The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-02-18
BLACK HAND SECRET
REVEALED IN COURT
Constitution and Bylaws Of
Pittsburgs BIackmaiIing Band.
PENALTIES FOR rREAcHERY
Document Translated in Fuli--Proof
of a Regular Organization For
Murder and Robbery in This
Country-Branding and Death.

Pittsburg, Pa The constitution
printed and bound in pamphlet form,
on which at least four of Pittsburg's
circles Of the Black Hand societies
are based, was produced in full in
court, translated from Italian It's
reading at the hearing of the six Ital-
ians charged with attempts to black
mail r. r. Quay and other prominent
Sewickleyites, produced a sensation in
court.
The translation in full makes more
than 1000 words Copies of il have
been sent to the Baltimore police to
assist in their work against the So
ciety there.
Marvellous oaths are included in the
thirty-nine sections of the bylaws.
The different degrees-the spies,
scouts, the dives, sluggers and knife
men-are named. The assigns of the
organization are all divided into sec
tions. The pickpockets, thieves and
the DULLES or "sluggers" employed by
the members are not admitted to
their meetings, which can be attended
by only those who have "earned
honor"
Penalties are graduated from small
fines to branding with the knife or
the iron. For lesser offenses it is
provided that the brand may be made
on the body. For greater ones it
must be affixed ON the face. $50 that
all members may always know the
traitor on sight.
For the more heinous offenses of
warning a victim or revealing any of
the deeds of any members the penalty
is death.
Under the chief or head, who is
known only to the head circle of those
who have Earned Honor" is the
Camuffo dy Lustra, the spy and
scout overseer, to whom all members
of the various sections must report
The lowest penalty for the disobedi.
ence Of his orders is the branding OF
the emblem of scorn upon him. The
bylaws set the price to be paid fol
spies, thieves and pickpockets al
$3.50. For DULLES and "beaters,
$40, but for the administration OF
the death penalty it is considered dis.
honorable and dangerous to hire
third party, and only members of the
society are chosen, who act without
remuneration in fulhlment of the
sacred oath. Members of the society
also swear to know no blood rela.
tions-neither father nor son, if the
offense be against them both. Mem.
bers of the same circle also are sworn
to indulge in no feuds with fellow
members. Here are few of the pen
alties provided:
In xxr11, ..OF,. - ~ Il.
of the chief, the overseer or of any
members bearing insignia of having
Earned Honor shall at first offense
be branded by knife on the body be-
meath the clothing For second of
word of the chief
The member who will attempt tc
reveal the secrets of the society OF
who permits any one of his family to
reveal its secrets, that member shall
be punished with death. The chief
shall detail not more than three OF
those who have Earned Honor tc
accomplish his finis
The member who shall forsake a
fellow member, becoming a coward
shall be punished according to the
severity of the harm that befalls the
fellow whom he deserted at the or.
ders of the heads circle, even to
DEATH"
The city detectives say these by.
laws vary in different localities, but
fragments of rules found in the raids
on four different Black Hand head
quarters in this city show the same
scheme of organization and the same
general plan of punishment. A copy
of Sewickley bylaws, from which
these translations were made, was
printed.