Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-05
INVESTIGATING A
"BLACK HAND" CASE
Detectives of Local Force En-
gagged in Search.
SEEKING A LETTER WRITER
Demand Made of Local Merchant,
Backed by Threats.
LIFE AND PROPERTY INVOLVED
Declared That Escape is impossible
for Recipient of Communication
Maintenance of Secrecy.
SEEKING A LETTER WRITER
LIFE AND PROPERTY INVOLVED

Report made to the police of the
receipt of BLACK Hand" letter by
a local merchant is the basis of an
investigation, conducted with Sc
crecy, and of the belief that possibly
a council of the organization in
question is at work in this city.
Inspector Boardman has two members
of the detective corps at work upon a case
In which the complaint is that members
of the BLACK Hand" organization have
| started operations In this city.
| letter. which purported to have been
| written by "A. l.. w." secretary of a coun-
| ell, was received recently by L. Gregori,
proprietor of fruit and delicatessen store
at 207 I'd street southeast. The surprising
part of the message is that the writer de-
| manded only SIS, but the penalty for re-
| fusal to obey the directions contained in
the letter was the limit. 1t threatened the
| destruction of life and property by fire
/ and dynamite. Mr.. Gregori did not recog-
| nixe the handwriting on the envelope when
| 1t was handed him by the letter carrier last
Tuesday morning. nor was there any way
for him to tell who had drawn black
hand on the outer side Of the second page
| Of the letter.
| AS soon as he had torn open the envelope
and removed the letter he discovered the
black hand. 1t had been drawn where the
recipient of the letter was certain to see 1t
before he had an opportunity to read the
| contents.
Address on Envelope.
BLACK Hand" Gregon muttered as he
noticed the drawing on the back of the let
| ter, Can this be for me?' he asked him.
self. He tried to make himself believe that
the postman had delivered the communica-
| ton to the wrong pArsen, but Q second look
1 1t the address on tha envelope showed Him
that 1t was Addressed:
"Sr. u. Gregori.
"2O7 I'd street southeast,
| Washington, d. c.
Gregori could find no further reason for
| the belief that there had been mistake.
| for no other than himself. He understood
| what the drawing on the back OF the letter
indicated. ana be really did not want to
reSii.ed that nis failure to read il ana take
some action might result disastrously to
him. and, 30. he proceeded to peruse the
communication, which he did: carefully not
| ing that q black hand had also been drawn
at the bottom Of the first page.
Substance Of Demand.
"At q meeting of the council" the mer-
4 chant read. st was ordered that you pro-
duce SIS and place It according to the in
structions set out in this letter"
Gregori hesitated. He read over the first
paragraph again. and wondered why he
should give up $75 or any other sum OF
money to the BLACK Hand organisation,
He could find no reason for paying over the
zclI Al ~, fLA~A rurIeh h
out reading the letter through. that he
would not be victim. Reading further he
found that the writer admonished him that
the d WAS We Sy s On
dynamite It was added that there would
be no escape for him: that there were other
councils, and that II one did not succeed
Therefore,, 1t was stated In the letter.
for your own good. obey this order and
say nothing to any one"
Delivery Of Money.
The money, Mr.. Gregori was told in the
letter. should be In five and ten-dollar bills.
and he was directed to place them in al
envelope and to put the envelope upon
stone beneath tub Of flowers in front OF
Flannery's stone yard on street south
west between South Capitol and LIST streets.
designating the particular tub under which
the money should be hidden.
Take the money there tonight at
O'clock was the command contained In
the letter, "and say nothing about it to any
one"
In conclusion Gree5n was told that he
would be carefully watched by an agent of
the council. and he was advised to tell no.
body OF his secret. but to keep his own
council.
Mr. Gregori tried to make himself believe
that he way u.> victim OF a practical Joke.
but the m(fe he thought over the matter
the greatfr was the impression made by
the two black hands The Italian mer-
chant concluded to consult policeman, 90
he conversed with q bluecoat, asking what
he should do He was advised to go to DO
lice headquarters and tell his troubles to
Inspector Boardman. which he did
Indulge in Surmises.
1t was just as impossible for Inspector
Boardman to tell of the genuineness of the
letter as It had been for Mr.. Gregori Ali
either could do was merely to indulge in
surmises. The inspector assigned the case
to two Of the best men in the Office, and to
them Gregori told the story of how he had
received the letter and OF the effect 1t had
upon him. He was not exactly frightened,
nor was he certain that he had been Sc
lected as the victim of a practical joke.
The practical joke theory did not seem
to have much foundation, but there was
apparent reason why an organization such
as the BLACK Hand should select Gregori
as victim. 1t Is understood 1t would
have been an easy matter for him to
turn over the amount requested to All
agent of the local council II such q council
is in existence. He came to this city only
about three months ago. having conducted
a prosperous business in Cumberland, Md,
and so certain was he of being successful
here that he purchased the valuable prop
erty where he is now In business. Other
property was also purchased.
Arranged a Trap.
After he had consulted with the detect
ives, Gregori arranged to set trap for
fl..s loDlr
note and placed it in an envelope, putting
In some pieces of green paper to resemble
money. Then he went to the tub of now
ers aneHttoned IN the letter. reaching there
shortly before o o'clock. The envelope was