New-York tribune., 1908-03-26
THRONG AT PATTI BANK
PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY
Clerks, in Hiding, Fear vengeance
of Enraged Depositors.

A., .,,.o,,,,+ar,, nctitio, in bankruptcy vas filed
yesterday against Pasquale and Salvatore '' 'io
bankers of Nos 23S and 24o Elizabeth street, "i'o
closed their bank on Tuesday, giving as d ie''S'
that they were being bounded by the Black iiii'u
The petition was filed by Hoadley, Lauteroach q
Johnson. acting for Maria Lveri' OF 40, ID -"
street who claim for s9T, ana l"o o''e. M ~,
positors whose claims bring the tctti up " So
The petitioners alleged that the Pats cohcea'eu S
removed funds from the bank with inc ii'ei" "
defrauding the depositors' -,
An excited throng filled the streets III lle heisA
borhood of the bank all day yesterday ana 'ie Po
lice were kept busy maintaining order ihS'i uc'ioS
had been given by Captain Burns that all suspicious
,sveIrnes in the vicinity of the gun pocket be
investigated and as a result Barthoo Negioillo' OF
No. 162 Mott street. was -ocked up, charged with
carrying revolver, several stilettoes ana other ar
ticles of warfare.
Pati's son-in-law Salvatore Denofrio VINO was
around the bank all day Tuesday telling the depos-
itors what a fine fellow his wife s. father was
conspicuous yesterday by his absence He had toio
the eight clerks employed in the bank that ne
would be around yesterday morning TO pay theii
wages.
Matt Constantine, a nephew of the elder Pau,
was in the neighborhood day in spite Of the fact
that his life had been threatened and of the warn
ines of the police that the Black Hand "ouiu iiiu
another victim unless he made himself scarce con-
stantine told every that his uncle would return
in few weeks and pay everybody, but the ltaians
were Skeptical
There many pathetic incidents cohlecte0
with the closing of the bank When Domlnlch Dd
ria. aged Italian, arrived from Staten Island u
draw his s00o and found that the bahk was
closed he tainted. He had saved the money Tor MS
daughters marriage dot
Patti had been accused by his creditors OF eN'tdNa-
gance but it certainly not in tia wages he pad
to his clerks. None of them made more than $40
week When he went away he did not pay them iof
the last week and most OF them are penniless'
Jose Sparanza, who was one of the bookkeepefS'
lives with his wife and four children on the top
floor of 'enement house at No. 263 Mulberry
street and since the bank closed he has been in
terror of his life. Several men had demanded that
he pay the money they had put in the bank. one of
them dra wing j gun and threatening TO shoot him
The family had nothing to in the house yester-
day afternoon and the mother and children were
CRYING bitterly Sparanza and several other book
keepers hiding in the fiat behind locked doors,
afraid to venture outside for fear that they would
be killed.
1t was learned that on Saturday Pat had de-
pcsit of s1l.coo in the German Exchange Bank and
of $4,000 in the State Bank and that when he
left the city the books turned over TO Demo
fri0 but the disappearance of the latter has thrown
a light on the matter. No money has been
10000 paid during the last few weeks.
An assistant pos.offce inspector went to the bank
yesterday morning to get the books used in the
postal sub-station there but unable to gain
admittance. It is said that Pat owes the govern
Inent about sl.6t0
At Police Headquarters last night it was said that
action had been taken 10 apprehend Patti Com
missioner Wood consulted the District Attorneys
office and the State Superintendent of Banking to
find out far the police could go. The police it
said will take no action unless complaint is
made