TERRIBLE CRIME RECALLED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 56, 24 July 1912, Page 5

TERRIBLE CRIME RECALLED

TWKXTV-SIX YXAIiS IX THE GALLEYS. One of the grimmest murder stones of -modern times enters into the life history of Antonio Tozzi, a butcher from the Abruzzi Mountains, to -whom the King of Italy 'has just granted a free pardon for good conduct after spending over 20 years in the galleys. Antonio, in partnership with his father, owned the principal depot at Monterotondo, where his pretty sister C'arolinia was being courted by a l!)-year-old swain, Domenico Poggi.' Between the two families interested in the courtship a feud arose and- waxed so fierce that Tozzi and his son planned to revenge themselves with diabolical cunning. On a glorious Mav evening in 1885 young Poggi entered Tozzi's shop at sunset to plead -earnestly for a reconciliation. Tozzi and -his son appeared to be in a better humor than usual, and while the father busied himself closing tiie shutters of the shop, Antonio, lighting a lantern, invited the youth Poggi to accompany him below into a subterranean slaughterhouse, on the pretext of showing -him some fine animals freshly killed. On -hearing his father's foosteps in the rear Antonio, approaching his sister's sweetheart from behind, dealt him a terrific blow on the back of the head with a huge hammer used -for felling bullocks. Poggi dropped unconscious and Antonio dragged the victim by the hair to a ■block, whereon lie ,severed the head, the father holding the body downwards by the waist till every drop of blood had been drained into the pails. The murderers then proceeded to mutilate the corpse.

Carrying away portions of the victim in a basket and burying the same at nightfall on the hillside proved their undoing. for shepherds' dogs unearthed the shocking evidences of the tragedy. The father died before the .trial was finished, but Antonio, who had stoutly protested his innocence, made a clean -breast of the crime after lie liad been condemned to lifelong imprisonment.