The Cairo bulletin., 1906-02-06
WILL SUPPRESS A
BLACK HAND GANG
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT TAKES
STEPS TO CRUSH BLAckMAIL.
ERs AND AsSAsSINS.
is A NATIONAL PERIL
And Menace to the Whole Country
Secret Service Men VIII Have
No Easy Task Running
II Down.

! Washington. Feb. 5.--Thc Black
! Hand Society of blackmailers and as
sd! rs has become such a peril and
menace 10 the whole country that
President Roosevelt has ordered an In
vestigation as to its methods, with
the hope of crushing it. Secret serv-
ice men, al the request Of the president
have already started work and have
collected much valuable information.
Several detectives who speak Italian
have been engaged and through them
it is hoped TO run down the ringleaders
Of the various branches of the society
and bring them TO just ce.
The method Of operation of the yari-
GUS branches Is always the same. A
victim with money is selected and he
Is notified 10 pay certain sum Of
money II he does not he is assassin
ated, or his home or place Of business
blown up with dynamite.
Hundreds of cases where victims
have paid up have never been reported
to the police, for fear of vengeance OF
the society Even in many instances
where persons have been half killed,
they have preferred to remain silent
rather than bring fresh disaster upon
themselves by giving information
which might lead to the apprehension
Of the guilty persons.
Bear Fatal Black Hand.
One of the latest victims selected
by the Black Hand is Paul n. Warren,
head of the firm of r. n. Warren a
80. paper box manufacturers Of Brook
line Mass. Mr.. Warren received three
,ostal cards recently. Each was post.
marked Portland, Ore.," and each
iore the insignia Of the black hana,
The writing was evidently disguised.
On the back of the first one was
| written: "You have but four more
lays" Then came a second postal
ard with the same postmark same
writing and same message, except that
he time had been shortened to three
| lays.
The third postal card said that be
| had but two days more 70 live. A
| few days later man was seen prowl-
| az about Mr. Warren's house. Then
he notified the police. and his house
and place of business have since been
,arefully guarded.
Portland Ore. where the Warren
letters came from, seems TO be nest
If Black Hand members. Postal cards
bearing the black hand the symbol OF
leath. as warning to it's victims of
impending destruction. have been re-
,eived by a number of the most prom
'nent whole. ale merchants of the city
n each mornings mail regularly for
he last three mornings. Each card, be
sides bearing the black imprint. has
lnder the hands a few scrawled words
informing the recipient Of the card
hat he has certain number Of days
yet TO live.
Death Awaits Them.
The first cards received placed the
limit at four days. and each morning
he number of DAYS e. made one less.
According to these cards some deadly
fate awaits these merchants.
Among those who have received
hem regularly each morning are Clar
nnce Wagner Of the Portland Candy
Company and j. y Matschek. also
andy dealer. The matter has been
-eported 10 the police and an invest ga
cation Is being made.
In Brooklyn. y. Y. the Black Hand
Society has long held high carnival.
Several sons Of wealthy Italians have
ieen kidnapped two or three men have
1een murdered ana several stroe
'ronts ana the sleeping apartments
# persons who refused the demands of
he society have been blown up With
dynamite and many persons injured.
The secret service men viii have no =
"a. task IN running d-wn the heads
Il the society Even when a member
) arrested ne is seldom convicted on
scount of lack of evidence. Those who
,ould give the police valuable testi-
nonv fear &c DO SO Every witness
-eceives a death warning aud he fears
he Black Hand as be does the dreaded
Mafa