Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-03
BATTLE WITH THE BLACK HAND
Attempt 20 Arrest Alleged Murderer
Leads 60 Death of Two Penn
syIvania OmciaIs.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. Sept. 2.-In a
bloody battle this evening between foreign
ers and the twenty-one members OF Troop
ID, state constabulary, in which fully go
shots were fired. two troopers were killed
and one fatally wounded, while three other
persons received bullet wounds. The MUIR
derers are now surrounded in house at
Florence mine, seven miles from here, and
at daylight the attempt to capture them
will be renewed. Further loss of life is
feared. for the besieged Italians are well
supplied with arms and ammunition.
The dead:
PRIVATE JOHN HENRY, aged 96 years,
PRIVATE FRANCIS zEHRINGER, aged
phia.
Fatally wounded
Private Homer c. Chambers; home, Roch-
ester, Pa.
Private William A. Mullen of Harrisburg.
First Sergeant Joseph Logan of Dubois and
George Felitzsk, aged ~, received minor
wounds
The trouble began late this afternoon
when Sergeant Logan went to Florence 20
search for Leopold Scarlat. who is charged
with shooting his brother-in-law. Bruno
Trazzone, Friday night Logan was in
DR., Bodenhorns Office when Salvatore
Waltzoch, who is said to be one OF the
most desperate members of the Black
Hand. started to fight with a countryman
in front OF the house where Waltzoch
boe.rds. When Logan placed waltzoch un-
der arrest the latter invited him into the
boarding house to prove his good charac-
ter Logan had scarcely passed the door
hen one of three Italians in the house
" Ie a lunge at him with stiletto, the
r on passing between his arm and body.
gan retreated, but before he got fifteen
.eet from the building an Italian opened
fire on him with a magazine shotgun.
Logan return the fire and the two men
emptied their weapons at each other Logan
got one buckshot wound in the foot and
the desperate was seen to fall back into
the house, perhaps fatally wounded. Logan,
by inquiry of the residents. learned that he
had a Black Hand man to deal with. He
then telephoned to the barracks at this
place and a detachment of five privates
was detailed by Lieutenant Egle TO go to
his assistance. The detachment arrived at
Florence at 4;30 o'clock. Private John
Henry Immediately started for the house,
but when about twenty feet from it, was
shot down. Chambers and Mullen. in at
tempting to rescue their companion, were
shot down before they reached him. A
telephone call was then sent In for the
entire force and fifteen additional troopers
were hurried to the scene. When the sec
ond detachment arrived at $3.50 o'clock and
while twelve of the constabulary kept
firing into the windows and front doors
six policemen made a rush for the side
door. which they battered in. Three of
the officers, Zehringer, Gross and Cum
mings. dashed UP the stairs, but were con-
al hzy Of hn xuh
opened fire. zehringer fell at the first
volley, but the other men escaped The
gang immediately closed the door and there
is little doubt that Zehringer was killed, as
several shots were fired inside after the
door was closed Realizing that lives were
being sacrificed uselessly and the storm and
darkness coming on, the troopers sent for
carbines and prepared to keep the house
surrounded until morning.