Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-17
WAR ON BLACK HAND.
Catholic Priests Effective Work
 Against Lawless Band.
SEVERAL CONVICTIONS THUS FAR


 sMarked Man,r Has Organised Five
 Protective Societies In Pennsylva-
 mia Coal Region-Relentless War to
 Be Continued.
 Although Rev. Anthony Cerutti, pas tor of tie Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Carbondale, Pa, is marked man., he continues to wage a relentless war against the Mafa and the Black Hand societies, agents of which for years past have extorted money from the Italians of that part of the state, says a special dispatch from Wilkesbarre, Pa,, to the New York World. Father Cerutti, who man. aged to drive them out of Carbondale by organizing leading Italians of the town into the St. Joseph's Protective society, is now extending his work to adjoining towns and organizing similar societies. Since the 1st of November protective societies have been formed in Old Forge, Dunmore and Archbold, and the priest is now organizing an other at Pittston, where there have been within the year five mysterious murders attributed to the Maia or the Black Hand.
 Father Cerutti was first aroused sey- eral months ago by serious of out rages against his countrymen in and about CarboHdAIe. The police, al- though anxious to make arrests, were bafied by the silence of the victims. Relatives and friends of a man who had been murdered declined to furnish any information, and those who had been shot pr stabbed or suffered the famous "faee cut were also silent and would give the police no information. Father Cerutti found they were SO afraid of their prosecutors, part of whose business was to terrorize the ig- norant Italians, that they were afraid to give information, because they feared that the Black Hand or the Ma fla would kill them.
 Father Cerutti and an Italian detec- tive then commenced an investigation. They found that there were agents of the Mafa and the Black Hand living in the town. It was their duty to keep list of subscribers" as they were called, and to collect the money which they paid for protection each month. Regularly each month higher agents from New York visited the colony and dealt with any Italians who refused to pay the local committee by trying to terrify them. If they failed to do this, there arrived in a neighboring town . few days or week or so later a couple of quiet, determined men. They were .'the avengers" so called They were taken to the town where the victim lived. He was pointed out to them and at a convenient time be was lured from home or as he was going home late out of the darkness came the blow, whether shot, stiletto or bludgeon. and as quickly as they could the avengers returned to New York, while the men who might have been suspected were seen at public places at the time the blow was struck.
 The speed with which refusal to pay was punished and the mysterious man ner in which punishment was dealt all aided in terrifying the general body of Italians and making the work of the collecting committee easy and also pre- vented the stricken ones and their friends giving the police any aid. The amount of tribute differed. Some were compelled to pay as much as S20 a month. others only few dollars. At times a man who the agents believed had saved some money was called upon to pay a large amount. 50. S100 or more.
 Several vain efforts were made to ar rest and prosecute the agents. and at last Father Cerutti and a number of prominent Italians met quietly. organ ized the st. Joseph's Protective society and pledged themselves, whatever the consequences. to do all in their power to drive out the human Ieeches. As q result of this determination and the confidence and protection the society inspired evidence was gradually col Iected and arrests followed Some who gave information were assaulted. some shot down and others stabbed. but thi 3 only caused more arrests. A couple of leaders escaped by providing heavy bail and forfeiting t. but several were tried and convicted and are now in the penftenfiary. This effectively frighten- ed members Of fhe two societies away from the CarbondaIe colony of Italians. The boldzt and most vieious are those in and about Pittsfon
 Only the sther day 1t is alleged that theT spread the report among the ItaE | is1s that a hank Ca Fiffstsa uas aboat f 8fwxxN p<wewknp fka Fr1 Nsw~.