14 Mar 1914 - Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington)
Page 3, Column 5
Widow in Seattle Jail Said to Have Admitted Hiring Assassin ACCUSED MAN ARRESTED
Picconi Admits His Identity, but Denies Knowing Anything of the CrimeSEATTLE, March 13 - Frank Picconi, who was arrested at Cle Elum today, killed Henry Werner in his barn, near Issaquah, March 2, for a consideration of $100, according to a confession made in the county jail here last week by Mrs. Magdalina Werner, the young widow of the murdered man. This was learned tonight. Mrs. Werner and Frank Smith, alias Henry Paulone, were held for investigation after the inquest at Issaquah last Friday and were brought to the county jail here. When arrested at Clealum Picconi at first denied knowledge of the murder, or of the Werners. Later he admitted that he was acquainted with the family of the dead man. He at first told the Clealum officers his name was Joe Martino.
The prosecuring attorney has in his possession several letters written by Mrs. Werner to various men. It is alleged that the writing of these letters and her acquaintance with the other men caused frequent disagreements between Mrs. Werner and her husband, who was 30 years her senior. At the coroner's inquest Mrs. Werner insisted that her husband was killed during a quarrel with two strangers whom she found in the barn. This story was corroborated by her son, Wilhelm. When the prosecuting attorney attempted to question her concerning the letters in his possession and concerning the neighborhood reports of trouble between hyer and her husband Mrs. Werner declined to answer and after several minutes of severe examination collapsed on the stand.
ELLENSBURG, Wash., March 13 - Frank Picconi, alias Riccardo Rocco, for whom King county offered a reward of $500 as the murderer of Henry Werner at Issaquah a week ago Monday, was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Arthur W. Byers at Cle Elum this afternoon. He acknowledged his identity but denied knowledge of the crime. He said his shack companion, Henry Smith, was going with Sophia Werner. He declared he spent Sunday night, March 1, with Nick Erachi at the latter's shack, and did not see Smith after he saw him with Mrs. Werner and Sophia at a moving picture show. In his pocket were a bloody handkerchief and a two-bladed knife, on the larged blade of which appeared to be blood stains.