St. Tammany farmer., 1908-06-20
BLACK HANDS KILLED.
Tried to ExtOrt Money,
But Got Rifle Bullets.

AS the result or an attempt OF
Black Hands to extort money
from an Italian merchant in
New Orleans, last Tuesday
night, Giro Cusimano, GioVanna
Barreco and Nunzio Barreco are
dead and Francisco Vattali is
dangerously wounded.
The killing occurred in the
old Beauregard mansion on the
corner of Hospital and Chartres
streets. Pietro Giacono and his
son. Cerrado Giacono were Wis
tied by the men who were kill
ed and one other who escaped.
Pietro Giacono had been in
the habit Of paying sums OF
money to these men, and he
was worried and startled when
the conversation drifted in this
direction as he, his son and the
four men sat at a table on the
back gallery, drinking wine af-
ter a luncheon. The demand
for money was made, but he
| was determined he would SUBJ
NIT no longer. An extract from
the Picayune's account is as fol-
lows: He excused himself and
went into the house, leaving his
guests seated at the table. He
had not long since determined
not to submit to the blackmail
Of these men any longer. He
had received a Black Hand let
ter on March 81 last demanding
$4,000, and he had ignored this
demand, for it was an outrage
Gus one, he thought, and now
getting tired of these repeated
unjust demands upon his purse
and he determined to stop pay
ing them. He had purchased a
modern Winchester automatic
rifle and a double-barreled shot
gun, and both these were charg-
ed: SO when he excused himself
to the company he went inside
and got the rifle. Meantime
Gusimana had turned his atten-
ton to the son, Carrado, and
asked him for $100. Carrado
said he had not the money, and
turning to Barreco he laughed
and looked inquiringly at him.
Barreco turned impatiently to
Cusimano and exclaimed, Give
it to him. What are you wait
ing for? Cusimana placed his
hand behind him. Corrado was
watching him carefully, and
when he observed the motion
sprang to his feet. He started
toward the hall door, in which
his father had disappeared, be-
ing compelled to approach Cusi-
mano in SO doing.
AS he passed the latter, Bar
reco being between them, Cusi-
mano drew his revolver and
fired at the young man. His
aim was bad, but he never. had
; another chance. The old man
had meantime reached the door
on his way back with his rifle,
and the smoke from the revol-
) yer had not cleared away when
the sharp crack of the rife was
heard. Instantly the crowd
sprang to their feet. Giovanni
Barreco turned toward the gate
leading to the yard, but he had
not taken a step when the Sec
, ond shot rang out. Giovanni
fell. A third shot, and Nuzio
Barrecco, who was near the
gate, in fact, was in the act of
descending into the yard, when
the shot struck him, and he
doubled up and rolled to the
,, foot Of the steps into the court
: yard, resting on the stone flags.
The fourth man, the stranger,
who is believed to be Vital,
. ran down the steps toward the
rear of the courtyard, but he
turned and came out again 60
+ the opening into an alleyWay
leading to the street.
The old man meantime hao
recovered himself and came tc
! the gallery rail. Seeing the mar
running in the yard he freC
again, and then turned as the
, man disappeared in the alleway
= and continued firing at the
PROSTATE figures. How many
shots he fired he could not say
but he emptied the rife, anc
then his son took it away anc
reflled it with another maga
zine containing a full round Of
cartridges. The bullets die
{ deadly work, for most of then
passed entirely through The
bodies of the victims and some
: : of them through posts, doors
barrels, etc., which were il
range.
Cusimano had two wounds
! one in the breast and one in the
l back. Nuzio Barreco had three
! wounds, one in the center
of the chest, one in tht
right hand. Giovanni Barrect
had four wounds, one on the
back, one under the left arm