The New York herald., 1922-07-15
TALLEY COMMENDS
NEW YORK ITALIANS
Writes to Senator COtillo of
His High Regard for Latin
Culture.
EXPLAINS UNSIGNED NOTE
Denies Indorsing Comment on
Sicilians in varotta MUIR
der Case.

Salvatore A. Cotillo State Senator
has received from Alfred J. Talley. Judge
Of General Sessions. a letter In which
Judge Talley indicates his regard for the
Italian race and points out that criticism
of him on the ground Of his supposed
censorious attitude Is due to misunder-
standing.
Judge Talley's court on July OF Santo
Cusamano. charged with completely In
the kidnapping and murder OF Giuseppe
varotta, s. there was published letter
which the Judge had received attribut-
ing the crime to Sicilians and asking the
public to differentiate between "sIcn-
ians' and Italians"
Since then some of the Italian news
papers Of New York have been assailng
Judge Talley. Senator Cotillo wrote 10
Judge Talley. asking him to state the
facts. The Judges reply. published In
II Populo on Thursday. follows In full
July II. 1929.
Hon. Salvatore A.. Cotillo. Grand Mas
ter Order of Sons of Italy, s5 Liberty
street. city.
my DEAR SENATOR: OF course I am
| only too glad to comply with your re-
quest to state the facts of the matter III
the first instance.
"My regret is that those who have
violently assailed me did not take the
trouble to get the facts in the first
instance.
"At the conclusion of the Cusamano
trial and after the verdict had been
hrnnChf In isrrx
court room cleared and court adjourned
returned to my chambers. AS is usual
In following cases of this character some
OF the reporters who had been waiting
all day and all through the evening for
the verdict of the jury came to my cham
| bers. In the course of a general con-
versation I told them of letter that !
had received during the week or several
days before, and upon their request 60 see
1t I handed the original letter which ]
had received to one of the newspaper
men. One Of them asked: Where are
| signatures" and / replied There arr.
nome l had no idea that this letter in
any Hanner would be used as an attack
upon any part of our Italian population,
and you who know me we'll know there
Is not streak of racial prejudice in my
entire makeup. The suggestions that
nave appeared in some OF the papers
that this letter was read by me in open
court are preposterous and absolutely
| false
Il have just completedsthe third of a
series OF trials In which. unhappiy, the
defendants were Italians, all of whom
were convicted in the first degree, be-
cause OF their connection with the Va
rotta kidnapping and subsequent muir
der. and this ! assert without fear of
contradiction: No men who were ever
brought to the bar of justice ever re.
ceived a falrer trial than did each OF
those three men.
You have known me for so long tina,
Ino man Is better qualified to realize
how unjust Is the apparent attitude OF
some OF the Italian newspapers toward
me in this matter and how grieyousl,
misled many people have been.
II have made three separate trips tc
Italy and have spent months in prac.
tically every important place there.
have studied the Italian language and
read Italian books. not as well as
would like to. but as we'll as can. Ny
admiration and regard for the Italian
people has been such and my anxiety tc
make known to America the contribu.
ton OF Italy to the refinement and
civilization of the world caused me to
give lectures in every public school In
tuc Sity VI %~tW IOTk LOT n period oil
three years upon Italian art, literature
and Government. In fact. / have beer
planning all summer to make a trir
on the Conte Rosso in December to Ital,
in anticipation Of spending my vacation
in Italy.
IF am not mistaken. you have heard
many Of my public utterances in past
times. in which l have paid my unre.
served tribute to the distinct contribu.
tion that the Italian people have made
to the citizenship and artistic life of the
country. have no hesitation In saying
to you, what my friends heard me say
hundreds of times. In the language of q
great poet: open my heart and you will
find therein Italy
II regret exceedingly that have beer
so grievously misunderstood and that sc
many people for whom / have the high.
est regard have had their feelings hurt
What / am stating to you are the facts
and l am quite willing to be judged BY
them.
with very best regards, and thanking
you for the opportunity you have giver
me to state the facts, 1 remain
Very truly yours,
| t. v