The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-28
SIX FOUND DEAD.
Knife Wounds Indicate Bloody
Battle in Lodging House.
Black Hand Has Been Busy at
Minneapolis, Minn.
THEY BLEED TO DEATH.
Victims Had Been Stabbed But
Not to Kill.
Valuable Paper and Much Gold
Found On Premises.
THEY BLEED TO DEATH.

Minuea polls, MIMI March 28.-Six
Italians. the victims of a terrible bat
tie with knives, We're found dead in
an Italian lodging house here today.
Four of the bodies We're found on the
first floor in a single room filled with
cots. and two We're found in the base
ment. When the police discovered the
crime today the premises bore every
evidence of a struggle in which it is
believed at least twelve men partici-
pated. Furniture was upset and
broken and splashed with blood.
Four knives with long heavy blades
Of razor-lfke keenness, were discov-
cred.
The victims of the light. by their
clothing, which was rough, appear to
have been laborers, and all appar-
entity had been dead for some time.
None Of the bodies has been identified
and neighbors deny any knowledge of
ated on Tenth avenue near Washing
ton street. The building is an old and
somewhat dilapidated one. At first
the police thought that there were but
four bodies. but in following trail
of blood which led TO the basement
the other two were discovered.
Malta Band.
1t is believed that nine men con-
stituted a Malta, or Black Hand organ
izatiOn, and We're searching the city Tor
a man marked for death. The gang
evidently found their man last night,
for there We're three new faces
amongst them when they returned
from yesterdays search
The evening was spent quietly. At
midnight, however. a fight started, evil
dently lasting but a few minutes.
Shortly afterward six men were seen
to leave
This morning when the police
changed beats the new officer heard
"a af- n running fTDlll
the building He broke in a door and
there discovered that wholesale murder
had been done.
In the. center. of the dark and dingy
room lay side by side four dead bodies.
Blood lay in thick pools all about the
room. The officer waded through it to
reach the bodies. He found three long
black handled knives beside tl1e bodies
The rnurdeFers- had evidently let the
injured bleed to deaths for the wounds
were not deep but rather in long sys-
tematic slashes. which run lengthW1se
along the bodies. The faces were mutt
lated. None of the wound were deep
enough to be fatal but the loss of blood
must have been frightful.
When the search was completed on
the ground floor, officer Peterson went
into the cellar. Here two more bodies,
cut and slashed in a similar manner
We're found lying in pools of blood
Much Money Found
In tin box on the floor in the first
story room was found a check for
S373.6O, made out to NicOlO Demtri
evidently a priest in the Greek Catho-
lie church. The box also contained
$500 in Italian gold pieces and $400
in American currency. The room con-
tanned several satchels. One was
marked Nicolo Demtri, and contained
the complete vestments of Greek
Catholic priest. even to the costly
rnitre and robes. In this grip were
found passports IN Turkish, Greek,
and French. Addresses to Demtri
were also found as follows. Lincoln,
avenue, and New Salem, n. D. An
address Of f'Kersten Rouvko, New
Salem, n. D." was also found.
Another grip with similar vest
Tnents and garments was found, la
beIed Carsco Demtri Other grips
were marked Dakon Caponi and Sani
Yesymi.
The police believe that the victims
were lured to the spot and then told
that they must die. A fight was start
ed, during which not only the three
victims but three of the assailants
were killed.
Robbery was not the motive, for the
money was left untouched and the
victims all had small sums on their
persons.
The nine men who rented the place
were mysterious IN all their move
ments during the two months of resi-
dence in Minneapolis. They stayed up
all night Monday. but Tuesday there
were no lights in the place, despite the
fact of the presence of the three extra
men.