The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-23
FIERRO ENDS
LIFE AS DOGS
PURSUE TRAIL
Believe Friends Gave
Slayer Assistance J

slayer, ended his life by shooting him
self through the head Wednesday eve
ming with a revolver, on the back steps
of the home 1105 North / street where
he had strangled his wife and daugh-
ter.
Before he sent the bullet crashing
through his brain, Fierro passed un-
molested through the very heart of
the down town business district, en-
tered an office building, circled south
as far as South E. street, and re-
crossed Main street on his way TO
North / street.
That he changed his clothing, put
on brown suit, was shaved. disposed
of the shotgun, conversed with a num-
Der of persons, and entered his own
house, also unmoleSted, indicates, IL
is believed, that he was protected by
friends.
Fierro fired the shot at $50 o'clocl,
on the back porch of his home. Louis
Salzarulo, Barlow Nigro and Toney
Newdor, standing at North Twelfth
and / streets heard the report and re-
ported it to the police who located the
body of Fierro at 9:20
BIoodhounds Close
| Close on his trail were the blood
hounds which had been taken to the
center of the city when police heard
that Fierro had been seen there.
Picking up his trail, they readily fol-
| lowed it through his wandering short
| ly before his death.
The slayer, 1t is assumed, hid un-
| der the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
| bridge near Thistlethwaite's Falls and
| in Fairview during part of the time
| 1I- L. ,11y111 .fv,rr
of the railroad crew and his trip
! through the business section of the
city to his home on North street.
Fierro was seen in the vicinity of
Richmond few hours after the rail-
road tragedy and was again seen We'd
nesday afternoon a few miles south of
the city on the Liberty pike where he
was fed by farmers wife. The fact
that, when his body was found, he
wore different clothing than when the
murder was committed and was clean
and well shaven indicates that Fierro
was given shelter by someone within
the city.
i Fierro said last night that after he
had informed his wife that he in.
tended to murder Henderson and
other members Of the Pennsylvania
railroad crew, she asked him to kill
her and the nine-year-old daughter
first
Could Not Eat
| 1t is said that when talking to some
of his friends Wednesday evening
Fierro made the statement that when
he was fed by farmers wife south
of the city he saw the faces of his
wife and child in piece of bread, and
that he could not eat
| EIarro ate Iunnh in a restaurant M
500 Main street at $50 o'clock, accord
ing to James Paros, proprietor of
the restaurant. The murderer ate a
light lunch and stayed about 10 min
utes. Mr.. Paros did not know F'ierro
and did not recognize him at the time
Going down to the home after learning
of the. suicide Mr.. Paros saw that the
dead man was the man who had been
in his restaurant earlier in the even
ing.
The presumption is that grief for
his murdered family and the hopeless
ness of his plight when the blood
hounds were called to follow him, led
him to end his own life. He had made
statements to persons with whom he
came in contact during the early part
of the evening that he would. not be
taken alive but was going to get
lothers before he was through.
Investigation has shown that the
4 family of Fierro was not in financial
distress and that this could not have
been the motive for his killing the
wife and child. Frank Castellucio, an
Italian grocer, who is supposed to
have been one of the intended vic-s
tins of the murderer, because he
lpressed an overdue grocery account,
Thursday stated that he held no ac-
count against Fferro and that he does
not understand why the killer should
have been looking for him.
Was Not Insane
That the dead murderer was neither
insane nor a mental defective is the
opinion of those who knew him. It
was his virulent temper and the de-
sire to kill which came after delib-
Grafton on a grudge which caused him
to commit the murderous deeds.
Fierro was regarded as one of those
unfortunate persons who blamed their
own shortcomings on the world, and
whenever he was discharged for In
competency and inefficiency held
grudge against the men who dischafg-
ed him. He was known always TO
have been troublesome
That the arrival of the bloodhounds
to the city to take part in the pursuit
was effective in fastening the death
of the murderer, is the belief OF the
.. officials here.
Prosecutor Beckett, who took part
in the chase after the scent was pick
ed up by the hounds, made the fol-
lowing statement after he was inform
ed of the suieide "He is dead, and the
bloodhounds deserve the credit"
Praise BIoodhouse Use
]. Brandon Griffis, assistant prose
! cutor. said. without the use OF the
. bloodhounds. he would have been
around here for another week at least
and 1t would have cost more lives
when his hiding place was finally dis
covered Sometime ago, expressed
the opinion that he would eventually
return to his home"
Local police officials confirm the be-
lief that the bloodhounds we're instru-
mental In bringing the man-hunt to
an end.
| The bloodhounds we're brought here
by their owners, Cornwell and Jack
| son of Bedford, and are of the Rook-
1 uvn0a kennel in T,oxiuCf0r Kw -