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Pasquarella Spinelli arrived in New York in 1891, she lived at 239 E109th Street. Nicknamed the 'Hetty Green of Harlem' due to her wealth, she owned a stable on E108th. Pasquarella also had interests in several other businesses, including leasing Harlem tenements and the management of a picture theatre in 2nd Avenue. The stable, which was later to become known as 'The Murder Stable' was described in the press as 'A rambling one storey structure, built impartially of sheet iron, packing boxes, discarded odds and ends of house reckage - doors for instance with hinges still on them yet. It is a rabbit warren which shelters two or three junk shops, a wheelwrights, a blacksmiths, a boarding stable and a hay and grain store'. Pasquarella along with her daughter Nelli, relocated from the home on E109th to be closer to the stable. They moved in to a property at 334 E108th over looking the yard at 335 E108th. At around 5.30pm on March 20th, 1912, Pasquarella left her apartment and crossed the street to the stable. Nellie, who was still at home heard gunshots and leapt to the window to see her mother dead and two gunmen fleeing from the stables. She ran across to the road to find her mother with two gunshot wounds. The police immediately realized the killing was in revenge for the death of Chick Monaco only months before, the description given by Lenere matched those of Monaco's men. Giovanni Rava, who worked at the stables, was arrested as a material witness. Two days later, Luigi Lazzazara, 58, was arrested in connection with the murder. Lazzazara, who lived at 237 E108th, was a joint owner of the stable with Pasquarella. He was charged with opening a stable door to allow access to the gunmen. Lazzazara had been a friend of the late Monaco and was reported to have been helping him blackmail the family, he was later discharged. The daughter, Nellie Lenere, after witnessing the murder, feared for her own life. She fled to Italy and sent back false reports of her own murder to confuse her enemies. It was later thought that she returned to New York and went in to hiding. The friend of Monaco who had sworn revenge, Aniello 'Zopo' Prisco, was tried on the charge of murder but was acquitted. |
