The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-21
Trauedv Premeditated


Tragedy Premeditated
The tragedy in his home seemed
to have been premeditated. An exami-
nation of the body of Mrs. Fierro
showed she had been dead about ten
or twelve hours. The police theory is
that he had murdered her last night,
evidently after she had undressed for
the night.
Some time early, in the morning,
Fierro entered the room of his daugh-
ter, strangled her as she was sleeping,
and carried the body into his wife's
room where he raised the arm of Mrs.
Fierro and placed the dead child in it.
The child's clothing were found
hanging neatly on hooks in her room.
The condition of the rooms showed
that Mrs. Fierro was a neat and clean
housekeeper. Neighbors said she bore
an excellent reputation and was high
ly regarded. The police have no knowl-
edge of domestic troubles in the family
Some said that Fierro was a bad
man."
Terrorized Village.
About nineteen years ago, Fierro
took offense at an order of the chief
of police of Bisaccio He terrorized
the entire village for days, and finally
shot and killed the chief. Italians
said he escaped on the plea of insan-
| ity. He and his family came to Amer
lea three years ago and have lived in
Richmond for some time
| No clues were found in the home.
The picture page of an Italian news
paper was lying on table in the liv-
| ing room. and long butcher knife
was found in the kitchen Coroner
Bond found cartridges for a revolver in
the house, and a number of memoran-
dunn books which, however, contained
nothing that would indicate the motive
for the strangling of his family and
the shooting of the Pennsylvania crew.
There was no fire in the stoves and
little food was discovered Bread
crumbs covered the table in the living
room
He was dressed in a blue serge suit
and wore a khaki shirt. He was
about feet, s inches tall and weighed
about 155 pounds.
Notify Police.
Police authorities in surrounding
towns and cities were notified of the
killing and furnished with descriptions
of Fierro.
The bodies of his wife and daughter
were found by Motorcycle Officer Hen
nigar and Brandon Griffis, who wen
to the house after it had been report
ed to police headquarters that FierrC
had told the section crew that ht
had murdered his family.
Later in the morning a report reach
ed police headquarters that Fierro hat
been seen in Rich's woods The woods
were searched without avail
Fierro had been worrying abou
debts incurred to sustain his family
it was said at police headquarters. Ht
owed a large grocery bill and also wa!
indebted for furniture, owing to his
long idleness. 1t was reported tina
Fierro had threatened to kill Franl
Castellucio. owner of a grocery stor,
near his residence, and several other
, against whom he haIbored a grudge.
Ten in Crew.
The crew of the handcar which wa
assaulted in the ARRAY, numbering tel
men in charge of Mr.. Henderson
started for point on the Logansport
Chicago branch of the Richmond div
sion about FIVE miles northwest of tn
city about Z o'clock Tuesday morning
The attack started when the car hat
traverseG little more than two mile
, , of track and at about 1880 O'Clock.
|. The point on the road where tn
murder was enacted is clear on tn
south side and wooded on the nortl
side. A deep heavy growth is fount
there. 1t was from these weed
that the killer emerged with shotgun
!, leveled at the occupants of the hand
car. The first shot was fired at clos
range into the midst of the men o.
the platform of the car striking Char
les Hagan in the upper left side of hi
body The charge struck him squared
in the region of the heart but larg
thick watch which he carried in hi
breast pocket saved his life. TIL
scattered shot of the charge lacerate
!; the upper left side of his body but
c is thought that he has suffered no SCI
/; ious injury.
/; When the first shot was fired, tn
d remainder of the crew of the ca
T scattered and ran, the killer maxim
/ straight for the foreman of the gan;
c who was instantly killed when til
l. second shot was fired. Fierro the
C fired another shot at his victim and
C part of this shot struck and injure
a Grant Perkins, member of the gan:
S, the shot striking him in the forearm
&c Fires More Shots.
a. The murderer is said to have fire
two or three shots into the body {
the slain man after the first shot too
It effect and several shots after the fle
IT ing members of the section gang. Sc
&c en- shots in all were fired.
$. William H. Gregg, a farmer WI
s. was in field a short distanc
10 from the shooting heard the shots an
thought the crew had stopped to ba
p a stray squirrel. When he arrived
e the scene of the killing. he found tt
a body of Hagan on the platform of I'll
;. hand-car and brought him to the eli
lc in his car and took him to Reid M
= mortal hospital. The body of Il
- slain man and Perkins, who was i
=. jured, were brought back to the loo
4. yards by an outbound freight ira
, which left for points on this brand
> about the time of the attack. tt
killed and injured men were put {
the train and the train hacked in