User:Johnscillitani/sandbox

=Oresto Shillitani= Oresto "Harry Shields" Shillitani (June 22, 1891 - June 30, 1916) also known as John Shillitoni, Oresto Shillitoni, Oresto Sciallentano, Oresto Shieldianna and "The Paper Box Kid", was a New York gangster that lived on Mulberry Street, in the Little Italy section of New York City. Oresto hit major newspaper headlines in New York City for the Mulberry Street triple slaying on May 3, 1913 in which two policemen of New York City's 12th Precinct were murdered as well as a rival gangster.

For Six weeks a manhunt ensued where NYPD Patrolmen and Detectives were on the look-out at every NYC port and train station. The Manhunt ended when he turned himself in to save his father under arrest for complicity the murders.

At conclusion of his trial, he was sentenced to Death by Electrocution. After the verdict was read, he laughed at the judge and sneered at the jury. His mother, Angelina, broke down crying and had to be assisted out of the courtroom.

On June 22, 1916, Oresto Shillitani escaped from the Sing Sing Death House, and made to the free shores of the Hudson River. Oresto was the only inmate to ever escape from the death house and make it to free shores alive.

He was recaptured, and on June 30, 1916 at the age of 25 years old, Oresto Scillitani, "The Paper Box Kid", was executed by electric chair in The Death House at New York State’s Sing Sing Prison. "He played his last scene on earth before one of the largest audiences ever assembled in a Sing Sing Execution Chamber" - Chief Physician, Sing Sing Prison, Dr. Amos Squire

His escape instigated the building of a new "escape proof" death house, with systems and designs to contain the prisoners and keep both the guards and prisoners safe.

The Death House officially had no escapes in the 53 years after after 1916 due to this changes. The only other escape in the history of The Death House at Sing Sing, are Frank Rohl and Thomas Pallister. In 1893, they over-powered guards and stole a prison officers skiff. They were later found dead, washed up on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River.

=Early Years= Oresto arrived with his family at Ellis Island on December 3, 1895, aboard the SS California which departed from Naples, Italy. Oreste Scillitano came to the United Italian Immigrant from Foggia, It.

He spent most his early years in the life of crime. From the age of 12 years old he spent most his time in institutions for committing crimes. He was received in the New York Catholic Protectory on January 09, 1903 and spent a year and a half serving his term.

From October 26, 1904 to March 01, 1907 Oresto was incarcerated at the New York House of Refuge. He was arrested in same year as his release from the New York Protectory and sentenced to a term of 29 months for Burglary 3rd Degree. He was received in the New York House of Refuge on October 26, 1904 e. . On March 01, 1907, Oresto was Paroled from the House of Refuge to his Father at 241 Mulberry Street, New York City, NY.

On January 29, 1909 he was arrested for grand larceny and on March 29, 1909, he was sentenced to a term of 3 years 6 months in Sing Sing Prison for Receiving Stolen Property. Grand Larceny. (for his crime on Jan 29, 1909) (18 yrs old)

He Spent from May 08, 1909 to November 18, 1911 in Sing Sing Prison. (18 yrs old) (21 yrs old)

=Shooting on Mulberry Street= Shot two New York City Patrolmen and alleged gang leader. MAY 03, 1913: Shillitoni Shoots Three Two Patrolmen and Gangster at 235 Mulberry Street (19 yrs old)

=Manhunt Shuts Down NYC= Although there were estimates of over 100 witnesses, no one would identify the shooter. A large scale Manhunt for The Kid ensued after he killed three people, including two New York City Patrolmen and a Gangster. For 6 weeks, hundreds of on-duty patrolmen, off-duty patrolmen and hundreds of NYC Detectives came up with nothing. No One would talk for fear of death. After days of frustration, U.S. Soldiers were even brought in to help. Nothing. With an over-whelming 1000 plus law enforcement and government employees on the trail, they could only come up with many look-alike suspects. It was only when "The Paper Box Kid" decided to to save his father from prosecution, that he turned himself in. For these crimes the courts of New York sentenced him to death. JUN 14, 1913: Shillitoni Arrested at 9:00am. After a six week manhunt by every detective in the city (20 yrs old)

=Trial= During the trial it was exposed that his father Michele was a wealthy and powerful man in the Italian neighborhoods. MAR 03, 1914: Shillitoni Convicted Sentenced to Death, Sing Sing Prison, Triple Homicide including Two Police Officer (21 yrs old)

=Appeal= MAY 09, 1916: Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction. Shillitoni will be executed.

=Claim of Insanity= Each day I would visit him, he would tear out his hair, knock his head against the bars and make wretched inhumane noises. -Dr. Amos Squire. The first day after the notice, his appeal for clemency was denied, The Kid almost started a riot in the death house. It began was Dr. Squire started up his saw to cut open the top of the first executed inmate of the day. The Kid started smashing his stool and table against the bars. Then he ripped the wash basin out of the wll and was smashing that against the walls and bars. He got many if the inmates to do the same. Dr. Squire immediately stopped his autopsy and ran in a panic to get help. The Kid had earned 10 days in the cooler.

When the Kid was put back into his cell he would immediately start acting crazy over again. Dr. Squire would be notified immediately. Once Dr Squire would arrive in Oreste's cell, The Kid would be banging his head against the walls and bars. Once he was given a shot of Hyocine, The Kid stop banging his head against the walls, but then begin to rip his hair out of his head and hand it to the doctor.

His bouts increased around the Death house Head Physician, Dr Amos. The Head Physician is the only man that carried the power over life and death for The Kid. The Head Physician had the power to deem any inmate insane thus sparing them the chair.

=Death House Escape= Oresto shot a guard at point blank range and locked two other guards in another inmate's cell at sing sing prison's death. He escaped the confines of the death house and then had to escape the main prison to make it to free shores. How he obtained the weapon to this day has never been solved and only speculated. JUN 22, 1916: Shillitoni Escapes Death House at New York's Sing Sing Prison (24 yrs old)

=Last Minute Efforts for Stay of Execution= James W. Osborne Implores Governor Charles S. Whitman by Telegram dated June 29, 1916, for Delay of Execution regarding Oresto Shillitani. Governor Charles S. Whitman to Hon. James W. Osborne, "I Decline to Interfere"

=Execution= On June 30, 1916, at the age of 25 years old, Oresto Shillitani was executed by electric chair in The Death House at New York State’s Sing Sing Prison. JUN 30, 1916: Shillitoni Dies on The Chair at 6:01am. Sing Sing Quadruple Homicide including One Prison Guard and Two Police Officers 6/30/1916 (24 yrs old)

=Aftermath= The Gangster Original's Escape prompted sweeping reforms at Sing Sing Prison and the contruction of a new state of the art Facility. The life of one of the most well respected, and liked Guards, Mr. Daniel J. McCarthy did not go in vain. New York Officials unanimously voted to build a better state of the art facility to better protect guards and make living conditions safer and better for all inmates. Plans were underway in May of 1917. [Annual Report of the Superintendent of Prisons of the State of New York, 1917] The new Sing Sing Death House facility was completed 1922 and with tremendous success. The entire time of it's operation 1922 to it's closure in 1969, there were no escapes at all.

The escape also prompted changes in the protocol for examining inmates for mental insanity and staffed the prison with psychologists. Arrangements were made in early 1917 to institute a complete psychiatric service, under the auspices of the National Committee for Mental Hygiene and a Head of Psychiatric services was selected. In connection with the foregoing, a complete upgrade of the medical staff was conducted for their words was "unparalleled medical service." [Annual Report of the Superintendent of Prisons of the State of New York, 1917]

Female guards were assigned to Sing Sing Prison in order to search female visitors for contraband.

The Kid was executed in front of the largest ever audience in the recorded history of Sing Sing's Death House.

Dr Amos O. Squire, who assessed The Kid for insanity, "he certainly feigned insanity. He was sane enough to perfect his plan to escape the death house. He was full of rage...unlike all the idle threats I received before him and all those after him, his threats to me were not idle...he really intended to kill me! Shillitoni did his utmost to convince me of his insanity. His rages were the most violent I've seen in my 11 years as Chief Physician at the prison. Inflicting and enduring inhuman levels of pain to himself. He would bang his head against the bars until his looked like a bloody pulp."

While blood is profusely dripping from his head he would then start ripping handfuls of hair out of his head and handing them to me without a grimace or sign of pain. He began to make me second guess my feigning insanity assessment regularly. How could any man inflict such pain on himself without hesitation or in such a manner? To me it was humanly impossible. But, Shillitoni was not your every day human. He was abnormally immune to pain and his psyche was such that anything he was determined to do would over-ride human nature. In considerating all the notorious, bad, and tough men that came through our institution, Shillitoni had to be one of the most violent, aggressive, and passionate.

He certainly carried the strongest ego to survive amongst any of the men that ever came through the Death House.

Dr Squire was put back by the Kid's congenial and casual attitude towards killing another man. He gave thanks and praise that he didn't end up on his lengthy list of unfortunate victims.

Days after Oreste's Shillitoni's execution, William Jennings Bryan, Former U.S. Secretary of State, along with the returning Warden Osborne, appeared at Sing Sing to address the inmates. Accompanied by marching band, flags, banners and much fanfare. His purpose was to calm and begin reforms at the prison. Mr. Bryan addressed all the inmates with a plan. His address: "Plans and Specifications for Leading a Useful Life". Stressing the physical, mental, and moral nature of man.

On June 25, 1916, Thomas Mott Osborne defended his administrations stance on guards carrying weapons. In an address before 3,000 in New Brunswick, NJ he declared he had been the victim of political persecution. Adversaries claimed unarming the guards was his doing and Guard McCarthy's was on his hands. [New York Tribune, June 26, 1916]

On July 6, 1916, Warden Kirchwey resigned. Thomas Mott Osborne was reinstated as Warden on July 16, 1916 in an effort to bring stability to the prison. [Informational Annual 1917, New York: Cumulative Digest]

World's most infamous prison, builds New State of the Art Death House as a direct result of the Gangster Original's daring escape from the supposed 'escape proof' Sing Sing Death House. Only one other time was there a break-out of the old death house at Sing Sing. In 1893, two men, Thomas Pallister and Frank Rohl, broke out as a team. They stole a row boat off the shores but never made it to shore as guards shooting from the prison got them both. Neither man ever made it outside of the prison area alive. Only The Kid accomplished that.

Dr. Squire saw a silver lining in the event. " Shillitoni's desperate effort to escape execution had one beneficial result." (Of course it was only one in the Doctor's eyes.) "It focused attention on the fact that the Chief Physician at the prison was burdened with the duty of deciding whether or not a man facing execution was sane, and upon the fact thst thid responsibility was really too great for any one man. "...this case started a movement put into effect in 1919." "The law invests this authority in a commission of alienists."

=Further Reading= GangsterOriginal.Com

=References=

=External Links= GangsterOriginal.Com