The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-12-26
RAID ON BLACK
HAND SOCIETY
SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION IN USE
or sTILETTo BROKEN UP
AT LAST.
AFTER FIERCE BATTLE
Police and Detectives of Pittsbur9
Clean Out Gang Of Nineteen
Dagoes-story Rivals
Dime Novel;

Dime Novel.
Pittsburg, Pa, Dec 25 Willie thes
We're absorbed in receiving instrnc
tions on the exact spot into which &c
plunge a stiletto to insure instant
death, seventeen would-be Blackhand
assassins and their two instructors
were surprised this afternoon Ia a
large underground cavern in this city
by more than two score detectives.
The raid was planed by the Pittsburg
police, assisted by detectives from all
parts of the United States.
After a desperate battle the nine
teen Blackhanders were oyerpowered
and landed in cells The police believe
the raid will break UP the organization
not only in Pittsburg. but all over the
country
Rivals Dime Novel.
The story Of the raid rivals q dime
novel for thrilling details For months
Pittsburg has been terrorized by the
Blackhand. Several murders have oc-
CURED and dozens of persons have
paid tribute to the hand under fear
CT death. The city had become the ma
tional headquarters Of the band Sew
eral weeks ago Captain OF Detectives
Edward McGough herad that there
was a school in which the younger
members of the organization were
taught now to deal death, swift and
sure, with the stiletto. Placing City
Detectives ePter Angle and Charles
Aymer. both Italians. in charge of the
case. Nc Cough sent to every import
ant nit s,itisss q iasss 81 sll miles
''aa'| a ] \ sti9sa' III 4 WI Z
,is,,iafiw ftEhM aetectives, be san
& .aasi,st II, xleaning ont the band =
zen cities sent detectives and ier
.,ra weps fhey have been assisting the
local officers The detectives iearhea
Ard mat the Headquarters q lhe
u,acrhand was at 81 Clay alley From
,ho anpearance Of the frant OF lhe
nlace ii would be taken for res
taurant.
Found Trap Door
finder table in the kitcheh was
fonnd a trap door leading down
e,gbt of stairs into large cavern,
,,ot oniv under the building at NO. 81
fgav alley, but under several otilels'
Taaa,ne from this cavern was ichs
underground passage, connecting WIN
CLAW alley, and from which the l'e'i,
hers of the Blackhand had reckoiieu
IN make their escape if ever SURPRISE,
All of these things were discovereh
dnring the past two weeks by Ahsie'
Avmer and Others, who had become
members of the Blackhand to secure
the information. This afternoon hal
No., selected for the raid and more
non 6fty detectives, led by Capt NC
cougb were on hand. Officers Were
stationed by every exit, Including the
secret passage.
Receiving instructions
rho seventeen new members OF the
orJer lvere found lined up, all o.
them Aked to the waist, ana eaeu
armed with a stiletto. As the ponce
entered two older members and III
str,c,ors Vincenzo Toya and Antoni'
Nicols we're pointing out on the bac'
of one hacked man the place TO drl''
the Knife.
In the room was a dummy, upoi
which the class took turns at praetic'
and everywhere about the wall wer'
drawings OF transformations bieedin
hearts with daggers THRUSH htproug
them and everywhere the word
~camorist Manora' CBlaekhand 81
cicty.l
Tried 10 Escape.
whom the detectives burst into tn
nlace every one Of the nineteen occ'
nsnts had a stiletto. No word wa
snoken. but at sign they charged "a
,o,,ca as one man. Each officer had
.lrawn revolver in his hand. Inc l'a
ian detectives. using language oil the
countrymen. demanded the insual
surrender. Insteal the nineteen nlap
ns5e a rush for the narrow unde
asoun5 massage. The officers ailcYe
thor, IN file into the passageWay' II
dozen detectives we're stationed
tho other end with drawn reyoiNef
A. the Blackhanders made their
,,aorsnce in the end Of the passal
- one was overpowered al
.h-ow, into one of a half dozen va
sDg natrcl wagons. All we're saie
taken to central station