The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1945-04-30
MussoIini
In Moreue
Continued from Page u


They were carted to the city morgue
and the pair were placed on a metal
slab in the morgue courtyard.
Someone tilted the death slab up
ward so the bodies were visible to
hundreds of persons still milling
about the morgue, peering over the
stone and plaster wall.
In contrast to Mussolinis disfig-
ured features, his mistress face re-
manned youthful and beautiful even
in death. Her even, white teeth, now
Splotched with blood, were visible
through her parted lips and her
dark-brown, curly hair still hung in
tidy ringkts.
Her slim torso was covered with
an old pair Of mems trousers tossed
carelessly over her body A pink silk
garter belt and frilly blue under
clothes we're exposed.
BY the time MuSsolini'S body
reached the morgue his jacket had
been torn away, revealing his barrel
chest encaSed in short sleeved I'M
dershirt.
Sharing the morgue with II Duce
and Clara were the bodies Of l6 Of
his henchmen, executed like them
by Italian patriots after peoples
trial" They shared his final dis
grace as they had the infamy Of his
life.
'MuSsolini died badly said
Edouaro, leader of the 10-man fir
ing squad which sent the dictator
to his death.
When he was sentenced to death,
the man who had ruined his career
through illusions of empire ironical-
ly cried, Let me save my life, and
I will give you an empire"
mo, no" were the last words
from II Duce, who had said yes,
yes" so many times to his axis
partner, Adolf Hitler. He cried his
NOS" as the men OF the firing
squad raised their rifles to their
shoulders.
The execution took place at 4:20
p. m. Saturday nea~ the town OF
Dongo, on Lake Como. Mussolini was
killed at the villa where he had been
living since their arrest last Friday
night with Clara Petacci, the Rome
doctors daughter who wanted to be
a movie star.
Mussolini, the "Jackar to the
last, was caught as he attempted
to flee to Switzerland in a 30-car
convoy, his bulky frame clicked in
German military overcoat to
escape detection.
II heard Mussolini was arrested
and taken to villa near Dongo,"
said Eduardo, who commands all
the partisan forces south Of the Pc.
None OF US wanted Mussolini to
be freed or escape to Switzerland
SO sent 10 men with an officer to
Dongo.
"Mussolini was in the cottage on
the hill with Signorina Petacci.
When he saw italian officers COM
ing to him, he thought they had
come to free him and he embraced
his sweetheart.
When he understood he was go
ing to be tried he was shocked. But
our men gave them both a trial
and condemned them to DEATH"
Eduardo said the 16 others were
examined later and shot in the
town square at Dongo. They in
cluded the brother of Sigorina
Petacci, who tried to escape. He was
shot down as he ran.
These men died we'll" said Ed
ouardo. "MusSolnii died badly"
Eduardo said all the bodies were
thrown into a big, closed truck like
a moving van and brought to Milan
late Saturday night.
In Milan the bodies were dumped
in the Plaza Loretta, in the same
spot where the patriots say Fascists
killed is innocent people several
months ago in reprisals for the kill
ing Of some Germans.
An angry, shouting crowd filled
the square, splitting at the pile Of
bodies whenever they got close
enough. Occasionally one would run
from the crowd and kick Mussolini's
body.
AS stood, over Mussolini's corpse
the crowd surged forward. show
ing me against the bodies. Partisan
guards fired In the air and achieved
order-just for the moment. Then
the crowd surged again to spit and
kick at the body.