Bisbee daily review., 1908-02-28
BLACK HAND MAKES
DEMAND FOR CASH
Forty Dollars In Gold Demand
ed and Juarez Address
Is. Given,

That Black Hand organization ex-
listed either in Ell Paso or Juarez has
been believed by Chief of Police Ponce
de Leon for several months, but no
positive proof could be obtained of
the existence of the society until ].
G. Salazar, a grocer who owns store
on the corner of Broadway and Sixth
streets, reported the receipt OF a
threatening letter with the emblem of
the Black Hand in the upper corner,
to the Juarez police. The letter was
dated Juarez, February 8, and the en-
velope is postmarked Ell Paso under
date of February 9.
The letter is written in Spanish and
was evidently executed by an Hitter
ate person, as number of the words
are misspelled and the writing is done
in a scrawling hand. The warning
emblem is in the upper left-hand cor
ner and consists of an open hand with
skull and erossbones under it and
hollow cross below the bones. The
| first paragraph refers TO the seal and
the second makes known the wants of
the sender, which is that-Mr Salazar
shall send two $40 bills in a letter to
the given address in Juarez. Follow
ing this there are three conditions
which must be fulfilled. The letter is
signed Manuel CASTELAR, and beneath
the signature are the three words,
Deception, Humanity, Fulfillment."
Below is copy of the letter:
"Ciudad Juarez, February 8, 1908.
"Senor Salazar:
"This selfsame seal makes it known
to you what is asked of you. We want
| $40 in gold which you shall send to us.
| If you do not comply with this order.
you will be assassinated, and you will
lose all of your properties.
| Conditions.
| ''1st This money must be paid by
you before the eighth of April.
end. This money shall be sent in
| a sealed envelope in two bills of the
value of 500, without registry.
"3rd. Answer this to the lodge lin
| Ciudad Juarez) where everything is
conducted in secret The same are
watching you. Direct the letter to
/ Manuel CASTELAR,, general delivery,
/ Ciudad Juarez. Answer within "a
hours. If you do not answer-DEATH
and more.
/ Deception. Humanity, FulfilIment"
i As soon as this letter was turned
] over to the Juarez police Mr.. SalaZar
! sent a decoy letter as directed and
/ Captain Zermano of the secret service
| department concealed himself in the
/ postoffice, but it is evident that the
men were informed of this move as
J the letter was never called for. The
/ police are still at work on the case
| and are making an effort to locate
! the meeting place of the members of
I the alleged Black Hand society, which
4 is thought to be in cellar in Juarez.
| Mr. Salazar, the man who received
| the letter, has been in business in Ell
4 Pas for the past sixteen years and
has a large amount of property here.
He said this morning that he did not
/ have any enemies and that he was
not worried about the Black Hand
letter
81 intend to kill the first man that
| approaches men with any intention of
extortion," ~said Mr.. Salazar. II don't
intend to do anything but ignore their
order"
/. NJ. Goodman, the proprietor of a
| general merchandise store-on South
| FL Paso street, is said to have. re-
ceived a letter similar to the one of
Mr.. Salazar However, he denied this
morning that he had ever received
any such communication.
The seal of the society is printed
with a crudely made rubber stamp,
and ordinary writing fluid was USED 10
make the impression. The writing in
| the letter and that of the address is
| evidently done by different persons,
as the address is much better written
and in a holder. palmer hand than
| the body of the letter.-El Paso Her
! aid