Ciro, Daniel: 1904
The quarries in the Williamsburg area were a rich source of limestone, and many of the hundreds of men who worked in the quarries were immigrants. One of these companies was the Pittsburgh Limestone quarry at Clover Creek.
Ciro Daniel was murdered near his employment on March 6, 1904. It was the second murder in the Blair County immigrant community in a month, and more were to follow in the coming years. The remains were found about two and a half miles from Williamsburg, and about two miles from the Italian camp. Mr. Daniel was shot in the right shoulder, and the ball went down through his lung, close to his spine; the Altoona Mirror speculated that he had been on his knees and shot in what would today be called an execution-style killing. The fact that he still had $14 on his person seemed to rule out robbery. Another man was on the scene as well; he had been shot in the head. The ball went through his scalp and flattened against his skull, the concussion rendering him unconscious. This man was taken to his shanty and treated there by Dr. J.E. Ernest. The body was turned over to undertaker J.B. Snavely, of Williamsburg.
The county coroner, Harry M. Mcartney, investigated, and an inquest was held on March 7, 1904.
There were four Daniel brothers living in a shanty at Cedar Point, near Williamsburg: all of them were employed in the quarry. On the Saturday prior to the killing, one of the brothers had gone to nearby Carlim and had words with Vincenzo Demarco. The brother returned home, and three of them left the shanty again to visit friends. Meanwhile, Demarco had gone to Clover Creek to visit his friend, Ernisto Kastansi, employee #136 of the Pittsburgh Limestone Company. Walking to Carlim, the two friends encountered the four Daniel brothers. All of them stopped and shook hands to demonstrate that the earlier quarrel was forgotten and there were no hard feelings. They exchanged a few friendly words and then continued on their paths in opposite directions.
Before the brothers had gone many steps, Demarco and Kastansi opened fire on them from behind. Ciro was killed, and Americus, though shot in the head, survived. The third borhter, Orazio, threw himself to the ground. Apparently believing that all three men were dead, Kastansi and Demarco fled.
They were now wanted men. Kastansi was noted as being 5’7” and 160 pounds, with a short black mustache, good teeth, dark brown eyes, and wearing a slouch hat and dark clothes. He was 25 years old. Demarco was about 5’3”, 150 pounds, with a dark complexion, and bloodshot eyes that were narrowly spaced. His nose was pointed, and he had sandy hair and a mustache. He was wearing black clothes, long pointed Italian shoes, and a broad-brimmed hat.
