The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-29
LOSS OF 20
ASCRIBED TO
BLACK HAND
Explosion Starts Fatal Fire
in Christie Street Home
Of ItaIiauS.

NEW 1ORhB July zJ@-ln a He
starting from an explosion which is
believed to have been caused by a
bomb placed by members of the Black
Hand Society twenty persons are
known to have been burned today, hf-
teen others are in the hospitals, some
others are missing.
This fire started in the six-story tene-
ment building known as the Three
Deuces,'' at 222 Chrystfe street, occu-
pied by twenty families. Many of these
take in boarders. and it is estimated
that when the flames were discovered
just after midnight this morning the
roof covered $50 persons.
In recent years the 'Three Deuces"
has been the very hotbed of italian
murders. There the blaclSmailers have
met to frame up plans for getting
money from their countrymen or to
plot murders. 1t had a criminal record
equaled by no other place in New York.
And yet there were many respectable
Italian families living in this house.
They were poor and could not afford
the higher rent demanded by more
desirable tenements.
NllldIl DIdllulg VI VI - was
passing through Christie street shortly
after midnight when he was almost
hurled from his feet by a terrific ex-
plosion. The entire front of Nicola
Di Marcos grocery store, on he
ground floor, south of the Three
Deuces,'' was blown III and flames
leaped far into the street.
The entire tenement was awakened
by the explosion. Instantly every man
in the house seemed to begin firing his
revolver. There were shots fired into
the street from windows and the halls
were literally riddled.
Then the Italians, thinking that they
had given warning that their homes
were guarded, went into their rooms,
closed the doors and locked them. The
they retired with their wives and chill
dren and their boarders.
The Italians in the '"Three Deuces'
nave learned to attend to their own af-
fairs when explosions take place, espe-
cially when the Black Hand is work
ing. 1t was this fear alone that swelled
the list of dead and injured, coupled
with the cowardice of many of the
men. who to save themselves fought the
women and children back n even
III z ACA III lin - W
path to the crowded fireescapes.
Brandt, on seeing the flames, acted
quickly. He ran to the fire-box at
Christie and Stanton streets, and
sounded the alarm. Then he returned
to the burning BY this time
the flames had broken through from the
grocery to the hallway and attacked a
shop, which occupied the other
half of the ground floor.
The flames ran up through the hall
with the speed of a man in a race. AL
most instantly they had attacked the
roof, and the doors of the twenty tene-
ment quarters were flaming. The scut-
tie was down. and for an instant the
fire roared as 1t was held back. Then
the scuttle gave way and the tongues
of fame shot through the roof as
though it were o Aue.
Then the Italians and their house
holds broke through the flaming doors
into the halls, only to be driven back.
Some of them who had saved shots In
their revolvers began firing a second
time. as though the weapons would
check the flames.
The families on the first and second
and rear made for the fire-escapes.
Inere SeeIn6u no Iedu dlupiiS tAiSil'
Nc one could remember to let down the
ground ladder reaching to the first
floors.
So there they stood, men in places
of vantage, where they were sure Of
safety, fighting back their own wives
and children with their fists and feet.
The flames got closer and closer. The
fire-escape was gorged with humanity,
and in the windows screamed women
and little children. They were scream
ing from pain and fright, and from
pain as their fathers or husbands
rained blows on them to light them
back.
If ever there were towards there
were towards in that fire. for the fire.
men and police say that more than one
life was lost by some chicken-hearted,
selfish fellow who thought only Of him.
self in time Of danger.