DOUBLE MURDER FOR FOUR SHILLINGS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3787, 11 February 1908, Page 4

DOUBLE MURDER FOR FOUR SHILLINGS.

Baby Found Playing In its

Parents’ Blood.

Genoa, December 8

Heated words between two wives over a question of 4s for rent led to a double murder by tbe husband of one of them in the suburb of Sampier d’Arena. The murderer escaped to the mountains, where his arrest is problematic, owing to the facilities to fugitives to escape over the frontier.

Signora Bianchi, the wife of a trade union leader, with four children, who sub-let a room to a Custom-house guard named Quattrocchi and his newly-married wife, quarrelled with Signora Quattrochi over the amount of rent to be paid before the latter left. Bianchi entered, but seems to have taken little part in the discussion. Quattrocchi appeared in the doorway holding his hand behind his back., Suddenly he sprang on Bianchi, dealing him a blow in the chest, with a sharp clasp-knife. Bianchi’s wife rushed to his assistance, but Quattrocchi turned his fury on her, stabbing her in the chest, shoulder, face, and, lower,body. Bianchi seized a chair to defend himself and his wife, but was overpowered, and fell, mortally wounded. The knife, broken by the force of the .blows, was found on the floor. Neighbours hearing cries, ran to the Bianchis’lodging. Quattrocchi rushed past them, covered with blood, into the street. Though chased by a crowd that showered blows on him, he sped towards the Ligurian Alps, and is still at large. On entering the room the neighbours found the husband and wife on the floor dying. The children were huddled in a corner whining with terror, except the little two-year-old baby, which was playing with a toy in its parents’ blood.