World War II Draft Registration: Michael Angelo Coscia of Montemiletto

World War II Draft Registration
Board: Somerville, Middlesex, MA #135
Serial #: U-2620
Name: Michael Angelo Coscia
Residence: 122 Rogers Avenue, Somerville, Middlesex, MA
Birth: 8 January 1891 in Montemiletto, Italy
Contact: Clarice Coscia
Employer: Bostonia Rattan and Willow Furniture Company (owner), 20 Traverse Street, Boston, MA

Michael's photo and naturalization petition can be found here.

Petition For Naturalization: Michele Coscia (1891)

Michele Coscia 1922 Passport Photo

 

Petition For Naturalization #55977
Filed: 23 December 1920 in Boston, MA
Name: Michele Coscia
Residence: 32 Clayton Ave., Medford, MA
Occupation: Chair Maker
Birth: 8 January 1891 in Avellino, Italy
Emigration: "Verona" - Napoli to Boston - 1 July 1915
Declaration of Intention: #69079 Filed 1 August 1917 in Boston
Wife: Margherita, born 1894 in Avellino, resides in Avellino
Children: None
Witness: Frederick Carlo, porter, Medford
Witness: Giriardo De Rosa, stone cutter, Boston
Date of Admission: 19 September 1921
Certificate #: 1593829

Petition for Naturalization

Passport Application #145735
Filed: 11 April 1922 in Boston
Issued: 14 April 1922 in Washington, D.C.
Name: Michele Coscia
Birth: 8 January 1891 in Montemiletto, Italy
Father: Angelo Coscia
Emigration: 18 June 1915 from Naples
Residence: 32 Clayton Ave., Medford, MA
Naturalization: 19 September 1921 in Boston
Travel Plans: "Providence" leaving New York on 21 April 1922 - visiting relatives in Italy.

1922 Passport Application

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Santore's Statement

Boston Daily Globe

3 April 1885; p.13

The entire story finally comes out over one year later.  You can find the first article in this post.

"Santore's Statement
A Letter Written on the Eve of Death - Said to be a Full and Truthful Account of the Italians' Crime.

Tuesday morning Father Bonafacio of this city visited the condemned Italian murderers at the Maine State prison, accompanied by Father Peterson of Rockland.  At that time Santore gave to Father Bonafacio a letter containing, as he said, a full and truthful account of the crime for which he and Capone have been condemned, stating further that a copy of the same had been sent to Governor (Robic).  The following is a translation of the letter:

On the 7th of September, 1883, about 4 p.m., Pasquali Coscia called on Raphel Capone and Carmine Santore to take a walk.  When we arrived at a certain point of the road we met one Bernardo Catardo, with three other men.  This Catardo, on perceiving me, informed me that there was a letter at Bangor for me in the handwriting of one Roberto Fiore.  On hearing this I left Coscia and Capone, and walked with Catardo.  I took the road for Bangor, and was scarcely a quarter of a mile on the way when I heard a whistle, and, turning, I saw Capone alone coming after me.  He made a sign with his hand to wait a little while, and I, thinking that he wanted to go with me, awaited his coming.  When he arrived he said to me, "Don't go to Bangor now; Pasquali Coscia is coming and we will take this other road (different from the Bangor one), for he has some money and we will take it from him, for I owe Jaetano Pisatura about $100, and cannot meet it otherwise."

I did not want to acquiesce to the demand of Capone, but he persisted for such a length of time that in the meantime Pasquali Coscia appeared in our midst.  Capone then left me, and after satisfying nature's demands returned, and we were all three together, and on the road aforesaid by Capone, the one leading to the wood.  I walked along, smoking my pipe and keeping at the right of Coscia, and Capone to his left, and as soon as we entered the wood  Capone fired a shot into the back of Coscia, who cried out to Capone, "Oh, Compare, why did you shoot me!  You are my traitor!"

Immediately Capone threw the revolver to the ground, seized a stick and followed up Coscia, who tried to escape.

Capone cried out to me, "Get, get, get the revolver, and shoot, shoot, shoot - he is escaping me - he's escaping me!"

I took up the revolver, and fired a shot at the distance of about eight feet, not with the intention of injuring any of the two who were running, but with the intention of attracting the attention of some English-speaking workmen, who were laboring not far from there; but my efforts were in vain.

Coscia ran as far as the end of the wood, but could go no further, on account of a wooden fence.  He then turned back followed by Capone, who dealt him repeated blows with the stick on the head.  Coscia on his return arrived as far as the spot where the shot was fired and there fell exhausted.  Capone then threw away the stick, and rushed on him and seized him by the throat.  Then he unbuttoned his (Coscia's) vest and extracted from the pocket thereof the wallet, and came to where I was standing, took the revolver, went back to the dying man and discharged another shot into his face, and struck him with a stick again, and then came to me and said, "Let us go now, I have split his skull."

About thirty feet farther on he washed his hands and face and tore off the wristbands of his  shirt, which were saturated with blood, and when he arrived at the bridge crossing to Bangor, he threw the revolver into the river.

We went to a store and drank a bottle of beer each, with another young man whom we met on the way to Bangor.  Afterward we went to see Master Dominico, boss of the work, and not finding him we went into another store and I bought ten cents worth of rum while Capone placed on the bar a $20 bill.  I handed the money to the bartender, but Capone got the change.

Having left the rum shop, Capone handed me $30 on condition that I would not mention the fact of the murder.  We went and drank again, and he had a bottle of beer and I two.  We went home about 9 o'clock p.m., and at 3 o'clock next morning Capone washed his clothes. 

About 8 o'clock on the 8th of September Capone came to me and wanted to borrow some money, but I answered that I could not favor him in that respect, and Capone told me to give him the $30 I got from him, and I acceded to his request.

The police came and found the clothes of Capone still stained with blood, and having inquired with whom Coscia was on the 7th they arrested both of us.  As soon as I found myself imprisoned I wrote a few lines to be interviewed desiring to expose the whole affair as it took place.  Then Capone, as soon as he understood his situation, maliciously accused me of the murder."

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Raffaele Capone's Trial

Boston Daily Globe

21 February 1884; p.5

"Raffael Capone's Trial
A Man Convicted of Murder Testifies Against A Man On Trial For Murder
(Special Dispatch to The Boston Globe)

Bangor, February 20. - The trial of Raffael Capone today has been of most dramatic interest.  The presence of Santore on the witness stand, when he himself has just been convicted of murder, could not but make the trial somewhat intense. 

He testified in substance that he was born in Monte Milletto, Italy; came from the same place in Italy that Capone came from; am 43 years old; saw both Capone and the murdered man, Pasqual Coscio, about 4 o'clock p.m. on September 7 last; all three went to walk together; went toward the fiver; met a  brother-in-law of Coscio; the latter named Bernardo, told witness that there was a letter in Bangor for him, and he started off alone; after going about a quarter of a mile heard Capone's whistle and stopped; waited for him to come up; at that time Coscio stayed behind talking with Bernardo; it was then that Capone told me about Coscia having money.

The cross-examination by Colonel Bradbury was most careful and exhaustive.  By repeated questions he succeeded in drawing from witness these statements: 

Left Italy in 1882; arrived in New York and stayed there until coming to Brewer last season; have a wife in Italy, knew Coscia ten years in Italy; was in jail in that country from 1860 to 1870, there was a revolution of the people of the village under Francis (II); they were in arms against Victor Emmanuel; (who) oath taken by the society of revolutionists, who were armed, was in substance that strange troops should be kept out; Garibaldi was coming to reign; in connection with others took human lives, but simply for defense; was charged with being a revolutionist, not a murderer. 

Witness showed evidences of great physical weakness, and when asked to tell the conversation that occurred after hearing Capone's whistle, he complained of headache.  Witness stated that his memory was better in the Police Court than now. 

This afternoon the prisoner was put on the witness stand.  He said that the murder was committed by Santore, and that he had nothing to do with it.  The trial will probably end tomorrow night. 

Santore, who has been convicted, is suffering great mental anguish.  Yesterday he in some way received an impression that he was to be hanged today.  He threw himself on the stone floor of his cell and laid there for hours, sobbing and groaning. 

This morning the interpreter, Bernardini, and Father O'Brien visited Santore's cell.  He was told that his execution would not take place for some months.  This seemed to make him feel easier, but still sad.  This morning, after being taken into court to testify against Capone, and while sitting in the prisoners' dock, he shed tears."

Those trouble-makers from Montemiletto ;-)  

More to follow ...

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