A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2161, 15 May 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

A horrible " deed of blood " committed nt Portempedocle, near Girgenti, gives an illustration of the ou of the knife in the island of Sicily. Two butchers, father and son, of the name of jlndelioato, who kept a shop in that town, not long since took two brothers named Alfonso and Giovanni Gannetoni into partnership, to enable them the better to compete with a rival establishment. At first there was a great show of friendship between the partners, but before long the Cannetonis began to trade in lambs' oarcasen separately on their own account, and disagreements ro.se, which ultimately led to a collision between Baldussare Indelicate and Alfonso Cannetoui. They drew their butcher*' knives from their Helta on each other. Alfonso aimed a well-directed blow at Baldassara. He parried it with his left arm, which was cut to the bone, and at the same instant drove his knife into the heart of Alfonso, who fell dead on the spot. At that moment a young son of Alfonso, aged 19, came up with a bludgeon to his father's assistance. Baldassare struck him to the ground, and then cut his throat across, "as he would have slaughtered a sheep.*' Mad with rage, Baldassare then rushed into the shop, and, taking Giovanni, the brother of Alfonso, by surprise, " killed him with a slash across the abdomen, before he had time to cry • God help me !' " Turning then to leave the shop, he inflicted a serious wound on a person just entering. " All this occurred within the space of four minutes, the result of the collision being three persons killed aud two wounded. <■