Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 294, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1920 — MURDERER SINGS HIS SWAN SONG [ARTICLE]

MURDERER SINGS HIS SWAN SONG

Chicago, Dec. 9.—Nicholas Viana, former choir boy, whose nineteenth birthday will come to an end a few minutes after 8 o’clock tomorrow, when he is hanged for murder, gave a farewell concert for fellow prisoners in the jail today. Singing the “Miserere,” Viana manned through the jail corridors en route to the death cell. Viapa is known as the “song bird” of the jail. He has entertained the prisoners daily for months. He was convicted of participation in several murders committed by the notorious Cardinella gang, whose leader, Sam Cardinella, is under sentence of death. Frank Campione, another member of thel gang, ,was hanged several weeks ago and other members who turned state’s evidence are serving life sentences.