Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-26
a SCHOOL OF MURDER.
Pht-burg Police Found Expert, Teach
ing Class the Use OF the StiIIrtto
NJ Black Hand ncndaMarters.

Nv B'1ck Itanu
PittsburE. Dec. 2j.--A squad Of Pitts
burg detectives aided by two score de
tcrtIvcs from all parts Of the country yes
tcrdav afternoon raided Black Hand
headquarters.
They found seventeen young mon re-
"oiving from two Italian experts lesson
in the use OF the stiletto.
All Of tho nineteen mon In the place and
the lookoui were arrested after a. severe
struggle aud are now IN tho prison a cen.
ual station.
For months pittsburg has bon terrorizcd
by lawlcS- Italians who styled thor
organization the BLACK Hand" several
murders nave been committed and dozens
OF persons havc paid tribute under fear
Of Death pitshurE mas bcccsno the head
quarters of tho Black Hand.
Soiuc weeks ago Captain of Detectives
Edward M'Gough learned that tho organl-
zItion had Is hea dquartors here and that
school was in existence whore younger
members Woro taught the Use of weapons
and The methods OF the organization.
Putting tun matter into the hands OF
city Detectives Peter Angelo and Charles
Aymor both OF whom speak italian.
McGough sent to nearly every large city
In tho country and asked that detectives
Fam liar with Italian secret organizations.
and particularly Italian speaking dctrc-
tvoS, bc sent here "a assist IN cleaning
out tho band Ten cities sent detectives
and for two weeks tioy have been work
nE with tho local officers. The raid ot
this afternoon was the result
Thc detectives learned first that tho
headquarters OF the gang was at 81 CLAY
alloy. in the heart o. the Italian quarter
From tho appearance of the front ~ the
place Il would be mistaken for rcsta1-
rant There is large room with tables
and chairs. back OF which Is what NJ
imposed 30 be a kitchen. Bat the harm
'oae lcoklua range IS a forge. and tho
unito arronod che, is a stilrtto maker.
who beside acting as r lookout devoted
himself 20 making and sharpening dag
gers and keeping rovolvers and other
Weapons % order.
rndrr a. Table IN tho Kitchen is . trap
door wI.1 leads down fight ~ stairs
.rto g large rel,ar that extends under soy
oval o'.er hsllirEs.
Leading from thi. col'ar is a long mar
row underground passage, which ends u
small alley off Clay ;llov through
wni.h t.. members Of the BLACK Hand
had ...H'"d 20 make their escape II ever
surprised
All tt",r things were discovered 'a the
last t-yo weeks by Angelo. Avm4~ and
Italian de,ect'y"s from other cities. Sew
oral Of the Italian detectives had bo ONE
members % the Black Hand SO a To- get
tho information.
FIFTY DETECTIVES MADE RAID.
Yesterday afternoon was selected as the
time for the raid and itty detectives uN-
der capt McGourh were on hand. OF
frcrs were placed at every ext. inciud-
ing ia" end of the secrct passage. and
then q dozen detectives entered .he front
Of the building overpowercd tho man in
the kitche, aud forced their way down
into the cellar
There the class was surprised The
seventeen Young members were lined up,
all naked to tho waist. and each armed
with a s'i,etto. Two Instructors. N!ncenzo
Toys and Antonio Nicola, We're teaching
the class how 20 Use the etilctto.
As the io'lr, ..tcrcd the telchers were
pointing ou, ou 'ao back of ono naked
man tho place .u drive the knife. In the
room was a dummy uron which the lass
took turns az prdo.iyr. and every where
abou, tn" wall v"r. weird drawings Of
assasslnatloas bleeding hearts with dag
gers through th"m. and everywhere were
tho Italian word "CamoriStt, Mano
Nora" OB.ack Haudr
When the detectives eWarmcd into tho
place every one Of the nineteen occupants
had stIlrtto. No word was spoken but
a a sign they made . cJurerted move
ment TO charge the police. But each Of
nQcr had a revolver IN hie hand and had