The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-06-10


in the United States and Joe Rizzo
in Marion: Antonio MaFsisi in DENIM
son, and Tony Bicherio, in Columbus.
These arrests were made on IetterS
sent to John Amicon, a wealthy fruit
dealer o. Columbus, o. The inspect
Ors say that they have evidence show
ing that a room in tle rear of little
fruit store in Marion, conducted by
the Rizzos, was the headquarters OF
the society in this country, and that
thav found in a safe there which they
raided, letters which throw light on
many successful attempts to extort
money from many wealthy italians
in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and
other states.
FILL TWO POUCHES.
The letters conf1scated I'll two
large mail pouches. Some were re-
ceived from points as far west as
South Dakota. They show, the in
spectors assert, that hundreds Of Ital-
ian business men nave been paying
tribute to the black hand to secure
immunity from death or torture at the
hands of members of the society.
Books showing the receipts o;
money and its division among mem
bers of the gang were also secured
by the officers The names of many
active members of the black hand, to-
gether with names OF hundreds OF
their victims, are in the possession
of the officers.
Several weeks ago arrests were
made in Pittsburg, but there was no
convincing evidence against the pTis-
oners, so carefully had the secrets OF
the society been guarded and its ope-
ratfons conducted. The inspectors de-
clare they now have sufficient evil
dence to convict. The similarity in
the hand writing of the letters and
the paper on which the threats were
written to intended victims at wide
Iy separated points convince the gov
eminent officers that the black hand
operations were being Systematically
conducted and that there was, in real
ity, a-national organization OF the So
ciety with a headquarters from which
all of the activity Of the extortion-
lists was planned and directed. The
Marion raid showed, they say, the
soundness OF this deduction. 1t is
said that the officers found that the
society is an iron-bound organization,
membership in which is invested with
bIcod-curdling oaths, grips, passwords
and signs. The New York police OF
ficiaIs, who are carrying on the de-
tective work, started by Joseph Petro-
sino, who was assassinated in Sicily,
have been working on the theory that
there is no extensive blackhand or
ganization, but that the operations
have been conducted by individuals
in different cities who nave no con-
nection with each other.
But the work of the Cincinnati in,
spectors tends to show that the New
York experts have been wrong IN
their theory ard that not only has
the blackhald a national organization
in the United States, but that it is
directly allied with similar organiZa-
tion in Sicily, and is working in con-
junction with the malta, or order Of
the banana" as it has been more re-
Gently known in this country.
The coup sprung by the government
officers was engineered BY Inspector
J. F. Oldfield, under the direction of
Inspector-in- Charge A. r Holmes,
from the Cincinnati offices. OIdfeld
was assisted in trailing the suspects
and effscting their arrest by Inspect
ors George Hate, z. F. Hutchins. R.
NJ. HOsfoTd and W. L. Owen. Very
valuable assistance was also given by
F. r. Dimaio, superintendent of a de-
tectiye agency of Pittsburg.
SO thorough was the organization
Of the band that they were not trou-
bled by distance nor time in carrying
out their plans. I. GennariDo. Of Co
lumbus, sailed TO Italy after ais house
had been dynaTnited after black hanI
threats. Shortly after his arrival
there he received another letter.
which had been mailed in Italy. This
letter bore water marks similar to
those on the letters he had received
in Columbus, and similar watermarks
were on the letters received by John
Amicon, Of Columbus. The conspira-
tors are alleged to have sent IS 600
monthly TO Italy. Other sums OF 5000
were sent daily