The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-08-07
THE BLACK HAND
Is RaIded and Assassins and
BlackmaiIers Are Caught.
DOZENS Are JAILED.

Cp-Twelve Murders in Two Years
Are Attributed to the Organization
Which Is Composed of Il Lot OF
DesperadoeS.
After waiting for months and
spending thousands of dollars and
spreading drag net that has caught
men in four states, the United States
1 Steel Corporation has rounded up
what is said to be the worst gang of
| blackhand assassins in the country.
Dozens of arrests have been found,
and men are in Jail in New Castle,
Penn: Youngstown. Ohio: Sharon,
Pa: Plalnfeld, n. j., and Rochester,
n. Y.
A dozen murders in the Mahoning
and Shenandoah Valleys in the last
couple of years are attributable to the
gang. For headquarter the gang
picked Hillsville. quarry town in
Lawrence county, Pa, a few miles
west of New Castle. Here are locat-
ed the immense quarries of the John
ston Limestone company. Hillsville,
locally, is known as "Helltown. The
quarries. full OF caverns, afforded
hiding places that could be searched
for a week for suspects without re-
suits
Detectives were started after the
gang. Some went to italy and came
back as immigrants, going to Hills
vile, where they worked with the
Black Hand members.
The raid was made Saturday after
noon, July 18th, by County Detective
Logan, Detective B. Marshal, of New;
Castle; Deputy Sheriff Frank Wad-
dington, Detective Mehard, several
New Castle policemen, and railroad
detectives. The time selected for the
raid was payday at the Johnson quar-
ries.
AS the men came up for their mon
ey a stranger with a check list scann-
ed them. When a man wanted ap-
peared the stanger would tell him
there was something wrong with his
envelope, and ask him to step into a
back Office Before any alarm was
raised twelve men had been inveigled
into the room and hand-cuffed. Final
ly all the men we're paid off. and
nine suspects were still wanted.
house in the town was then raided by
the police, and the missing nine men
caught.
The men under arrest were charg-
ed with conspiracy to rob and being
suspicious persons. Men and women
of Hillsville, no longer afraid, tell Of
what became known as flashlights
firing" Every night, long flashes of
light suddenly would be seen all over
town. Finally it was explained that
the lights were made by pocket fash
lights used by Black Hand leaders to
scare timid Italians into giving up
money. The lights were ascrlbed to
supernatural causes.
Nicolo Ciurlee, who was suspected
by the gang Of being a detective, was
subjected to abuses and torture sucn
as few white men endure and live. He
told his story in justices court at
the hearing of some Of the suspects.
Jim Rocs, a grocer. who caused the
arrest of Salvador Exposito, says he
was compelled to mortage his home
for $500 to meet the demands of the
Black Hand. Exposito is said to be one
of the few real Black Hand men
John Jotti, arrested in Youngstown
bv Chief Mcdowell and Detective
Kane, is said to have conducted
school in whicf Italians were taught
the use Of the stiletto. 1t is SAID tnat
he had a rubber figure Of man. and
on it were marked the places IN
which properly to insert the stliletto
and cause instant death.
Joe Bagnato, who is said to nave
levied tribute money from Italians
for months and finally left Hillsdale
with $1,000 in gold, is badly want
ed.
Joe Pochesso was murdered IN
front of Sam Sauline's saloon, East
Federal stree, Youngstown, Sustal-
no Martone. a boy of nineteen, is un-
der arrest for the crime. He de-
clares he shot Pochesso in self defen-
Sc. When asked if he belonged to
the Black Hand, he boastlnsiy salo
he did. The murder Of Pochesso: the
police say was caused by his enorls
70 stop the blackmailing of arch
italian women of Youngstown. Inc
bow felt SO secure that he did moot go
fifteen miles away from Youngstown.
In South Sharon the police say tnat
Sam Yallous and Sandy Pereno We're
murdered by the Black Hand. South
Sharon workmen at the Steel corpo-
ration furnaces are said to have con.
tributed $4,000 to the black hano
agents. Two men were arrested sat
uTdav charged with attempting TO
blackmail a woman by threats OF Vlo-
lence. :a,.-
Owners of mills and other lndus,
trial establishments are still fear1ui
of vengeance. One big cement con-
Germ near Newcastle, which has 81
900 900 invested in a plant is sald 70
he guarding against fire. In otner
mills extra precautions are oelns
taken to guard against incendlarlsm.
FELL INTO RIVER.