1170: The People of the State of New York v. Francesco Purpura

Violet Perano, 14, testifies that on August 5, 1909, she went with a friend, Lena Skenelli, to 80 Catharine Street, to a shoe repair shop, to retrieve her brother's shoes. The cobbler, Francesco Purpura, retrieved the shoes but demanded that she have sex with him before he returns the shoes.
The witness states that she went with Purpura to the rear of the store where he penetrated her. Lena Skenelli testifies that she had accompanied the complainant to the store and had heard the defendant demand sex. A partition, consisting of wooden boards and a green curtain, separated the front and rear halves of the store but Skenelli had peeped past the curtain, witnessing Purpura lying on top of her companion.
Vincent Pizarro, an officer of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, testifies that he took Violet Perano into care on April 13, 1910 and arrested the defendant two days later. Ralph Miceli, a police officer, states that he took the defendant to police headquarters after the arrest. He testifies that the defendant claimed in conversation that Perano was a prostitute, saying that everyone is having sex with her.
Francesco Purpura, speaking in Italian through an interpreter, denies that he had ever seen either girl in his shop and denies the remarks attributed to him by other witnesses.
The jury renders a verdict of guilty of rape in the second degree. There is no record of sentencing.

Abduction See all items with this value

Assault See all items with this value

Rape See all items with this value

1909-08-05

1910-05-18

Guilty See all items with this value

Violet Perano

Francesco Purpura

Adams

T. S. Nolan

Joseph F. Mulqueen See all items with this value

1170

80 Catharine Street, Manhattan, New York

Abduction

Assault

Rape