The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-12-07
Governor johnson Fears
Not ''BIack Hand"
SECOND EPISTLE RECEIVED.
Executive Will Not Be Fused Over
by a Bodyguard; Police TO Make
an Investigation

st. Paul, Dec. 5.-A second letter from
the reported BLACK Hand" threatening
the life Of Governor John A. Johnson
has come to light.
| The letter is similar to the one sent
to Mayor Robert A. Smith.
The letter was opened by Harvey A
Grimmer, executive clerk, who, not wish
ing to alarm the governor, maintained
secrecy as to the missive.
When the contents of the first letter
became public, however, Mr. Grimmer
showed Governor Johnson the second
one.
The seriousness with which Governor
Johnson's friends and his official family
regard the situation, may be inferred
from the fact that when the states
chief executive was ready to leave the
capitol Monday evening, T. d. O'Brien,
insurance commissioner, E. X Slater,
dairy and food commissioner, and John
McDermott, state oil Inspector, Joined
him and escorted him from the building,
constituting an improvised bodyguard
down the street.
Governor Johnson does not himself
view seriously the notification that his
death has been decreed by the BLACK
Hand" He thinks the letters are from
some fanatic or else a clever ruse of Il
band that may be Matchmaking Italian
laborers, as the letters relate, to empha-
| size the bands demands upon the latter
for money.
Chief of Police John j. O'Connor
says there is no branch of the 'Black
Hand society in st. Paul, declaring
Governor Johnson's life is in no danger
Chief O'Connor views the letters as
hoax, but will investigate anything that
may definitely make known the writer
| or the purpose of the band described.
81 put no stock in the letters telling
that some gang or other has passed the
death penalty on me- said Governor
Johnson. Il have never harmed anyone
either in an official or private capacity,
and have absolutely no fears about this
matter. Somebody is trying to play a
Joke or else some crank is at work. In
no alarm"
Governor Johnson will not consent to
a bodyguard at the statehouse nor at his
home.
The exposure of the reported plot to
assassinate the governor, in letter sent
anonymously to Mayor Robert A. Smith
Monday, caused sensation throughout
| the state.
The second letter was referred to the
Italian authorities for investigation as
to the identity of the thirteen men
whose names were given in the first let
ter.
One theory, not improbable, it is said,
is that a matchmaking clique is extort-
ing money from Italian laborers in Min
nesota, and perhaps even in the twin
cities. That the band actually made
the threat to kill the governor and
bring the whole Italian colony in disre-
pute, unless sums of money are paid
them.
The Italians of Minnesota, especially
in the Twin cities, have heard Governor
4 Johnson speak, and their papers have
praised him. Many of them look up to
him as a sort of sovereign, whom they
must love, as they did the ruler of their
province in Italy. Hence threat to kill
the man that they honor and revere
would make the "Black Hand threat a
strong argument to compel the objects
of blackmail to give the money demand
ed
"Black Hand bands resort to similar
tricks in the east and in their native
land
Local Italians claim they know moth
| inc of Such a band in ST Paul