The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-20
BARBER SUSPECT
HELD FOR SENDING
BLACKHAND NOTES
Newarker Accused of Sending
Demands for Tribute to
Business Rival.
FIND CLUE TO DEATH
MYSTERY OF YEAR AGO
Local Sleuth Investigating Old
Murder in Paterson, Told
of in Letters.

BY the arrest of Salvatore Pittoi, q
barber. of 329 Market street, the police
of the Third Precinct believe that they
have secured the man who has been
sending threatening letters to Donate
Machinelli, also a barber, of 317 Mar
ket street. He has been taken into
custody and will be arraigned for an
examination tomorrow in the Third
Precinct Police Court.
Machinelli received two letters, one
of january 80, mailed at Summit,
signed Black Hand, and the other of
March II, mailed at Paterson. signed
Cross Xxx. Both commanded him to de-
post $500 at Shanley's tomb. in the
Cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre, this
city, under penalty of being cut to
pieces.
The fact that the writer's threatened
to dc with him as they said they did
to Joseph Motto, of Newark, who was
killed in Paterson about a year ago, is
considered significant by the police, and
Plainclothesman Adubato has been c
to look into the Paterson end of the
case.
Motto was found murdered On a rail-
road track January II, 1907. robbed
of about 500 worth of money and
jewelry. The %coroner's jury held an
inquest and returned a non-committal
verdict.
Robbery In Plot.
When Motto left Newark he told his
wife he was going to see a friend. He
I'D @oxyoVoI I,aY11roA 6nI1ore with him
and a diamond ring worth $500. These
were not on the body when found on
the railroad tracks.
Pittoi was connected with the case
when it was found. the police say, that
he had been sending obscene postal
cards to other persons. The two bar
bers were not on good terms, 1t is
said, as a result of a challenge which
Machinelli published in the Daily Adj
y~ertiser for a speed test in shaving and
h~aircuttlng. Pittoi did not take up the
challenge. The contest was to be for a
bet of 5000.
Pittoi was arrested yesterday after
he had been lured from his house by
the police so that they would not
have to go there to get him, in which
case the family might have frustrated
the object of the search which was
made after the arrest. The arrest was
made by Adubato and Patrolman KEEL
lett, of the Third Precinct, and Truant
Officer Michael Daniel. They found
two new r~evolvers in the prisoners
house.
Pittoi was held without bail for an
examination tomorrow. His counsel is
James r. McDermitt.
u,rauaIuffon of Letters.
The translation of the letters, which
were written in Italian, is as follows.
"a Dear Peter: All to you received
this letter. but you have to send the
sum of $500. You will have to put it
in the corner of Shanley's Cemetery.
If you do not send 1t your life is done
for, cut to pieces and pieces. We will
give you till the 14th of February; If
not we will think of it as we feel.
BLACK HAND"
The post mark showed that this letter
was mailed at Summit January 80.
(R) "Friend Peter-You must stay of
your ignorance. You did not put tile
non where we told you but If We
get hold of you we viii do to you the
same as we lone to the lame fellow
that lived in Newark and was killed
In Paterson. Think well IL you want to
live. Send us the money to the corner
of Shanleys tomb in the cemetery. At
the gate you must put a stone for q