The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-26
BlACKHAND MENACE
WAR DECLARED ON SECRET SOCI-
ETY. BY NEW YORK POLICE.
Private Citizens Aiding the Authorities
to Root Out the Band of Murder
ers; Less Bird Blood Will Be Shed
to Furnish Finery for the Coming
Easter Parade; Farmers Demand
Protection For Crop Guards.
Especial to The Free Press.l

Especial to The Free Press.1
New York, March 22-To break up
the Black Hand reign of terror, which
doomed the brave Petrosino and is
menacing the safety of the whole COM
munity here, private citizens as well as
police are today bending every energy.
Those who knew the martyred police
man best are subOrdinating their own
sense of loss to the emergency call which
New York must answer at once to rid
herself of this deadly scOurge which
has only counted one more in its long
list of victims. Thousands of dollars
are today secretly stored here in vaults
as the financial basis of the most thor
oughly criminal house cleaning that
this metropolis has undertaken in years.
men aud money without stint will from
various secret societies which have for
years preyed upon the life and prop
erty of New Workers i'm bold defiance of
all police authority. To consummate
this work to which PetrosinO devoted
his life is acknowledged by the init
most fitting memorial for as high a
conscration to duty as history has ever
j known.
Less Bird Blood.
That less bird blood will be shed to
/ furnish the fnery OF the coming Easter
parade than has usually marked this
Fifth avenue, function, seems today as
sured by the news that the farmers of
this state are rising to demand proper
protection for their feathered crop
guards. After their pilgrimage to Al
bany to block the Francis bill for the
preservation Of these insect eaters, the
dealers i'm the scalps of slaughtered
birds have returned to town sadly
shaken i'm the idea that their business
is more important than the crops and
woods of the whole state. They heard
the Audubon workers prove that only
the full protection assured by this
measure would keep. alive enough birds
to fight off the deadly moth plague that
has already laid low millions of dol
lars worth of Massachusetts agriculture
The head of the state grange has also
read them Il lesson i'm the rights oil
the farmer as against the feather seller
which is sinking deep into the minds Of
the milliners today. Altogether New
York city is about persuaded that il
can spare few hat plumes to save the
agricultural wealth of the i. Empire
State.
Taft's Trip to New York
From end to end of the Island oil
Manhattan is echoing today with the
college cheers that have shaken the
town while President Taft made the
first visit of his administration here
The press of Yale men to greet the
new national chief has almost cracked
the walls of their great banquet hal
and cheering crowds have formed. 6
constant accompaniment to his comings
and goings. No one can remember 9
president who has ever been made
more welcome to this city or who was
, considered more as an old and trusted
friend of everyone. If Gotham fore
shadows the general warmth of the
country's greeting for Taft, his later
tours will set the whole land hum
, ming.
The Tiger Is Threatened
Every ounce of legal wit at the dis
, posal of the bosses of Tammany Hal
, is today bent upon the problem Of
the democracy, not only of this city
but the whole state as well. Only by
the present boss branded system o.
primaries have the powers of the wig
wan been able TO dictate to every de
cent democrat i'm the state convention
and in party councils here, it is admit
ted. Ii the enrolled voters are giver
power to name their own candidates
as the result of Governor Hughes eff
forts at Albany, the Tammany cachems
are well aware that they can no longer
keep the whip hand. As the result Of
close conferences, which the keenest
lawyers in Tammany's service have at
tended here this week, the plots of the
wigwam leaders are expected to be
matched up at Albany next week. Will
the rest of the bosses, the leaders oil
Tammany Hall are reported to be il
readiness to obscure and hamper the
F.. governors real reform at every turn.
Westons Walk to the West.
Not since the town turned out tc
, honor its returned Olympic victors has
New York seen an ovation such as has
, sped the grand old man Weston on hi:
trans continental walk. Special dis
patches are, being eagerly read every
day by the many thousands who fol
, lowed the veteran fOot-fyer !. along
!, every foot of his triumphal exit from
this city. Never has Gotham been more
absorbed in any athletic event than il
is today over the stout strides Of
! Weston as he spans the state. The
!; Marathon fever has almost run its
course among the youth of town, the
). observers believe. and an epidemic OF
long distance walking matches now bids