He had been married
three times and was a member OF the
Holy Rosary Catholic Church