The Dark Path of Antonio Nardello

In the shadows of late 19th-century America, Antonio Nardello, an Italian immigrant, carved a grim mark on history. Born in Naples, Italy, in 1864, his early life was marred by his father's twenty-year imprisonment for brigandage—a term for banditry that foreshadowed his own descent into crime. Nardello never knew his father, and by 1883, he had crossed the ocean to the United States, seeking a new life. His journey took him through the bustling streets of New York and the industrial sprawl of Chicago, eventually landing him in the rural expanses of Cecil County, Maryland. There, he found work with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a setting that would soon become a backdrop for murder.

The Murders

The Killing of Brosnan

The criminal saga began on April 1, 1884. Nardello, driven by greed and desperation, targeted a fellow laborer known only as "The Blacksmith," whose real name was Brosnan. Along the Philadelphia Road in Gunpowder, Maryland, Nardello brutally ended Brosnan's life with the intent to rob him. An innocent man named Juliano was wrongfully convicted for this crime, sentenced to ten years behind bars. It wasn't until Nardello's own execution loomed that he confessed to the murder, exonerating Juliano after two years of unjust imprisonment.

The Mystery of Antonio de Balbo

On May 19, 1885, a gruesome discovery unfolded near a Cecil County homestead. Charles Bushel, out searching for a stray cow, stumbled upon a body partially covered with leaves. The advanced decay suggested the man had been dead for months. Beside the body lay a ticket from the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad and a letter in Italian, pointing to the possible identity of the victim as Antonio de Balbo. The fatal blow had crushed his skull, likely inflicted by a club or cane, and suspicion fell on Antonio Nardello, who had vanished to Baltimore in December 1884.

Though the case faded into obscurity, Nardello's execution day confession brought the truth to light. He admitted to boarding at de Balbo's home, knowing the man had money. On December 19, 1884, he lured de Balbo on a walk, shot him, and stole his watch and money. The discrepancies in Nardello's confession, such as the cause of death, were overshadowed by the circumstantial evidence, closing the case officially.

The Death of Carmine Rotunno

By August 1, 1885, residents near a newly built reservoir by Howard University in Washington, D.C., were complaining of a stench emanating from an old shack. What they found was the decomposing body of Carmine Rotunno, a laborer and shoemaker. His throat had been viciously slashed, blood staining the walls and floor. Rotunno had been last seen on July 29 with Antonio Nardello, who had lured him with promises of work, only to lead him to his death.

Arrest, Trial, and Execution

The same day Rotunno's body was discovered, authorities traced Nardello to Maryland Avenue. He was living under the alias Frank Rosso with a woman named Willa Morrow. They were arrested at the Baltimore and Potomac Depot, poised to flee to Baltimore. In Morrow's room, bloodied clothing connected to Nardello was found. Despite violently resisting arrest, Nardello was taken into custody. He confessed to his involvement in Rotunno's murder, claiming accomplices—Pasquale Gesimonte and Pasquale Aboudante—who were never corroborated by evidence.

On October 10, 1885, Nardello was indicted for Rotunno's murder. Col. Frank Mancossis served as his interpreter during the trial, as Nardello's grasp of English was poor. The case drew significant attention, complicating jury selection due to widespread pre-trial publicity. Over 200 witnesses were called, including Carmine Gaudio, who confirmed the blood-stained pants belonged to Nardello.

Despite Nardello's insistence on shared guilt, the jury found him solely culpable. On December 12, 1885, he was sentenced to death. Initially stoic, he broke down on his way to jail. Attempts by his attorneys to secure a retrial based on new evidence failed, and while on death row, Nardello found solace in religion, writing letters to newspapers and relatives in Italy.

In a brief reprieve, President Grover Cleveland delayed the execution by three weeks, but hopes for clemency were dashed. On May 27, 1886, the day before his execution, Nardello confessed to his priests, acknowledging all his crimes. On May 28, 1886, at 1:30 PM, he was hanged at D.C. Jail. For eight minutes, he dangled with a faint pulse, dying fifteen minutes later.

Sources

• "DEATH BY THE ROPE". The Washington Critic. May 28, 1886.
• "Nardello And His Crime". The Washington Star. May 27, 1886.
• "The Baltimore County Union 'Local Items' section". The Baltimore County Union. June 5, 1886.
• "A Crime Confessed". Cecil Whig. June 5, 1886.
• "Nardello's Other Victim". National Republican. August 11, 1885.
• "Murdered For His Money". The Washington Star. August 3, 1885.
• "Arraigned on a Charge of Murder". The Washington Star. October 10, 1885.
• "His Throat Cut with a Razor". The Washington Star. November 30, 1885.
• "Difficult to Obtain Jurors". The Washington Critic. December 1, 1885.
• "The Washington Star 'Condensed Locals' section". The Washington Star. December 4, 1885.
• "Nardello On Trial". National Republican. December 4, 1885.
• "Alleged Confession to Murder". The Washington Star. December 10, 1885.
• "Guilty of Murder". The Washington Critic. December 12, 1885.
• "The Nardello-Rotunno Murder Case". The Washington Star. January 2, 1886.
• "The Case of Nardello". The Washington Star. January 5, 1886.
• "Waiting for the Gallows". The Washington Star. April 23, 1886.
• "Respited For Three Weeks". The Washington Star. May 5, 1886.
• "The President Will Not Interfere". The Washington Star. May 22, 1886.

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