New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-11
NAY Be "RLACK HAND
Charges en-EmpJoye soith attempts
at Murder and Threats

Although specifically charged with blackrnail,
the arraienment of Antonio Fazia in the
Torrhs police court yesterday brought 20 light
a story of the workings of the Black Hand.
which abounded in details OF persecution, IN
Guiding two incidents Of attempted murder.
Fear alone had kept the prosecuted man from
appealing TO the police. from April until Sep
ienber and even when the accused man was ar
raigned before Magistrate Breen he asserted
onenlv tr court that even if he was sent to
prison his accuser would be punished by his
CFazfa,sl friends
The accused man described himself An
tonic Fazia, forty-six years old. of NO. 81 OAK
st His arrest was the result of complaint
made against him by Serrino Nizzarri. pros
porous Italian baker, of No. 9S Bayard-st.. who
alleges that he is being blackmailed in re-
peated demands for money. and that his life
and that Of his family have been threatened
According to the story told in court yester-
Gay Fazia formerly employed by Nizzarri
as a baker. but April was discharged. On
the 10th Of the same month Nizzarri received a
threatening letter, which he alleges was written
by the accused man. demanding the immediate
payment of $500. Failure to comply with this
request was to be met with his instant death
and the determination of his family. Although
very much frightened. Nizzarri did not pay the
money At frequent intervals letters reiterat-
ing the demand were received. each prophesying
that he would positively be killed If he failed
10 heed the warnings of the letters. The letters
we're unsigned. and no specific society was
named but Nizzarri sure that it was the
work of the accused man operating through the
medium Of the BLACK Hand" The letter sent
on April 10. which was exhibited in court. read
regarding the society:
Our society is composed Of besides Italians.
~ 2 nd nd
its contents TO the police shall! know of 1T at
once.
LETTER DEMANDED $500.
The last letter was sent on August TO- and
was also produced in court. This. besides con-
tanning the demand for $500 also told Nizzarri
TO hang a red Handkerchief in the front window,
If he had decided to pay the money. When he
did SO he would receive another letter from the
society directing him where to leave the money.
As in all the other letters this contained threats
against the bakers life and that of his family.
Thoroughly alarmed NizZarri consulted his
attorney on last Saturday. The lawyers advice
was to tell the police his story. He did SO. and
on Saturday Magistrate Breen issued warrant
for Fazia's arrest, an affidavit made by the
prosecuted and frightened man.
Detective Sergeant Petrosini was placed on
the case, and he arrested Fazia, after working
on the case only a few hours
Fazia's defence before Magistrate Breen
Earri owed him money He was held in $1,000
bail for the grand jury by the magistrate. He
refused the services of a lawyer and conducted
his own defence. While on the witness stand
he turned TO Nazzarri and said:
TN gq to jail, but he will pay the penalty
NY friends viii look after him all right don't
feel sors for myself. but do for him. Read
the LETTER, it tells all
ETwo ASSAULTS CHARGED.
PART of the complaint against the prisoner
consists of two alleged assaults on Nazzarri by
FaziE in which the complainant swears that
Fazia tried to murder him. The first assault is
a1leEed TO have taken place early in the month
Of July. Nazzarri forth that that date,
wien he in a barber shop. at No. az Baxter
ST. Fazia called him out, and, drawing knife,
t9ied to stab him. a quarrel resulted, which
drought to the scene a policeman, who sepa
lated the men, but did not make any arrests.
I The second assault is alleged TO have taken
Jpace on August 16 at 4 a At that time the
I Ia er was seated in his hakeshop. which is in
the basement of his house, reading a, book. It
is alleged that Fazia tiptoed down the stairs
into the shop and drawing a revolver fired two
made good his ecape. NJ. Brecia, Of No. 13
Nott-st was present in the basement at the
time as Nazzarris daughter, Constantine
Afrfllo, who had her thirteen-m onth-old baby
in her arms. The child is dead and the
sponsbty for its death is included in the
charges The specific statement is made that
the child died from drinking natural but af
frighted milk
On the stand Nazzarri stated however, that
his daughter attempted to grab the man as he
drew the revolver and in so doing dropped the
child who received injuries from an overturned
the loss of this child's life is attributed to the
accused man. In this instance Fazia safely
made his escape and Nizzarri was afraid to tell
the police