davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1904-08-28

drive the victim into his nets. So when-
ever two or three Italian blackmailers
pick an easy mark and sit down in a back
room in Broome street to write their threat
ening letter, they sign it Black Hand"
There is no more organization among
these people than among the American
sYeRR men" They know others OF their
kind, and they combine on a job when 1t
seems profitable to do 80. That is all.
The Malta once had regular organiza-
ton, and the Malta myth has more reason
for existence in New York. Once a mu-
tual benefit order the Malta, in Italy, de-
generated gradually into a system Of graft.
murder and crime. The Italian police
broke up the organization. Doubtless
there are in New York some members OF
the old Malta. but there has never been the
slightest proof that 1t exists here as an
orRani zation.
The sun., 1904-08-28
FINE MYTH, THE "BLACk HAND"
an IMAGINATIVE REPORTER
BROUGHT 1T TO NEW YORK,

And the Italian Biackmailers, knowing
Good Thing. Promptly Adopted II
Never Any BLACK Hand" Or9aniza.
ton nAnywhere-Fiction Started In Spain
During the recent outbreak OF Italian
blackmailing in New York q great deal
has been written about the Black Hand"
This is supposed TO be a mystic order of
italian criminals, banded together to do vio-
hence. The terrible Black Hand accord
ing to the red ink extras, instigated the Eliz-
abeth street dynamiting and the Croton
hold-ups and the Mannino kidnapping. 1t
II supposed to he a terrible organization
and In popular fancy has quite driven out
tho Malta, to which most Italian crime used
to be attributed.
Asamatter of fact, a BLACK Hand" organ
ixation never existed anywhere There was
fiction that such an order once did business
IN Spain, but never tn Italy. Its importa-
tion to New York is due to the lively fancy
Of reporter who had an interesting italian
crime u Nrite about and needed few extra
frils. And the fiction grew.
The history Of the alleged Black Hand"
society In Spain has to do with the Spanish
police and their peculiar system OF graft
All the facts about II came out something
Ike year ago, when certain friends Of JUS
tce In Paris and London, notably Socialist
members in the French Chamber Of Depu-
ties, tried TO secure the release OF threo Span
ish life term prisoners.
In 1874 thcre was great social and political
unrest In Spain. A Alfonso XII. had Just
made his coup d'ttat and squashed the re-
The sun., 1904-08-28
LIFE BEHIND The BILLBOARDS
REAL FARMS RIGHT IN THE
HEART OF THE CITY.
You Can Even Spend Your Vacation on .
Farm without Leaving Manhattan
island-Tw0 OF These Farms on Fifth
Ayenue-The Remnant Of Squatters.

@What do you know about life behind
the billboards?" asked the advertising man
whose business takes him all over the city
mo. / don't mean how the people who make
them or put them up spend their time.
mean the people who live behind the fences
that are plastered with pictures of shining
theatrical stars, gay chorus girls and break
fast foods.
"You don't know anything about It? or
course you don't. and few people in this
great town do.
81 suppose when ! tell you thdt almost
in the heart of this city there are several
square block farms. which are run as sys-
tematically as any country farm you ever
saw, you will think I'm crazy. But I'm
not. know what ! am talking about.
Have you ever been around the upper
part Of the cityf I'm not speaking Of The
Bronx. but below Harlem. You have?
Then ! suppose you have noticed whole
blocks that are shut on from view by tall
fences.
These fences are all covered with post
ers, for the value of advertising on these
high hoard squares is not lost either on the
advertiser or the owner who thereby gets
an income from his property. SO far as you
can see above the top Of the fence, the lot
behind II Ia vacant. But II is not. or In most
cases that have seen II is not.
"Inside there are nice. neat. we'll kept
little farms. The people who live there are
The sun., 1904-08-28

has since become very convenient for the
Spanish police. Whenever they find a
very mysterious and atrocious orime they
Black Hand" it, This Is especially true
when the suspects hold liberal views. In
1882 for example. Manuel Gago murdered
his cousin Bartholomew Campoe. On tho
surface, it was plain fight over a woman.
Yet the police found that they were both
Republicans and members of labor unions
Campos. the victim, had been expelled
from his union because of liaison with
the wife of a member
By process not unknown in New York,
the police tracked the crime back to the
Black Hand They arrested 100 workmen
and garroted seven as conspirators. Six
more were sentenced 10 life terms Three of
these, Antonio Valero, Jose Ortega and
Salvador Morena. smuggled letters out OF
Jail telling their story. The meetings
of year ago in London and Paris had as
their object the release OF these prisoners.
A spanish woman, Donna Soledad Gustaro,
worked up the history OF the Black Hand
fiction for ,lse in this case,
The Black Hand" probably never ex-
listed anywhere. The fiction Of BLACK
Hand never existed in Sicily or anywhere
else IN Italy. IL never eNsteu IN tno Jnlted
States until It was invented to color nows-
paper story Of Italian crime.
or course, in extortion cases the name
Black Hand" has been signed TO actual
letters sent to the victims That is per-
fettly true The first Black Hand nows-
paper stories we're widely read and Italian
blacknailers know n good suggestion
when they sec IT, Especially is the Italian
blackmailer clever AT giving all the theatri-
,~l appurterancee OF terror to his threats.
He knows that there has been great to-do
about the Black Hand" in the newspaper,
and he figures that the fear OF that power
full and unscrupulous organization will
The sun., 1904-08-28

Senate Henry Wilson had been q Senator
for eighteen years and some months when
he was elected vice-President, the once
he held at the time OF his death. Daniel
Webster's Senatorial service covered twenty
years
When Mr.. Hoar entered tho Senate, in
1877, only two men who have seats there
now were members. They are Allison Of
Iowa and Cockrell OF Missouri Stewart
OF Nevada, who is in the Senate now. had
been a member Of that body. but retired in
1875. and did not reenter the chamber until
1887. Hale Of Maine became . member Of
the House on the same day that Mr.. H0ar
did, and took Hannibal Hamlin's seat when
the latter voluntarily retired from tho
Senate in 1881.
The late Senator Morrill, Of Vermont
served forty-four years in both houses Of
Congress, and the late Senator Sherman
served forty-two years continuously q
Representative, Senator and Cabinet ofacee.
Two OF the present members Of the Senate.
Pettus and Morgan Of Alabama, were Mr..
Hoar's seniors IN years, being g and %.
respectively. Bate Of Tennessee is sup
posed TO be along about 90, but he won't tell
his age for publication.
Mr.. Hoar was regarded as standing at ths
head of the Senate. He took conspicuous
part in all important debates, was man Of
wonderful mental vigor and wide knowledge
and withal possessed many Of the character
istics Of the old-time statesmen.
Curiously enough, in spite Of his leader
ship in much history making legislation.
Mr.. Hoar found his greatest pride IN So
curing the passage Of the bills providing
for the rebuilding Of william and Mary Col
lege In Virginia, and for constructing the
Mississippi River jetties under Capt. James
B. Eads. His first legislative interest was
In the National Education bill which was
before the House when he became Q MEM
Der in 1882 and this had the effect OF pre-
venting him from retiring from public life
in the early 7Os. But in 1874 he determined
not to stand for reelection, and was made
to change his mind only after the most
strenuous objection to his desire on the part
of his Republican constituents.
Three times Mr.. Hoar received offers Of
offices under the executive government:
Mr.. Hayes wanted bin to be Minister 20
England; President Mckinley asked him to
become Ambassador to that country. He
was also asked by Mr.. Hayes to enter thu
Cabinet as Attorney General. He declined
all three proffers.
The sun., 1904-08-28

to him, and he made acknowledgment Of
his appreciation Of Mr.. Lodges attitude
in the following letter. which tells better
than anything else OF the affection In which
he held the Junior Senator:
Ny DEAR CoLLEAoUE: wish to express.
that 1t may remain permanently on record.
my deep and grateful sense Of your unfailins
kindness and powerful support during a
period which. as you doubtless well know.
has been to me one Of great trial. have
owed the great honor which has Just come
to me from our noble State very largely to
the kindness of men who have differed from
me on the greatest political question Of the
time. and to the moderation and disinter-
estedness Of the men who might naturally
and very properly have been expected to be my
competitors. i do not know any like example
In the political history Of my country.
should seem to 60 far beyond the bonds Of
decorum II 1 were to speak out what is in
my heart on this matter.
l am happy to believe that you have before
you a long. honorable and most brilliant
career Of service to the Commonwealth
and the country. You are still among the
younger Senators. The impression you make
among everybody Is still that Of vigorous
youth. Large as are the honorable achieve
ments you have already made. you are in
my opinion In the beginning only Of q period
OF very large and rapid growth. No man
can Of course predict with absolute oonf-
dence what may happen to any man or in
deed to any party or country In q voyage
over the stormy ocean OF the politics OF the
future. But. SO far as I can see. you will
retain and enjoy. even far more largely than
you possess 1t now. the confidence of the
Commonwealth and OF the country, and, II
your life and health continue. will have
public career which will extend over q much
larger period than that OF any OF your pred
eoessors or associates. I am, with most
affectionate regard, faithfully yours,
GEORGE F. HoAR
The Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge. United states
Senate.
When Mr.. Hoar refused to support his
party on the treaty with Spain which pro-
vided for the transfer Of the Philippines
to the control OF the United States, and
became one Of the leaders OF the opposi-
ton in the Senate. there was a widespread
belief that he would sever his relations
with the Republican party. His reason
for remaining Republican was very
frankly stated. He believed that the only
way In which legislator could accomplish
anything In this country was by staying
with one party.
1t is fact also that his strong personal
The sun., 1904-08-28

Mr.. Quay loved the classics and rare volumes
as much as Mr.. Hoar did.
The two men never probably had five
minutes OF personal conversation. Yet
Mr.. Hoar was Mr.. Quay's foremost champion
when the right of the latter to a seat in the
Senate, upon the appointment OF the Gov
ernor OF pennsylvania, became an issue.
Mr.. Hoar came in for a great deal OF
criticism because he secured the dismissal
OF street car conductor who, II was as
serted, incurred his displeasure by treat
ing him az helpless old man In assisting
him on the car. That Mr.. Hoar was Pc
culiar in many ways there can be no doubt;
but in this particular case he was misrepre-
sented, according to the statements OF his
friends and himself.
Mr.. Hoar was hurrying to catch the car,
and the conductor called out, Hurry up.
old man; get move on you," or something
equally offensive to Mr.. Hears dignity.
As Mr.. Hoar reached the car, the conductor.
it is asserted, hustled him aboard good
naturedly but roughly, at the same time
making derogatory remark about old age.
The Senator reported the incivility to the
railroad company, and the conductor was
suspended. The man took the case into the
newspapers, and promoted considerable
publicity, which reflected upon the action
Of the company. For this, and not for the
original offence, he was discharged.
He opened store in Washington, but the
notoriety he attained soon passed, and his
commercial venture was failure. Then
he appealed TO Senator Hoar to intercede
for him with the company. This Senator
Hoar declined TO do, but he did ask another
railway company TO employ the man, and
the request was granted.
Mr.. Hoar's entrance into national public
life W as oil March 4, 1859, when he became
a member of the House Of Representatives
He held his seat in the House until March 4,
1877, when he became Senator.
He held the Massachusetts, record for
continuous service in the Senate. His
series OF terms extended over more than
tw enty-seven years, four years longer than
the service Of Charles Sumner, who died in
1874, after twenty-three years Of service, and
who. until 1900, held the State record.
Henry l.. Dawes, recently deceased,
served for thirty-six years in the national
Legislature, but only half Of this was in the
The sun., 1904-08-28
Persuasi on That Brought Confess,ss.

From Cdssells Saturday Journal
Did ! understand you to say that this boy
voluntarily confessed his share In the mis-
chief done to the schoolhouse," asked the
Magistrate. addressing the determined look
ing female parent Of a small and dirty boy.
Yes. sir. he did" the woman responded.
Il just had to persuade him a little. and then
he told me the whole thing voluntarily"
How did YOU persuade him>" querted his
Worship.
We'll, first ] gave him a good thrashing.
bed whou aS speT ana and dne toot oofbse Sm
away and told him he'd stay in bed till he'd
confessed what he'd done, II twas the rest OF
the morning, And Ia less than On kSuS be
told me the whole story Voluntarily:
The sun., 1904-08-28

70 his belief that the dignity OF his place
as Senator required It than to any liking
for mere creature oomforts.
Mr.. Hoar was twice married, and both
Of his wives were possessed Of comfortable
incomes, but the Senator was never re-
garded - Q rich man. Nor had he any wish
to acquire riches. He said frequently that
he could truthfully aver that he had never
had desire for wealth.
III any ono should place in my hands at
this momsnt d 900 900 As q gift" he re-
marked once to friend. Il doubt II 1t would
produce any unusual emotion"
After his disagreement with his party
In 1850 over the Philippine question. Mr..
Hoar felt that his influence in the Senate
was gone. In this he was not mistaken.
but he never lost the great personal re-
gard and respect Of his colleagues on theI
Republican side on account OF his differences
with them.
There never was q man more highly
respected than he. It may be said with
truth that the affection and the esteem in
which Mr.. Hoar was held by other Senators
was augmented rather than diminished
after he became the champion OF the anti
imperialists.
It is interesting to note that Mr.. Hoar's
relations with his colleague, Henry Cabot
Lodge, were OF the closest and most affec-
tionate character, In spite Of the fact that
Mr. Lodge was one Of the foremost Sena-
torial advocates Of the policy Of keeping
the Philippines, II not the foremost. Mr..
Lodge was the only Senator with whom he
was on intimate terms, and this relationship
had existed ever since Mr.. Lodge entered
the Senate.
It was commonly thought that Mr.. Hoar's
Aght against the acquisition Of our eastern
possessions would cause his defeat for
another term. But in spite Of the fact
that majority Of the Republican members
OF the Massachusetts Legislature were at
variance with his views on that subject,
Mr.. Hoar was triumphantly reelected.
It was said also that the friendship be-
tween Mr.. Hoar and Mr.. Lodge had cooled
on account Of the elder mans attitude,
and after Mr.. Hoar's return to the Senate
there were rumors that Mr.. Lodge would
have liked to sidetrack his colleague II he
had dared. These reports were not true.
Mr.. Hoar knew that Mr.. Lodge was loyal
The sun., 1904-08-28

farmers. They till the ground, and they
make their living from 1t. They have no
trouble in finding a market for the people
who live in flats and private houses near by
are ready customers.
Il have seen some neat little houses be-
hind those fences, too The houses are not
very roomy. but they are as big as some
farmhouses l have run across where there
was plenty Of land. The houses are more
than shacks, because they are at least one
story high, and the reason you don't see
them is that they are built in hollow.
.'Of course, the people who live in these
farmer who is miles away from every
body. but there isn't much difference.
On a summers night you may see the
farmer and his family sitting outside Of
the fence. but they don't wander far away.
And they 60 to bed early, too, which their
Il believe that many Of the people who
live on these fenced In farms are either
sauatters or their descendants Probably
when they first occupied the property
the owner made up his mind to enclose 1t
he decided that there was no use in evict-
ing until he was ready either to build or
to sell the property. In some cases, I
understand, these farmers pay rent.
didn't look around and count them There
is one not very far from Andrew Carnegie's 3
mansion on upper Fifth avenue. AZ q
matter OF fact. there are a couple along the
'On the West Side there are several
more. In all suppose, II took the trouble
to count them on, could name a dozen
or more, They. always interest me
very much. Their occupants seem con-
tented and enjoy themselves.
Not long ago / ran into friend OF mine
who said he was going on his vacation.
j asked him where he was going and he
said he didn't know. He wanted to take
a rest on a farm. but he wanted to be near
the city, because, he said. he might have
to make hurried tripe to town.
More as = joke than anything elss,
The sun., 1904-08-28

well, Senator, and how are you feeling?'
WELL Mr.. President am feeling little
belligerent,' was the response.
This brought a laugh from Senator Frye.
who happened to be In the room at the time.
"A little beIligerent?" Mr.. Frye said, with
emphasis on the second word. well. l
should say SOL
Mr.. Mckinley smiled 100, and then he said
earnestly:
"Well Mr.. Hoar, whatever you believe
and say, l still believe in you and love you"
This tribute from the President pleased
Mr.. Hoar greatly. He told the story many
times to his friends az it is given above.
Mr. Hoar delivered many notable speeches.
but he was proudest of the address made
by him before the New England Society Of
Charleston, s. c.. in Is9a. !ie regarded it
as tho finest Of his efforts. and said he wished
1t to be remembered because 1t was entirely
free from political partisanshp and showed
his appreciation of the South and Southern
people.
His diction was Of the highest literary
character. but his voice vas not that of an
orator. 1t was rather high pitched and had
little carrying power.
On the stump he was frequently witty,
but in the Senate was usually profound and
serious. although at times lie indulged
in humor, One of his best remembered
shots WAS at the expense Of Senator William
V. Allen, the Nebraska Populist nioknamed
aWindy" Allen, whose fow Of words was
incessant, and who was never willing to
stop talking when his auditors grew i'm
patient
ON this occasion Mr.. Allen pronounced
ad infnifum as il it were "ad infnny tum, +"
and Pitchfork Ben Tillman OF South Caro-
lima corrected hin. saving IL should be
-ad n.fln-i-t,lm." Allen appealed to MIR.
Hoar to sustain him. but the Massachusetts
Senator indorRea Tillman's pronunciation,
But" .he said Il suppose the Senator
from Nebraska gave the short sound to
tho + in order to save the time OF the
Senate.
OF all his Senatorial colleagues who
served for any length Of time with him,
the late Matthew $. Quay OF Pennsylvania
was the one with whom Mr.. Hoar had least
to do. Tho only reason assigned for this
was that Mr. Hoar thought that he and
Mr.. Quay had nothing in common. whereas
they were men of congeniAl tastes for
The sun., 1904-08-28

attachment for President Mckinley had
much to do with his action in supporting
the Republican ticket in 1900 An inter-
egting exhibit on this point is the following
statement, dictated for newspaper publ
cation by Mr.. Hoar on Feb. Q, 1900, and
never before printed as coming from him:
It 10 very we'll known to those persons
who are nearest Mr.. Hoar and most fully
In his confidence that his devotion to the
Republican party lad his personal attach
ment to President -AcKlnley and his purpose
to give him earnest support and to advocate
his reelection have not In the least abated
by reason Of his difference with the Presi-
dent on the grave question relating to the
Philippine Islands.
He thinks that II the Republican party
cannot be persuaded the case 10 hopeless
He says there are many more Democrats
In Congress in favor Of holding the islands
than Republicans against it, But one Re-
publican voted with him against the treaty
while nine Democrats and Populist Senat ors
now favor the Presidents policy. Probably
the proportion OF Democrats In the House
is still larger.
He says the alternative OF Bryan is not
to be thought Of for an instant. even If there
were q thousand other reasons against IT,
Mr.. Bryan earnestly labored with his fol-
y,
when otherwise its defeat would have been
certain. There would have been peace long
ago and every desire OF the opponents of
the policy Of subjugation would have been
accomplished but for Mr.. Bryan's interfer-
ence, which 50 we'd the Paris treaty.
After the Paris treaty had been sent to
the Senate Mr.. Hoar remained away from
the White House. He did not 60 there for
months.
The occasion for his first visit after his
long absence was the presence in Washing
ton OF distinguished Englishman who was
returning home by way Of the United States
after a visit to the Far East He had spent
some time In the Philippines, and was anxious
to tell President Mckinley OF conditions
there.
The Enslishman knew Mr.. Hoar, and asked
the Massachusetts, Senator to present him
to the President. After some hesitation
Mr. Hoar agreed, and duly appeared at the
White House with his friend.
The meeting was not apparently embar-
rassing to either the President or the Senator.
After some conversation with the English
man, Mr.. Mckinley turned 10 Mr.. Hoar
and asked:
The sun., 1904-08-28

public. His repressive measures were
very severe and especially was Andalusia
hit hard. That province had been almost
ruined by iudolent and corrupt landholders
under the old regime. Then came the re-
public with its bright hopes, and then this
period os persecution for petty offences.
The laboring class became troublesome,
though there is no proof that they did any
thing worse than protest In public meetings
Still, the new powers we're afraid, and Don
Tomas Perez Monforte, the Go vernon OF the
province, received orders to squclch the dis
contented.
According to sworn statement made
by one Alvarez, a laborer, he was called
before the Governor and invited to stir
up the labor leaders to burn certain vine
yard. Alvarez was to notify the police
80 that the leaders could be caught in the
act. For this, he was 10 be we'll paid.
Alvarez refused. Nevertheless. several
vineyards were burned soon afterward,
and strange to say the police always caught
the culprits red handed. Thirty or forty
Of them were sent to prison for long terms,
and the Governor made great showing.
Now on one Of their expeditions. the
police found oh the wall OF n vineyard,
which their confederates we're about to
have burned, the mark of a hand left by
careless painter. Monforte seems to have
conceived n brilliant idea. These crimes
were t'eIng committed by secret society
Of which this hand Vas the symbol. So
the .Black Hand" sprnng into existence.
To bolster up the notion, Monforte declared
that hc had found the oath and constitu-
ton Of the society. The oath was terrible,
and the constitution bound its members
10 commit awful crimes. Monforte never
showed this constitution.
Monforte made good In stopping the
mouths Of Andslusisn worknien, and the
Black Hand fiction lived after him. IL
The sun., 1904-08-28

70 his belief that the dignity Of his place
as Senator required It than to any liking
Tor mere creature oomforts.