Ascension County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Randazzo, Matteo - November 30, 1916 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mary K. Creamer marykcreamer.00@gmail.com March 31, 2021, 11:53 pm source: The Donaldsonville Chief. (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, December 02, 1916, Image 3 ITALIAN MERCHANT MURDERED Paul Fontano and Tony Falsetta Accused of Killing M. Randazzo. Matteo Randazzo, a prominent Italian merchant storekeeper of this city, was shot and instantly killed at 11 o'clock Thursday night; his nephew, Salvador Randazzo, was seriously wounded in the fusillade which caused the death of the storekeeper, and Frank Randazzo, 14-year-old son of the slain man, sustained a slight wound in the left wrist. Paul Fontano, an Italian storekeeper whose place of business is one block away from that of Randazzo, in the same street, and Tony Falsetta, proprietor of a bakery at the corner of St. Patrick and Claiborne streets, one block above the Randazzo store, are in jail charged with the murderous attack. They are accused by Salvador and Frank Randazzo, both of whom declared before the coroner's jury that they recognized Fontano and Falsetta as the men who stood at the front door of the Randazzo store and fired the shots which killed Matteo Randazzo. The details of the tragedy as gleaned from these witnesses are to the effects of the escape, at about 11 o'clock Thursday night, they and Matteo Randazzo were in the saloon portion of the latter's store. Salvador and Frank Randazzo were sitting down, and Matteo Randazzo was walking backward and forward. Suddenly a shot was fired through the glass front door of the store, at a moment when Matteo Randazzo was facing that direction. He fell to the floor mortally wounded, whereupon the assassins are said to have commenced shooting at Salvador and Frank Randazzo. One buckshot struck the former in the right chest, penetrating the body, and another inflicted a flesh wound in the left side. His injuries are regarded as serious, but not necessarily dangerous. A single buckshot struck Frank Randazzo in the left wrist, causing a slight wound. Sheriff E. C. Hanson, Chief of Police Robert Dill and other officers arrived on the scene a few minutes after the shooting. Upon hearing the story told by the two Randazzos, they proceeded to Paul Fontano's store, at the corner of St. Patrick and William streets, where they found the accused seated in his bar-room. Tony Falsetta was preparing to retire when the officers arrived at his residence and took him into custody. Dr. D. C. Brumfield, of Darrow, coroner of the parish, was summoned and held an inquest over the body of Matteo Randazzo, finding that death was caused by nine buckshot wounds in the left breast just above the heart. The coroner's jury was composed of Charles Weil, Ernest Capella, Willi Casso, C. C. Savoia and L. J. Acosta. Frank Randazzo's testimony was as follows: "My father, uncle and myself were sitting by the counter, talking. All at once a shot came from the door and hit my father; the second shot hit me, and the third hit my uncle. The fourth shot broke a drum of gas. I saw two men at the door. Then I went out on the street and picked up two guns, a double-barrel shotgun and a rifle. I saw one man run up St. Patrick street; the other man went down St. Patrick street. Tony Falsetta went up the street and Paul Fontano went down the street." Salvador Randazzo testified that "Deceased was walking up and down the saloon. I was sitting and talking. Two men appeared at the door and made shots - four of them. The men were Tony Falsetta and Paul Fontano." The weapons with which the shooting was done were a sawed-off shotgun and a 38 calibre Winchester rifle. These were found on the sidewalk in front of the store, together with four empty Peters' Ideal shotgun shells which had previously loaded with buckshot. Salvador Randazzo was shot at from ambush several weeks ago as he was on his way home one night from his uncle's store, where he is employed. He was struck in the neck by a buckshot and slightly wounded. In this attempt at assassination the same sort of weapon and ammunition were used as were employed in Thursday night's affray. Matteo Randazzo was prominent in the affairs of the local Italian benevolent society, and was serving as president of the organization. The society is divided into two factions of nearly equal strength, and much bitterness and ill-feeling has been prevalent among the partisans for several years. A new president was elected recently, but the Randazzo faction has enjoined him from taking office and the suit is now pending in the local district court. The funeral of the slain man took place this morning at 9:30 o'clock and was largely attended. Services were held [paper tear] church and were unusual [paper tear] a feature of the rites being [paper tear] discourse delivered in Italian [paper tear] est of that nationality. The members of the Italian Benevolent Society attended the obsequies in a body. Deceased is survived by his aged mother, wife, four sons and one daughter. His age was 48 years, 9 months and 12 days. Fontano and Falsetta vigorously deny any knowledge of the crime, and declare that they will have no difficulty in establishing an alibi that will prove their innocence. It is thought they will ask for a preliminary hearing during the coming week. Additional Comments: NOTE: www.findagrave.com memorial # 156413022 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/ascension/obits/r/randazzo8239gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/lafiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb