"He Fought Under Marco Bozzaris" article - New York Times, February 21, 1895
Published in The New York Times, February 21, 1895
HE FOUGHT UNDER MARCO BOZZARIS
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Death of a Greek Who Took Part in the
Famous Night Attack
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SALEM, Mass., Feb. 20. – Frank Constantine Victorato died at his home in this city to-day. He was about ninety-eight years old. He was born in the Ionian Islands, and as a young man took part in the Greek rebellion which resulted in the independence of that country, fighting under the leadership of Marco Bozzaris.
He took part in the famous battle of Aug. 20, 1823, when, by a night attack, the Greek army of 1,200 destroyed the Turkish force of over 4,000. Victorato always maintained that the accepted histories of that even were incorrect, and that Bozzaris fell at the hands of his own men.
Later, Frank enlisted in a privateer and was captured by the Turks and sentenced to life in the galleys, but, by pretending to be a British subject, enlisted the interest of the Consul and made his escape. He then went to Russia, and from there to England, and again followed the sea, having many escapes from the pirates of the Chinese Sea.
He came to this country in 1842, and, retiring from the sea, went to Salem in 1851, where he established a bowling alley in Derby Square and did a flourishing business, and, investing in real estate, accumulated considerable property. He then built what is now the Young Men’s Christian Association Building, on Central Street, which proved an unfortunate investment, and the savings of a lifetime were swept away.
He spoke no less than eight or ten languages, and would often stop traveling peddlers or organ grinders to talk with them in their native tongue. He was a member of Essex Lodge, I. O. O. F., and leaves a family.
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