The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-05
TOLD 4 TALE or BLACK HAND.
POLICE THINK GRECO A FRAUD
AND LOCK HIM UP.

10 "ENe 0SSs
--
Ho esid He Had Been Kept in . Cellar for
Rashty Hours for Advising His BOyhood
Friend to Tell the Police OF the De
mands Of q Black Hand Gang for $500.
Pasouals Greco, q tailor living ct 100
sullivan street, was brought into the Fifth
Ohte1t police station at 1 o'clock yesterday
morning With O story to tell Of having been
bound and gagged and kept In q cellar for
eighty hours by five fellow Italians, con-
shtuting themselves into q Black Hand
sodety. Greco wore q clean shirt and had
one day's growth Of beard on his face.
Despite his story Of fearful suffering from
hunger and thirst Greco ate mincingly a.
sandwich and O banana ofered by the police
, and drank half o glass Of water. Later In
the morning Detectives George Barnets and
Frank Malone Of the Mercer street station
took Greco with them on a hunt for the
supposed ~kidnappers. At 9 o'clock In the
afternoon the detectives brought him back
10 the Mercer street station, and there he
was locked up as q suspicious character
pending his appearance in the Jefferson
Market court this morning.
The police say that Greco Is the chief
conspirator In an ingenious Matchmaking
scheme directed against Alfonso Schettini,
an Italian grooeryman Of 81 Downing
street. They believe that the bugaboo OF
Black Hand was raised by Greco, and
possibly others not yet a~pprehended, to
mulct Sohettini out Of $500.
Three weeks ago Enrioo Prota, who
Owls q grocery store at 81 Downing street,
sailed for Europe, leaving the business In
the hands Of his son-in-law and partner,
schettini. Prota had hardly been gone o
week when threatening letters began to
come through the mail to Sohettini. The
envelopes were addressed to Prota, but the
letters within were directed TO Sohettini.
They breathed murder and sudden death
to the acting partner in the grocery store,
tho destruction Of his house by dynamite
and the kidnapping Of somebody dear to
him. II $500 was not delivered Immediately
over to the Black Hand. Emphasis was
given to these letters by an ink sketch Of the
dreaded hand at the bottom OF each.
Schettini BECAME alarmed and consulted
with Greco, his friend from boyhood.
Greco advised that the police be notified,
Borano and De Guida arranged q dummy
roll Of bills for Sche ttini to deliver to the
blackmailers and Swallowed his store.
On Wednesday Q man, who later gave his
name g AstSEe Rioo! and bis residence as
Have. o got that $500 for the Black
Hand?' be asked. They caught your old
friend Greco this morning and they will
get you next. You'd better pay up
mi ns =, sr ,%my bI15s p and fSa sg Savs over Of the the
9laokmailers was at once arrested by the
detectives, who had been within earshot
OF the conversation: Ricoi was arraigned
the next morning in the jefferson Market
-A,,r AnI LID - A. ~.
When the threatening letters began to
arrive at Sohettini's place Of business
Greco manifested a lively alarm for the
safety Of his friend and counselled the
greatest precaution in safeguarding himself
and his family. On Saturday last Greco
burst In upon Sohettini. big eyed with
news. The night before, he said, he had
ridden down on the elevated road to the
Battery. There In a dark shadow four big
Black Handlers suddenly surrounded him.
hni to set the police on us. II You don't
look out you will get into trouble and you
dear friend sphettini will never sec you
reported to schetini by Greco. The next
move IN the game against the grooeryman
was that made early yesterday morning.
ABOUT ! O'Clock Eugene Duca, a tailor
living at EOS First avenue, appeared breath
citation and told Desk Sergeant Sullivan
that he bad just found a man lying bound
tn the hallway Of s27 East Eleventh street
and that he had cut him loose. A police
man was sent back with Duca and Greco
was brou ght to tho station. There he I'M
folded his tale.
Late on Tuesday night, said Greco, he
left Warrington Park Square, where he
had been sitting smoking, and walked
On the corner of Blocker street, which is
vel lighted, five men sprang, at him from
q doorway. They threw him down, gagged
and bound him and, after ~bandaging his
eyes. threw. him into a wagon behind three
barrels and drove of with him. Where
his oaptors took him Greco did not know.
After a long ride he found himself in the
cellar OF a house, lighted by one lamp, but
otherwise unfinished.
There, Greco asserted, he was merci-
lessly kicked and mauled by the five men
and finally left bound and gagged with a
red bandanna handkerchief to reflect upon
the sin Of opposing Black Hand societies.
His captors forgot to leave any water or
that. he would recognize any one Of the
five hdnappers II he should see him.
After Greco completed his story the
police on duty at the Fifth street station
questioned Duca, the man who had re-
ported having found Greco bound In the
vincing, and besides the police found IN
M of his pockets a piece of cord similar
to that with which Greco had been bound.
On the strength Of these facts Duca was
held by the police, but released late yester-
day afternoon.
Greco was taken to the Mercer street
station n held pending investigation.
After the police had been working on the
case for q few hours they became con-
WINGED that any Black Hand there may
be In the attempt to .blackmail Schetlni
Will be found attached to one Of Greoo's
wrists. Schetlini thinks that his good
friend Greco probably knows the author OF
the threatening letter.
YOCKERS NOT MURDERED.