The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01
TWELVE MURDERS IN 6 WEEKS
astonishing CRIME RECORD IN
AND NEAR SCRANTON.
so-called Mana or Black Hand OF the Ital-
ians Responsible for Many Of Them
band OF Foreigners EAtortlng Money
From Their Fellow Countrynen.

band OF Foreigners EAtortlng Money
From Their Fellow Countrymen.
WuKEsBARBE, Dec. IA carnival OF
crime which has prevailed in Lacknwanna
J county during the last six weeks has re-
suited in no less than twelve murders, while
fifteen persons have been shot OF stabbed
in an effort to kill them. Besides these
there have been four suicides and 30 many
cases Of brutal and vicious attack that the
police have not kept record for the entire
county
In the majority Of these cases the foreign
ers we're the victims and the murderers,
the Italians playing a large part In the
shedding Of blood. but there we're also Ameri-
ms among the killed and killing The police
attribute several of the murders and many
Of the cases of woundng TO the effort to
o1pel members OF the Italian society which
has been extorting money from the Italian
workmen in and about Carbondale TINS
society. called for want Of better name
the Malta. or the Black Hand. has members
in every Italian settlement. who regularly
each month make their fellow countrymen
pay tribute, threatening them with death
or injury If they do not or II they complain
to the police.
To enforce this fear there have been seve-
raj murders. Recently several well known
Italians organized the st. Joseph's Pro-
teotive Association and have since been
aiding the police TO arrest or drive mem
bers OF the Black Hand OUT OF tie region.
Other murders are due to drunken fights
among the foreigners who, in late years,
have focked to this region in great num-
1 4 - H., Of fhn laNG
In many cases the guilty ones escape be-
cause there is little desire on the part OF
those who might give evidence against them
10 go into the courts The police find 1t
50 hard 10 deal with such cases that they
rarely got the attention they deserve.
In the smaller towns and villages there is
seldom paid police force, the constables
get only a small ee,and poorly paid county
detective has usually so many cases to look
after that ne cannot give proper attention
to any.
Lackawanna IL county OF 1874 900 popu-
lation, with Scranton, having lO5 900 popu-
lation, dominating it, and Carbondale, a
city OF 1900 In these cities or their sub
urbs, usually in well populated districts
most of the crimes have occurred. The
police are doing the best they can. Some
Of the murderers have been arrested, but
the proportion cf arrests TO the number OF
crimes is small The police force is made
uuate, both in the cities and villages.
The condition which has existed during
the last six weeks is not normal. In the
entire year preceding it there were only
four or five murders. while in the djoiniug
county of Luzerne, with larger population
there were in the entire year only seven
murders, two Of which occurred this week
Dec 81 and Dec. IS, and in only two of these
were the murderers foreigners,
The six weeks list Of the most serious
crime in Lackawanna county is:
Nov. it-Unidentined Polish woman shot
at Christening party.
Nov. i6-Paschal Cerri shot by two Italians
a. Carbondale. supposed TO be tho work OF
Nov. is-Joseph stern of Scranton seriously
wounded his wife and then killed himself,
murdered I'm Nay Aug Park.
Nov. 2p-Joseph Romantic stabbed TO
death at DunInore by Salvatore and Donenlco
Nov ?5-Thomas Ford shot at Old Forge
by chicken thief while protesting against
Nov. 2s-George Kertchks shot at Arch
bald BY the wife OF ealoonkeeper
Nov 28-Mrs. Mary Warner OF Scranton
brutaly murdered; case still a mystery.
Nov. 2g-Joseph Flarano and Frank Fer
RHO murdered at Csrbondale by members OF
their number.
Dec. &c. J.. Sharer murdered at Dickson
City after being robbed.
Dec N-Arthur Lewis Of Scranton found
Wit a bullet hole in his head In Brown Hollow
Dec lo-Peter Senio and hafkafky Az
wonezyk shot at Mayfield by Asperio Malouf
Senio died later.
Dec 2t-UnidentlAed foreigner shot and
killed during drunken brawl at Lacka-
Dec 22-Pollceman welles Hockcnbery OF
Scranton shot by a CHICKEN tmet
Dec 23-Chief Of Police Charles Krebs
and Charles Mcmahon seriously stabbed
at Thropp while trying TO arrest foreigners.
Dec 26-Mrs. Sick MadaGe my steriouay
shot az Carbondale.
Dec 28-Mike Reggie shot and wounded
fatally IN Scranton by Louis MorTeo
Dec 27-Frank Mosaliski shot during
fight at Dunmorc.
Dec IL Frank Woroskys shot and seriously
wound ed AT lessup by George Gordon.
Dec rs Furshania POLAND shot and killed
during fight at old Forge
Dec ag--George Jones Of Dunmore shot
and killed during quarrel with Joseph
Delaney.