The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1908-10-01

n
HSvM gether to put down the So
9eWf called BLACK Hand" There
u has just been organized In
No city a secret, oath-bound brother
ood TO stamp out the Italian criminal
This city They have sworn to ut
srly extermlnate the scores of mar
hiding bands that are making the
,,pets dangerous with private war
nd are mercilessly levying blackmail
IDou rich Italians. The new organiza.
I'm will be even more relentless than
M criminals they are pursuing.
The innumerable blackmailers,
hleyes and assassins who have so per.
aently oparated under the name of
liza Mano Nera" are not. however, to
extermlnated with pistol and still.
eo The new organizations plan is
prosecute them judlcially. Through
n own secret agencies 1t will collect
violence against these men, assem-
linz II in such magnitude and so con.
kuclngly that the BLACK Hand" oper-
.or will have no more leeway. This
lew, oath-bound body will have such
trength that 1t will be able to protect
Fithout difficulty all those who aid It,
As matter of fact the BLACK
Hand" is not an organization-there is
b body Of men of that name banded
together for any particular purpose
Is simply a convenient term that
las been applied to the acts of thou.
and independent gangs of vicious or
imDal Italians. The name BLACK
Hand" as applied to a criminal soci.
y, was coined some few years ago in
newspaper article. The criminal
Italians were quick to take it up and
dopt 1t, as 1t gave dignity and
over to their demands. So one after
mother of the countless independent
angs, the groups of two or three, the
bee lances, took 1t up and began sign.
Big their threats with La Mano Nera's
mister name and emblem. Quickly
be idea spread throughout New York
md America that the BLACK Hand"
as a vast and UNNECESSARILY power
d organization, with single head,
hany lleutenants and innumerable
hsmbers. But no such organization
Ilsts. II II did 1t would be compare
lively easy for the authorities to break
uD-it could hardly last months
etermined onslaught. It's unwieldy
LIE would breed many enemies, be-
rsyals would follow, It's leaders would
y In the grip of justice, and all would
bon be over
UT with perhaps a thousand mar
auding bands operating In secret,
Splring fear in countless ways by
a'eats of bombs. stilettos and pistols
and too often making their threats
OOd-the evil has become a menace
nat is more than difficult to stamp
NJ Where one band Is caught
Oien more spring into being.
While the tribute levied by the so.
aied Black Hand" has for some
lne been wrung from Italians of
eaIlh, the recent spread of its depre-
anons and prosecutions has touched
Ol only almost every class OF Italians.
\" also many other foreigners and a
CIV Americans as we'll and caused the
auaton TO become alarming.
ine dlfilculty of combating Italian
'lme is greater than that of combat
~ lhe crime of any other nationality,
eOple or class. The Italians, above
o'ner races, are abnormally secre-
"e' they settle their quarrels among
uemseiVes, without recourse to the
Nv Dy system of retaliation and per
,aal payment of injury for injury as
as Rome itself. 1t Is therefore pc
marty lifting and quite in keeping
m their racial traits that the tia
sas should have evolved this scheme
settling the difficult BLACK Hand"
question themselves.
'ms plan of the great oath-bound
uherhocd has been set afoot be.
suse The Italians of New York realize
n a' the municipal government is I'M
e 10 cope with the danger. The
a.e stand helpless before the rami-
aaVns CT the criminals that black
VI and terrorize. Evidence cannot
'ecured at important junctures,
~ 'o VINO endeavor to help the police
SCI upon at the first available OPP
sunlty by the bands that Turk.
,,s 'he witness is not safe upon the
~ secret sign comes from some
~ m the courtroom and there is an
~ s'n. loss of memory caused by a
!" OF loss of life.
AZ 'hls will be changed, 1t Is antici-
,o,t pa'eu, when this remarkable new
e'nood, the like Of which never
e mas been known In America,
nj. 'nfly under way. For 1t will be
NO. powerful than the criminals
\, eeiVes. 1t will intimidate them,
IN " iear of death. but by fear Of
bIs,. me whole plan is only what
~ =. nave been anticipated-th ris-
NJ W. the good Italians of New York
NY w, out the stigma that is no fault
els' but Is a stain made by those
f own blood. The interesting