iy a
one they were arrested. Because of the local feeling in Tangapahoa
|-farish-and the-very real threat of Lynening, they were held in the |
Jail at New Orleans until their trial when they were returned tm under
ANA AEXTARKA BA KGAXRAPARKX EK EXER heavy military guard to Tahgapahoa Pa-
rish for their trial at Amite, They all admitted having been in Inde«
pendences, but each claimed to have been there on business, The testi-
mony most responsible for their conviction was that of the 99-year-old
box who had overheard their 'plans for the robbery, Their conviction
was appealed to the State Supreme Court which ordered a new trial and
for a second time they were returned under guard to Amite where they
they were once again convicted and sentenced to die, The Italiaa En=-
vassy in Washington made an effort tohave their sentences commuted
and petitions that totaled several hundred feet in length were pre=~
sented to Governor asking that their lives be spared, Mrs. Calmes
and her family's lives were threatened unless they joined the move
for a commutation and the Warden of the Jail in New Orleans was offered
a $50,000 bribe if he would allow them to escape. Before the date
scheduled for their execution, Teona who was dying of tuberculosis ,»
ade a confession in which he claimed that he alone had shot Calmes
but 36-kours before the scheduled executions, when it became obvious
that the Governor would not spare the lives of his companions, he
AG: a
one they were arrested. Because of the local feeling in Tangapahoa
|\_Parish—-end-the-very—real threat of lynching, they were held in the
Jail at New Orleans until their trial when they were returned tm under
AHLEBXTAREABARGA XRARAEMKXBRKRK heavy military guard to Tahgapahoa Pa~
rish for their trial at Amite. They all admitted having been in Inde-
pendence, but each claimed to have been there on business, The testi-
mony most responsible for their conviction was that of the 9=year~old
bogst who had overheard their 'plans for the robbery, Their conviction
was appealed to the State ‘Supreme Court which ordered a new trial and
for a second time they were returned under guard to Amite where they
they were once again convicted and sentenced to die, The Italiaa mn-
bassy in Washington made an effort tohave their sentences commuted
and petitions that totaled several hundred feet in length were pre-
sented to Governor asking that their lives be spared. Mrs. Calmes
and her family's lives were threatened unless they joined the move
for a commtation and the Warden of the Jail in New Orleans was offered
a $50,000 bribe if he would allow them to escape, Before the date
Scheduled for their execution, Teona who was dying of tuberculosis ,
briade a confession in which he claimed that he alone had shot Calmes
but 36-kours before the scheduled executions, when it became obvious
that the Governor would not spare the lives of his companions, he
one they were arrested, Hecause of the local feeling in Tangapahoa
eo re ery real threat of lynching, they were Held in the
Jail at New Crleans until their trial when they were returned 2 under
0K heavy
vish for their trial at Amite.
filade a confession in which he claimed that he alone had shot Calmes
but 36-kours before the scheduled executions, when it became obvious
that the Governor would not spare the lives of his companions, he
OE SSE SS SL Sil a Nate oie
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wrote to his wife and s&id that he had not killed Calmes, For a
jast time, the six condemned men were returned to Tangapahoa Parish
under gaurd from New Orleans and on May 9, 192, they were hanged
in pairs from a scaffold erected on the east side of the jail and
Surrounded by a solid board fence thrity feet high. Only official
witnesses were permitted behind the enclosure even though the lar-
gest crowd in the history of Amite had gathered for the execution,
Deamore and Leona went to the gallos first and neither made a state-
ment or displayed any emotion, Before their bodies had been cut
down, it was found that Lemantia who had somehow obtained a small
pocket knife had stabbed himself over the heart and was bleeding
profusely, He was carried to the gallows in a chair, accompanied
by Bocchio who was in a state of near collapse and had to be supported
on the last walk, When the trap fell, Lemantia, who was still seated
and the bhair, both fell through the trap, Rini and Giglio brought
up the end of the procession and both denied from the gallows their
involvement in the actual murder of Calmes, maintaining that Leona!s
confession was comrect, It had been believed all along that they had
a confederate in Independence and when asked who it was, Rini replied
"I will never tell," When asked again, he spbke his last words:
Wes
wrote to his wife and said that he had not killed Calmes, for a
last time, the six condemned men were returned to Tangapahoa Parish
under gaurd from New Orleans and on May 9 » 1924, they were hanged
in pairs from a scaffold erected on the east side of the jail and
Surrounded by a solid board fence thrity feet high, Only official
witnesses were permitted behind, the enclosure even though the lar-
gest crowd in the history of Amite had gathered for the execution,
Deamore and Leona went to the gallogs first and neither made a state-
ment or displayed any gmotion, Before their bodies had been cut
down, it was found that Lemantia who had somehow obtained a small
pocket knife had stabbed himself over the heart and was bleeding
profusely. He was carried to the gallows in a chair, accompanied
by Boechiio who was in a state of near collapse and had to be Supported
on the last walk, When the trap fell, lemantia, who was still seated
and the bhair, both fell through the trap, Rini and Giglio brought
up the end of the procession and both denied from the gallows their
involvement in the actual murder of Calmes, maintaining that Leona's
confession was comrect, It had been believed all along that they had
a confederate in Independence and when asked who it was, Rini replied
"I will never tell." When asked again, he spbke his last words:
wrote to his wife and s&id that he had not killed Caimes,
last time, the six condemned men were retu:
under gaurd from New Orleans and on May 9,
in pairs from a scaffold erected on the east
on the last walk, when the trap fell,
and the bhair, both fell through the trap,
up the end of the procession and both dei
involvement in the actual murder of Ca:
confession was comrect,
"You understood what I said.
FLORIDA PARISHES TIMES, Amite City, La,, May 10, 192i
BATON ROUGE SUNDAY ADVOCATE, Ba6éon Rougey La, , "Stern Justice Took
8 ix Lives for One" by Charlotte Crowell, May 10, 196). BREE
"eeeHANG BY THE NECK..." by Tecters, Page 178-180
He quotes NEW HANDBOOK OF HANGING by Charles Duff, Chicago, 195),
Charles Regnery, Paces 109-111,
and THE SIX W HO WERE HANGED by Clem Hearsey.
"You understood what I said."
FLORIDA PARISHES TIMES, Amite City, Las, May 10, 192)
BATON ROUGE SUNDAY ADVOCATE, Baton Rouge, la, » "Stern Justice Took
8 ix Lives for Ona" by Charlotte Crowell. May 10, 196). FSXE
"eeeHANG BY THE NECK..." by Tecters, Page 178-180
He quotes NgW HANDBOOK OF HANGING by Charles Duff, Chicago, 195k,
Charles Regnery, Paces 109-111,
and THE SIX W HO WERE HANGED by Clem Hearsey.
"Yor
understood what I said. exis
FIORIDA PARISHES TIMES, Amite la,y May 10, 12h
BATON ROUGE SUNDAY ADVOCATE, Ba6on | Rouges la, , "Stern Justice Took
8 ix Lives ae Ons" by Charlotte Crowell, May 10, 196, 2KEE
THE NECK..." by Tecters, Page 178-180
HANDBOOK QP HANGING by Charles Duff, chicayo, 195k,
n Hoarsey.
Sa
frag
| Giglio and Leona, Italian-American natives of Brooklyn, went to New
_ they used his garage for a meeting pla ce, There they planned to rob
ee Re eee ee Cane TAT RT TTA aITRTTI ASCOT ET eh eT SHAE NATENLEES TUR AUDE NG ITE AT cn Ve
BOCCHIO, Joseph, DZAMORE, Natale, GIGLIO, Joseph, LEMANTIA, Andrews.
LEONA, Roy and RINI, Joseph
Deamore, an Italian-American, owned a garage in New Orleans, la,
Oraaans for the purpose of manufaétuaring and dealing in whiskey and
there they met Bocbhio, Lemantia and Rini, 211 Italian-Americans from
Chicago. A-gang was formed and KEKE with Deamore as the leader and
the bank at Independence, Tangipahoa Parish, duringthe peak of the
strawberry season when deposits should be at their heighest. On Fri.
day afternoon, May 6, 1921, they arrived at a farm on the outskirss
of Indpendence owned by an acquaintance of Deamore and the owner's
J-year-old son heard the men finalizing plans for the robbery that
night. Late on the night of May 7 they rode into Independence and
early on the morning of May 8, they were creeping through the back
yard of the residence of l5-year-old Dallas L, Calmes, 2 restaurant,
and hotel owner, on their way to the rear of the bank when Mrs, Calmes
overhead them. She summoned her husband who drew his pistol, went
to the back door and called for the men‘to halt. They opened fire
and Calmes was mortally wounded, dying twenty mimtes later, The
fould-be vobbers fled and when their car was halted by some fallen
trees in livingston Parish they abandoned it and fled on feot. One-by
irene a a
BOCCHIO, Joseph, DEAMORE, Natale, GIGLIO
LEONA, Roy and RINI, Joseph
Deamore, an Italian-American, owned a garage in New Orleans, Ia,
Giglio and Leona, Italian-American natives of Brooklyn, went to New
Or@aans for the purpose of manufaétuaring and dealing in whiskey and
there they met Bocbhio, Lemantia and Rini, all Italian-Americans from
Chicago. A-gang was formed and XKEE with Deamore as the leader and
they used his garage for a meeting pla ce, ‘There they planned to rob
the bank at Independence, Tangipahoa Parish, duringthe peak of the
strawberry season when deposits should be at their heighest. On Fri.
day afternoon, May 6, 1921, they arrived at a farm on the outskirss
of Indpendence owned by an acquaintance of Deamore and the owner's
9-year-old son heard the men finalizing plans for the robbery that
night. Late on the night of May 7 they rode into Independence and
early on the morning of May 8, they were creeping through the back
yard of the residence of l5-year-old Dallas L, Calmes, a restaurant,
and hotel owner, on their way to the rear of the bank when Mrs, Calmes
overhead them. She summoned her husband who drew his pistol, went
to the back door and called for the men ‘to halt. They opened fire
and Calmes was mortally wounded, dying twenty mimtes later, The
Would-be bobbers fled and when their car was halted by some fallen
trees in Livingston Parish they abandoned it and fled on feot, One-by:
Wo
POCCHIO, Joseph, DsAMORE, Natale, GIGLIO, Joseph, LEMANTIA, Andrew,
ISONA, Roy and RINT, Joseph :
Deamore, an Italian-American, owned a garage in New Orleans, la,
Giglio and Leona, Italian-Auerican natives of Brooklyn, went to New
Craaans for the purpose of manufaétuaring and dealing in whiskey and
here they met Bochhio, Lemantia and Rihi, all Italian-Americans from
Chicago. A-gang was formed and EXKE with Deamore as the leader and
they used his garage for a meeting pla ce, There they planned to rob
the bank at Independence, Tangipahoa Parish, duringthe peak of the
strawberry season when deposits should be at their heighest. On Fri.
day afternoon, May 6, 1921, they arrived at a farm on the outskirts
of owned by an of Deamore and the owner's
S-year-old son heard the men finalizing plans for the robbery that
night. Late on the night of May 7 they rode into Independence and
early on the morning of May 8, they were creeping through the back
yard of the residence of l5-year-old Dallas L, Calmes, a restaurant,
and hotel owner, on their way to the rear of the bank when Mrs, Calmes
overheartd them, She summoned her Imsband who érew his pistol, wont
to the back door and called for tha men'to halt. They opened fire
and Calmes was mortally wounded, dying twenty mimites later. The
Would-be bobbers fled and when their car was halted by some fallen
trees in Livingston Parish they abandoned it and fled on feot, One-by]
(CHDI0, Jovoph, LDUNTEA, Aotrewy
me arma tn
ahaa iea nef at frm unt ew
ea iy ta heey
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