Evening star., 1909-06-09
Black Hand a Gang of
International Extent

CINCINNATI. June 9.-The New York
police officials who are carrying on the
detective work started by Joseph Petro-
sino. who was killed in Sicily, have been
working on the theory that there is no
extensive Black Hand organization. but
that the operations have been conducted
by individuals in different cities. who
have no connection with each other. But
the work of the Cincinnati officers tends
10 show the New York experts have been
wrong and that not only has the Black
Hand a national organization in the
United States. but that II is directly al
lied with a similar organization in Sicily
and is working in connection with the
Malta or 'Order of the Banana as 1t
has more recently been known in this
country.
The coup sprung by the government
officers was engineered by Inspector J.
+. Oldfeld under the direction of In
spector-in-Charge A. r. Holmes of the
Cincinnati Office. Oldfeld was assisted
in trailing the suspects and effecting
their arrest by Inspectors George Hate.
E. F. Hutchins. r. NJ c. Hosford and
w. l.. Owen. Valuable assistance also
was given by F. r. Dimaio. superintend-
ent of detective agency in Pittsburg.
Letters Fill Two Mail Pouches.
The letters confiscated All two large
mail pouches. Some were received from
points as far west as South Dakota.
They show. the officers assert, that hum
dreds OF Italian business men have been
paying tribute to the Black Hand to Sc
cure immunity from death or torture
at the hands of members of the society.
Books showing the receipt of money and
it's division among members of the gang
also were secured by the officers. The
names of many active members of the
Black Hand. together with the names
of hundreds of their victims, are In pos
session of the officers.
Several weeks ago arrests were made
in Pittsburg, but there was no convincing
evidence against the prisoners, so care
fully had the secrets of the society been
guarded. The officers declare they now
have sufficient evidence to convict. The
similarity in the handwriting in the let
ters and the paper on which the threats
were written to intended victims at wide
ly separated points, convinced the officers
the Black Hand operations were being sys-
tematically conducted, and that there was
q national organization of the society.
with a headquarters from which all of the
activities of the extortionists were
planned and directed.
Of International Extent.
So thorough was the organization of
the band that it was not troubled by dis
tance nor time in carrying out it's plans
I. Gennarino of Columbus fled to Italy
after his house had been dynamited fol-
lowing Black Hand threats. Shortly after
his arrival there he received another let
ter which had been mailed in Italy. This
letter bore water marks similar to those
on the letters he had received in Column
bus and similar water marks were on the
letters received by John Amicon of Co
lumbus.
The conspirators are alleged to have
sent So 900 monthly to Italy. Other sums
of 500 We're sent daily.
F. P Diamea. an Italian secret service
man connected with a detective agency.
ranked with the late Petrosino in his
knowledge of Italian criminals and their
ways, says the Society of the Banana Is
really simply continuation of the old
Malta under new name and that many
of the members of the present society
are members of the old and have long
criminal records