The San Francisco call., 1908-03-22


into our national life. thriving on
the quantities of blood money It
extorts. the Black land tree IS now
bearing its annual rnidwsnte- crop OF
shocking crimes. Il is open season for
murder. kidnapping. bomb throwing and
blaokmailing-
Every Italian colony OF any size in
the country Is infested. and only in
New York and IN the mining districts
of Pennsylvania has there been any
sensible effort made 70 check this awful
criminal growth A secret service squad
iR New York and some daring work
bs- the mounted state police OF Penn
sylrania have served 10 put on a check
tor q few months. but now things are
growing worse than ever. as the clever
chiefs Of The Black Hand find new ways
of circumventing their enemies. the
0ncers Of the law
For the last few years have writ
ten and spoken against the Black Hand
and have devoted regularly q portion
CT my tine To keeping track OF the
growth of The system or fraternity.
There is no general organized society
there is closely woven system. Ny
hrst article. declaring that the old
Italian Nsfa had been transplanted
10 America was met generally with
open incredulIty and IN some quarters
with derlsion- a year later I showed
the process through which Detective
Sergeant Joseph Petrosini and Inspector
ArcCluszy unwittinglS spread the Grim
lnal Infection by driving the barrel
muzSer band out OF New York and
pleaded Tor z secret body OF Italian
police in New York cooperating with
rhe police OF other cities. 10 crush the
zroving condition
Prominent Italians. fearing for the
good name OF their fellow citizens, rose
u 10 write letters 10 the papers de-
e-GrinE there was 10 Black Hand There
were sls Black Hand murders in the
IS months after that year ago con-
ditions were 50 bad that Police Com
missioner Bingham gave Petrosini the
choice OF 20 Italian detectives from
which 70 organize secret service
corps The new force was not sum
Client Il should have been FIVE times
larger. but IL has done some splendid
work Now the very American police
ofncials who laughed Al the Black Hand
as nothing but a bugaboo and a myth
and an imported fake terror are seek
ing ways and means 70 cooperate in
tirely. Il this hzd been done three
years ago there might be no Black
Hand TO-DAY Now II viii take 10 years
OF determined effort and the lives OF
many brave men 10 crush IL The situ-
alton IL Brief is~this.
The Black Hand has thrived so well
IN America that il has re5uvenafeo the
Camorra in italy. The two are work
ing hand in glove.
The checking Of crimes in New York
caused the transfer OF headquarters 10
Pittsburg. These were raided by the
police December p
The big operations are now being
conducted from New York until it can
De deci led where il would be best TO
locate. Il rs hsghiy probable that the
Choice VIII be New York once more.
only greater degree Of caution viii
BE used-
Wt-- the Slack Hand has been in
active around New York for some
--.fe~ fema-ked a chicago police on
cial - hiEh rank TWO weeks ago. Moth
ins could have sAoEn more clearly his
t-Ture 10 uaderztanapae situation
Black Hand" Thriving
ga-,e have haen tew dynamit.ngs
few --idnapings AID few murders" said
J. 'but tAat IS aeczase the Black Hand
IS most active ana IS tsrivsng exceed
inElv You 60 not seem 10 comprehend
tfat the Black Hand system has not
for its rain purpose the commission Of
crimes of violence. These are merely
byplays- simply side moves IN the game
About 5000 italians lixe without work
IN Ee1 York. dress wei and have
plenty RI money The Black Hand
game is thcl- source OF revenue. Their
lrst step is 10 make the Black Hand
e dreaded thing A few dramatic mar-
ders accomplish that Their victims
are nof killed merely because they take
their warnings 10 the police and fail
10 pay the blood money. They are
killed 10 frighten the others. Children
are not stolen Tor ransom so much as
70 make tbe threat Of kidnapping a good
money zetter- IA the spring. summer
and fail there is plenty OF money in
the Italian colonies
Tiers Of thousands OF men readily
contribute the.- weekly assessment 70
the support OF the Black Hand When
the season OF winter idleness comes and
n0pey Is scarce the steady pay victims
oegsn 10 bslk, then It is necessary TO
XIII few men il the boidest way pos
sibie. 70 steal few children and defy
the police or 10 dynamite a tenement
and have whole community in terror
for weeks
Altogether have brought 10 the
United States - Italians. OF whom 50
were males OF wage earning age. and