The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-09-05
THE BLACK HAND REIGN
OF TERROR CONTINUES

A low type of Sicilian Italians, the
police say. compose the vicious So
ciety and they maintain perfect or
ganization by which to carry on their
trade of extortion through threats of
actual violence. Just how far reach
ing the society is the police have not
determined, but it is said to have 100
members, most of whom have been
forced to leave Italy for crimes com
mitted there. The society is distinct
from the Malta and all its purposes
and methods are different, save in
cowardice and criminal Irresponsible
ty.
The Malta exists to avenge the
wrongs or griefs of its members. II
works silently and swiftly and the
victim is cut down without warn
ing. The stiletto is the weapon of
the society whose members are prin-
cipally counterfeiters and murder
ers.
Activity by the United States Sc
cret service has recently put damp
er on the Malta to degree.
The anonymous letter is the main
weapon of the Black Hand. Black
mailing is an old time form OF brig
andage in Italy. The members. the
refuse to work, but prey upon the
industrious of their own race.
So cowed and fearful are the Ital-
ians of this city of the gang that they
profess ignorance when asked for
information by detectives, and this
fact has made it almost impossible
for the authorities to capture or to
convict
The attention of the police was
first called to the society four years
ago, when wealthy Hoboken Italian
merchant received number of very
threatening letters He was told that
he would be murdered unless he de-
post $4,000 in installments of
$500 a week at a given place. The
merchant in fear of his life, turned
over the money, and later the police
learned of 1t. Spurred by this sue
cess, the society began sending many
other letters to other merchants, and
in most cases the demands were COM
piled with, the recipients of the let
ters fearing to either refuse Ola no
tify the police.
sent to Andria Tolizzl;
Ride to Highbridge tonight at mid
night. Get off the trolley cars and
walk until a man asks for a match
He will have a red bandanna hand
kerchief around his neck If you
are not there at the appointed time
with $1,000, your house and all In
it will be blown up,o This is the last
warning. ig
This merchant had the courage TO
turn the letter over to the police.
The police are looking for a dark
Italian named Vito Laducco, whom
they allege is one of the leaders of
the society 1t is the statement of
witnesses that the kidnapped boy was
last seen being led by the hand by
Laducco.
Several months ago an obscure but
hard working Italian was found muir
dered and in a barrel on an east side
street.
A threatening letter bearing the
dreaded mark of the Black Hand
was found in a pocket of his clothes.
He had been stabbed to death. AT
that time Laducco and several of his
associates were arrested for COM
plicity In the crime. Because of the
insufficieney Of evidence they were
released and the mystery of the muir
der has never been solved.
At the hearing in this case the
Italians under arrest maintained an
absolute silence and neither threats
nor coaxlng could induce them to
speak of the murder.
The home of an italian contrac-
tor in Brooklyn was partially de-
stroyed by bomb some months ago
and the police believe that this was
the work of the Black Hand, though
the contractor was too scared to
make any statement.
An Italian named Angelo Cucozza
Is now under arrest in the lIidnap-
ing case.
When Cucozza was locked up he
refused to make a statement. The
police treated the fellow roughly and
tried to brighten him with a third
degree examination. Cucozza Just
sneered. That night the police told
Cucozza that they intended to kill
him if he did not tell where the boy
was, and when he made no reply they
turned down the lights in his cell
and before the door of the cell they
built crude gallows. When they
began to adjust the ropes, Cucozza,
terror stricken, admitted that he had
enticed the boy away from his home
for money which had been given to
him by several Italians. He said he
took the boy to a house on Thirty
fourth street, and that was all he
knew about It, The police believe
this and say that he was merely the
dupe of the real kidnapers
A rumor was started that the boy
was in cave in deserted stone
quarry In Hoboken. This place was
surrounded by armed police but it
was found to be untenanted.
Letters were received in the boys
handwriting by the boys parents in
which he said that If HIS father did
not give up the money he was sure
the men would kill him. He said
that he was confined in a small room
and that he feared hourly that he
would be murdered.
The boy was stolen the day fol-
lowing the receipt Of warning let
ter in which money was demanded
When the kidnaperg learned that the