Murders in Nadur

MURDERS IN NADUR

I guess not all of us Nadurin know that long time ago, our town witnessed two interesting murders in a span of just four years.

Around 450 people were murdered in the Maltese Island between the year 1800 and 2000. Murders were reported in all towns and villages in the country, except for Mdina, Ghajnsielem, Ghasri and San Lawrenz. Although in reality, our town has witnessed other murders, only two of these are officially referred to in documents. These murders go back to the early years of the 20th century, when Paul Muscat was brutally shot dead on November 23rd 1918 and Michael Muscat was stabbed with a knife on May 16th 1922.

The murder of Paul Muscat

This first murder to be reported in Nadur could easily serve as a great plot for a blockbuster! Paul Muscat was not supposed to be the victim. The target was his brother Saviour. Saviour Muscat, a Naduri who worked as a barber, fancied  a young beautiful Nadur girl. This girl was named Angela Attard.

However he wasn't the only one after Angela. There was another man in particular who was ready to do anything to marry Angela. And when this man, Giovanni Muscat, heard that Saviour was meeting Angela's father to propose, he decided to get rid of him.

On November 23rd 1918 Saviour's brother, Paul, went for a haircut at his brother's barber shop. On returning back home Paul was shot dead in front of his house.

It was a stormy evening, with heavy rain and nearby thunder. His own brother Saviour discovered Paul's body, in a pool of blood. The news spread quickly that a flash of lightning killed Paul Muscat. However first investigations revealed it wasn't so. It was a cold-blooded murder.

The murderer, Giovanni Muscat, was arrested a few minutes afterwards. He did not hesitate to admit the murder. However he surprised everyone when he revealed that he intended to kill Paul's brother! He shot him since he was sure it was Saviour!

The 19-year-old murderer was arraigned in Court on November 6th of the following year, charged with murder. His lawyer, Alfredo Caruana Gatto, based his defence on the hypothesis that it was a passionate murder and Giovanni did not realize what he was doing, until late. Muscat was sent for 15 years in prison.

The murder of Michael Muscat

Four years after the murder of Paul Muscat, Nadur witnessed another murder. This time during the day, out in the fields.

On May 16^th 1922, Michael Muscat was working in his field. He needed irrigation water. His brother-in-law, Michael Said, had plenty of irrigation water in his nearby field. Without asking him, Michael took some of Said's water.

Reports say that Michael Said saw his brother-in-law using his water and went straight to his field. A heated argument led to a fatal fight. Said took out his knife and stabbed Michael in the chest. Michael Muscat died four hours after.

A jury found Michael Said guilty of a passionate murder, and gave him a 9-year prison sentence

References: Daily Malta Chronicle, Malta 1887-1940; In-Nahla, Malta, 1908-1928; The Malta Times, Malta 1840-1947; Edward Attard, Delitti Maltin (TVM); Edward Attard, Delitti f'Malta.

DELITTI FIN-NADUR

Bejn is-sena 1800 u 2000 f'Malta nqatlu madwar 450 persuna. L-unici postijiet fil-gzejjer Maltin li qatt ma raw delitt, jew li fihom qatt ma gie rappurtat delitt, kienu l-Imdina, Ghajnsielem, San Lawrenz u l-Ghasri. Ghalkemm fin-Nadur saru bosta omicidji matul is-snin, tnejn biss huma rikonoxxuti ufficjalment bhala li saru fin-Nadur. Dawn huma dak ta' Pawlu Muscat fit-23 ta' Novembru 1918 u ta' Mikieli Muscat fis-16 ta' Mejju 1922. Zewg delitti makabri u tant iehor interessanti.

Id-Delitt ta' Pawlu Muscat

Omicidju mill-aktar interessanti ghaliex il-vittma ma kellux ikun Pawlu imma huh Saverio. Dan Saverio Muscat, Naduri li kien jahdem ta' barbier fl-istess rahal, kien tilef rasu wara Nadurija ohra… certa Angela Attard. Imma bhal ma jigri hafna darbi, Saverio ma kienx wahdu fit-tigrija. Kien hemm ragel iehor li xtaq jaghmel lil Angela l-mara ta' hajtu. U meta dan ir-ragel, certu Giovanni Muscat, induna li Saverio kien mar talab lil missier Angela sabiex jizzewweg lil bintu, irvilla. Ried jara kif jaghmel u jehles minn Saverio.

Nhar it-23 ta' Novembru 1918 hu Saverio, Pawlu, mar jaqta xaghru ghand huh. Hareg mill-hanut u telqilha lejn id-dar fil-kumpanija ta' zewg guvintur ohra. Madankollu, hekk kif wasal quddiem id-dar tieghu, Pawlu intlaqat minn tiri sparati b'arma tan-nar u waqa f'ghadira demm.

Kien wara nofsinhar ta' jum xitwi. Jum imsahhab b'hafna xita u sajjetti. Ftit kienu dawk in-Nadurin fit-toroq. U fil-fatt Pawlu nstab minn huh Saverio wara li dan ghalaq il-hanut. Billi kien hemm hafna sajjetti fil-qrib, griet l-ahbar li Pawlu kien intlaqat b'sajjeta. Pero' meta gie ezaminat, instab li kien hemm tir ta' senter involut.

Il-qattiel, Giovanni Muscat, gie arrestat ftit tal-hin wara mill-Pulizija. Ammetta minnufih bir-reat tieghu u qal ukoll li ma kellux intenzjoni joqtol lil Pawlu pero lil huh Saver. Kien fixkel l-ucuh! Dak inhar Muscat kellu 19-il sena. Fis-6 ta' Novembru ta' sena wara ghadda guri. L-avukat tieghu, Alfredo Caruana Gatto, ibbaza d-difiza tieghu fuq il-fatt li dan kien delitt ta' passjoni u Muscat ma kienx jaf x'qed jaghmel. Giovanni Muscat hareg mill-Qorti b'sentenza ta' 15-il sena habs.

Id-Delitt ta' Mikieli Muscat

Kellhom jghaddu biss erba snin li n-Nadur ma regax ghadda minn delitt iehor. Kien is-16 ta' Mejju 1922, meta Mikiel Muscat kien qieghed jahdem fl-ghalqa tieghu. Gara li kellu bzonn ftit ilma tas-saqwi. Mar fl-ghalqa ta' hatnu, Mikieli Said, u dawwar ftit ilma minn ta' Said ghall-ghalqa tieghu. Said induna b'dak li gara u rrabja bi shih.

Jinghad li z-zewg irgiel gew fl-idejn u Said temm il-glieda billi hareg sikkina u ta daqqa f'zaqq Mikieli, li waqa mal-art mitluf minn sensieh. Huwa miet erba sighat wara. Mikieli Said ghadda guri fis-6 ta' Lulju tal-istess sena. Il-gurati hadu in konsiderazzjoni li d-delitt twettaq f'daghdigha ta' passjoni u Said intbaghat ghal disa snin wara l-izbarri.  

Referenzi: Daily Malta Chronicle, Malta 1887-1940; In-Nahla, Malta, 1908-1928; The Malta Times, Malta 1840-1947; Edward Attard, Delitti Maltin (TVM); Edward Attard, Delitti f'Malta.