Philadelphia Inquirer - August 26, 1886

Casper Hart - Jesse Pratt

Philadelphia Inquirer - January 16, 1888

Marwood Derrickson - William Drake - T. Casper Hart
South 7th Street - Sycamore Street

Philadelphia Inquirer - May 31, 1890

Mayhew Press - Casper Hart - Jesse Pratt

Philadelphia Inquirer - May 30, 1891

COCCO SAFELY JAILED 
The Italian Murderer Captured on His Return to Camden. 
HIDING ALL NIGHT IN THE WOODS 
After Thrusting the Stiletto Into the Heart of His Sister-in-Law
He Coolly Changes His Clothes to Escape Identification

After spending a night in the woods between Camden. and Atlantic counties, Dominico Fellippo Cocco, who murdered his sister-in-law at Cedar Brook, about eighteen miles from Camden, on Saturday night, as told in yesterday's Inquirer, was arrested yesterday morning.

Cocco is 29 years of age and lived in Italy until last December, when he came' here with his young bride and a babe. With his scanty earnings as a street sweep the young couple lived happily in the Italian quarter on Carpenter Street, until the last January, when the couple had a quarrel, which ended in their separation. 

Mrs. Cocco, with her babe, then took refuge with her parents and sister, who live at Cedar Brook, which is near the Winslow Junction, on the Camden and. Atlantic Railroad. Here she remained until Saturday night, when she was removed to the Camden City Hall as a witness to the tragedy in which her sister Giovanna Torra was the victim and her husband the murderer.

MURDER EVIDENTLY PREMEDITATED

Saturday evening Cocco, with a bundle on his arm, went to Cedar Brook. Leaving the bundle in the station he proceeded to the home of his mother-in-law, Rosalia Torra. Words with his wife precipitated a family row, during which he threatened to kill his father-in-law. The latter went for an officer in company with Carlos Santarlio, who bad met Cocco at the railroad station.

Cocco then turned to his wile and in his native language shouted, "I am going to cut your head off and send it to the King if Italy.” He was about to strike her, when Giovanna stepped in to protect her sister. By this time the trio had got on the outside of the house. When about forty yards away Cocco made another grab for his wife. Giovanna again came to the rescue of her sister. She grappled with him and was struggling with him about the little garden patch, when suddenly Cocco placed the hand arund the girl's shoulders and with his right hand drew a keen-edged stiletto from his pocket. With all the force he sent the instrument into the girl's side.

This blow failed to do its work and Cocco then plunged the stiletto again into her body, this time through her heart. With a shriek and a groan the girl dropped dead at his feet. The murderer then fled to the railroad station, where he secured the bundle which he had secreted. Out of this he took a pair of overalls, a jumper, and a slouch hat. The overalls and jumper he placed over his other clothing. The cap which he wore when he committed the murder he discarded. After disguising himself he ran to the next station below Cedar Brook, where he took a train for Ellwood.

HIDING IN THE WOODS

The balance of the night he spent hiding in the woods at that place. Yesterday morning he took a train at Ellwood and came to the Camden station of the Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railroad, where he was captured by Policeman Casper Hart. Cocco offered no resistance. He was taken to the City Hall, where he was brought before his wife in the private apartments of Superintendent Moffet.

“Do you know that man?” asked Mr. Moffett of the woman. She threw up both her hands and commenced to weep. Between her sobs she would mutter the name of Dominico. She almost went frantic with fear that he would injure her.

The murderer, cool and collected, was, taken before Mayor Pratt, to whom he admitted the murder, but claimed it was committed in self defense, at the same time displaying a cut on the head, which he claimed was inflicted by the girl with an axe. He was then about to demonstrate the manner in which he stabbed Giovanna wben his wife became hysterical and rushed into the Mayor's private office, where on her knees she appealed for protection from the man who had taken her sister’s life. All of the witnesses discounted the claim of Cocco that he committed he deed in self-defense.

The remain of the murdered girl were placed in an ice box in the Camden Morgue yesterday. She was 17 years of age and strikingly handsome. There are no marks of violence on her face or body. The fatal stab wound on the surface of the skin looked to be only about an inch and a quarter long. County Physician Iszard says the stiletto must have plunged into the breast at least six or eight inches. All of the witnesses have been held in $1,000 bail to appear at court. Coroner Jefferis has charge of the case and will hold an inquest the latter part of the week.

Philadelphia Inquirer - June 2, 1893

Edward Cooper - Samuel Bakley - William H. Butts - Harry Mines
William Whalen - George Cooper - Casper Hart - Benjamin Middleton
Louis Heffer - Rufus Bright -Thomas Smith - William Lightcap