Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1893-01-14 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE. SAD STORY FROM NAPLES.  A tragic and inexplicable double suicide has treated great horror and sympathy at Cosenza, in Calabria. The celebrated Calabrese novelist, Signor Ni ola Misasi, who was a friend of the parties, and was in the city at the time, thus relates the story to a Daily News correspondent: I was giving a lesson in school when I received a message to go at once to the house of my friends the Mosciaros. On reaching the street, I found such a crowd that I could pass only with difficulty. Entering the house I rushed upstairs, and encountered the mother of my friend Captain Mosciaro, evidently half-mad with terror. She began incoherently to relate what had happened. Two carabineers were stationed at the door of Captain Mosciaro's bedroom. On entering I saw that the bed had been slept in. I passed into the toilet room, when a horrible spectacle awaited me. My poor friend was seated on the grGund near an open trunk, his shoulders propped against the corner of a wardrobe, his head sunk on his breast. He had on only his shirt and trousers, and his boots were full of blood Near him, lying on her side, dressed in petticoat and bodice, lay his wife Amalia. Both were dead. Both were killed by revolver shots, and strange to say, in exactly the same place in the head. The smoke from the weapon still hung about the room. Their past story was briefly as follows. Edward Mosciaro, whilst still a boy at school, tell in love with a girl of his own age, Amalia Martini. On leaving school Mosciaro went to the Military College, and Amalia vas carefully educated. As she grew up, she was noted in Cosenza for her culture, amiability, and 'alent. This boy and girl had already promised to be faithful to each other, and though parted from each other for years kept their word. Mosciaro was promoted lieutenant, but as neither possessed the sum demanded by the military law before an officer can marry, they were content to wait until lie became captain. Meanwhile Mosciaro suffered from a malady which, poisoning his blood, nearly killed him, and perhaps this illness was the predisposing cause of the sudden mania which is the only explanation of his suicide. But at the time he was entirely cured of his malady, and returned to his regiment. After 18 years of patient constancy and waiting, Mosciaro's mother, brother, and grandfather, in agreement with the parents of Amalia, furnished the sum necessary to make the faithful lovers happy, and the wedding was fixed for the month of May, 1891. At this time both lovers were 30 years of age. On congratulating the bride, I could not help saying, "I sincerely wish that the reality may never destroy your dream," and she replied, " Rather would I die." The letters received from the newly. married couple breathed only of felicity. Careless of the company of others, they retired into a secluded, domestic life. But after nearly two years of absence from home, they felt a longing to visit I heir relations who had done so much for them. Captain Mosciaro obtained leave of absence for nine weeks, and determined to pass his holiday at Cosenza. His wife wrote to her friends from Verona, "The joy of seeing you all will be so great that I fear God will make me die." This word "die" was a favourite and oft-recurring ritorneila in her sayings and letters. The day before their death, Captain Mosciaro and his wife arrived at Cosenza happy, proud of each other, and joyous. That day was a festive one in the Mosciaros' house. Captain Mosciaro kissed his mother repeatedly, thanking her and his brother for having secured his happiness. Having accepted an invitation to go early the next day to Amalia's father, the young couple retired early to rest. The next morning at 9 o'clock the captain's mother knocked at their chamber door to say that his father-iro law's coachman was waiting with the carriage to fetch them. No one answered. "They are still asle, p, lazy children," exclaimed the mother, fler daughter Adeline, who slept in the next room to the captain, remarked that she had never heard thetn move. The mother knocked again. Amalia called from within, "%Viit a moment, mamma!" and the mother heard Ler o 'ii a window. Shortly after there was heard a di:li thud, followed by a d sperate cry from Amalia. The mother, terrifi"d, shook the door violently. It yielded, and, rushing into the room, she saw Antalia, mad with terror, kneeling by the side of her fallen husband. "What is it ?" cried the mother. "Edward has wounded himself." What for?" screamed the elder lady. "For nn,thit g ! I don't know. For nothing!" The mother ran to call for help, and the housekeeper, who had followed her into the room, ran to raise the captain. As she did so she heard a shot, then another, and she saw Amalia fall dead at her side. The captain was still breathing, but died shortly after. These are the simple facts. Nothing can explain the suicide of my friend. Only physicians, such as Lombroso, who study cases of sudden suicidal mania, may have some explanation to give of the sad fact. Perhaps not even they. The secret of my friend's death is hidden for ever in the tomb, watched by two spirits—love and deatls,  Sam Johnston: -L)ok neah, Abstah Schaumburg, I got caught ia a shower yesterday, and dis suit is done shrunk so I kin hardly breeve." S,llaumbur,g ; "You vas mistaken, my friend. My goots never shrink. Dot suit vas a little tight, perhaps, pecause you vas all swelled mit pride pecause you vas so elegantly dressed."