Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 136, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1914 — PRINCESS SHOT BY A MOTH [ARTICLE]

PRINCESS SHOT BY A MOTH

Accused Husband Saved by Remarkable Evidence Introduced In Italian Court There seems to be no good reason for doubting the story that set free a Neapolitan prince accused of murder. It was the loeally notorious case of the Princess Caravella, at Naples, in Italy. After giving a dinner party she proceeded to her room to snatch a few minutes of rest in order to refresh herself for a dance. She was discovered lying dead on her bed, with a pistol wound in her heart. Her husband, Prince Caravella, had been noted for Me jealous disposition; and, as it was certain that no stranger could possibly have been in the princess’ room, suspicion pointed to him and he was arrested. The pistol was found lying near the murdered woman, which in Itself was favorable to the prince, for no murderer, unless he courted detection, would thus leave the weapon to be discovered. In spite of this, it was probable that things would have gone hard with the accused but for the shrewdness* of a Naples police officer. This man carej, fully examined the bedchamber and. lying on the floor by the bedside, he 'found one of those large moths that abound in Italy- A lighted candle had stood on a table by the bed, and the moth’s wings bore evident marks of having been baflly singed against the flame. f. „

What was more Important still, some of the powdery dust from the moth's wings was found on the trigger of the pistol, and the pistol had lain in such a position that it covered the princess’ heart. It was clear, argued this astute detective, that the moth had burned its wings and had fallen oh the table where, writhing in agonies? Its wings had struck the trigger of the pistol, and the pistol had been thus fired. It was noted that the trigger worked with exceptional ease. It should be remarked that these Italian moths are larger than any with which we are familiar tn Canada. On this evidence the prince was acquit ted.