MURDER CASES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1455, 16 May 1905, Page 4

MURDER CASES.

(Per R.M.S. [Ventura, at [Auckland.))! San Franoisco, April 27* San Franoisoo, which rivals London and Paris in its horrible murder eases, has recently added another to the long list of especially hideous affairs. On the evening of April 5 a man, walking along a street on the border of what is known as the Latin quarter, saw another man carrying a heavy burden, in what seemed to him a suspicious and furtive fashion. The police wore notified and found a bundle, which provod to be the headless and dismem bered body of a youDg man. On the fol lowing day the tide washed to the shore, near the fishermen’s wharf, the head, legs and arms of the murdered victim. The remains wore presently recognised to be those of Bisgo Vilardo, a poor Italian or Sicilian. The police are believed to deserve considerable credit in this instance. They finally arrested Rosa Tortorioi, who with her baby in arms came to the bloodstained place where it was apparent the murder was committed. The woman,who is yonng and beautiful, said she knew her husband committed the murder, but she did not soe him do it. She said her husband and Vilardo, who was a boarder in the house, wore quarrelling at 7.30, and she loft the house and did not return until 9.30. Then when she came home she went to bed, paying little attention to tbs basin of blood or other evidences of crime. Though it is asserted the polios officer “put Mrs Tortorici through cruel sweating processes” nothing more than this could thoy learn. It is generally believed that Vilardo was a victim of “Mafia,” though other evidence points to a personal quarrel. At any rate Tororici has not been captured. It is a curious fact that though there were hundreds of Italians among the throngs who poured through the morgue to yiew the body of Vilardo, none of these ventured to identify the murdered man. Another Vilardo, a half-brother of the victim, did finally identify the dead man. When the funeral was held it was marked that only this half-brother, and one other man, a friend, ventured to be present. Several elderly women attended, praying beside the coffin. It is said that Vilardo helped to bury a victim of Mafia, who was killed some months ago, and that he gave testimony to the police regarding this affair. For this it is said he was marked for death, and Tortorici was but a representative of the Black Hand. However, this may be, the actual murderer may bo in Italy by • this time, and it is not likely that his wife will bo pnnisbed very severely for- whßt is held to bB at least criminal knowledge of the murder. The woman appears quite content in prison. She talks little, and betrays nothing. Other Italians in the city arc equally reticent, though Leitalia, a ldoal Italian newspaper, has abjured Tortorica if ho has a drop of warm blbdd of Italy in his veins to como forward and take the burden of the crime on his shoulders instead of hiding behind the skirtß of his unhappy wife. It appears Tortorici attacked Vilardo from behind with a cleaver while the latter sat' eating his supper. He then used other implements in outring up the body.