The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-09
BLACK HAND NEST
L. S. Detectives Think They
Have Made Important Find.
Arrest a Bunch of Italians at
Marion, Ohio.
PILES OF LETTERS
OF LETTERS
Decorated With Skull and Cross
Bones Found.
Gang Is Suspected of ExtOrting
Thousands of Dollars.

oAAOli, ~, JuIe S.-On11eQ STATES
Secret Service Agent j. F. Oldfield. has
arrested Sam Lima, a -1arion fruit
merchant here, as a leader of an Italian
Black Hand society, and has gone to
columbus. taking with him a trunk full
of discriminating letters found in Lima )
store. Some of the letters, al! written
In Italian. were iccorat ed with skull
and cross bones. Others were prepared
with neatly drawn bleeding hearts
pierced by daggers. More of the letters
contained differing designs of threaten
ing insignia of black hand mystery. Of
the seven Italians arrested with Lima.
all but Samuel Rizzo and SeDestain
Batazlio have been released. Botd of
these men are section hands They
We're associates of Lima and in their
trunks the secret service agents found
letters of the same character as the
collection taken from the safe in
Lima's store
While the authorities here are await
ing the arrival of United States Mar
shall Chandler from Cleveland, who viii
take Rizzo and Batazlio to Toledo, se-
cret service operatives are searching
for Italians in neighboring cities who
are suspected of implication in an ex-
tortion plot that has netted the band
thousands of dollars within the last
few months. Some of the suspects are
being sought in Bellefountaine.
Lima's father, who is wanted, is said
to be in Upper Sandusky and the police
there have been asked to apprehend
him. A brother of the alleged leader of
the band, associated with him in busi-
ness here has disappeared. Another
brother has been traced to Italv whith-
er he went few weeks ago.
Lima was first suspected shortly
4Tf6r .I0hn An1iR0n
dealer of Columbus, O., received a let
ter demanding $4,000 and threatening
his life unless the money was paid
This letter, it was said, was sent from
Marion through means of secret Italian
agents.
Lima was not informed of the cause
of his incarceration until today. Hewas
given a newspaper when lie arose.
When he read that he was believed to
have instigated the plot to biacknlail
Amicon, Lima exclaimed in broker
English:
"Amicon is jealous That's all. He
bananas in Ohio than he does
Lima is known to have sent $500 20
an agent in Italy within the last. three
one and the federal officials say it's
profits would not net in years the
amount of money that has passed
through Lima's hands in the last few
months. Ten thousand dollars have
been sent to Italy from the blackrnail-
ers now being rounded up. say the fed
eral officers All this money, it is de-
cleared, was wrung from wealthy men
of their own race. In no case as far as
is known has any American been dis
turbed.
Lima's store. it is asserted. was the
headquarters of group operating in
Ohio, with Cleveland. Columbus. Cir
cinnati and Toledo as the chief sources
of manipulation.
An Arrest at Columbus.
Columbus, o., June 9.-Charles
Vicciario, of Bellefontaine, an Italian.
by Postoffice Inspector Hosford and
will be taken to Toledo by United
States Marshal Gambler of Cleveland.
He is charged with being the go-be-
tween in securing money for the
Black Hand gang that has been run
down at Marion and Columbus. Many
letters were found in his room in the
house where Silvatoria Ciria was as
sassinated a year ago. Cfrcia is now
supposed to have been killed by the
Black Hand.
Postal Inspector Ofdfeld is positive
that the suspect Collogero Viccarrio
arrested today in Bellefontaine. was
connected with the murder of the New
York detective. Petrosino. i'll Italy
some months ago.
fact that this man is known to have
left for Italy just before Petrosino was
assassinated. 1 believe him to be one
of the ring leaders of the Malta of the
United States and consider his capture
of first Importance"
The government inspectors say much
assistance was given them by F. P
Diamco an~Italian secret service man
connected with a detective agency He
ranked with Petrosino in his knowl-
edge of Italian criminals and their
ways.
A Black Hand letter sent to John
Amicon, the fruit dealer here. is
sample of them all. 1t contains the
statement:
already our band has you down in
the register of the dead. Take the
street your friend Lieutenant Petro-
sino did. Ugly wretch that you are
that you content yourself with trying
to avoid the payment of the money.
$4,000, but by the blood of God we are
back of you. No one can belong to our
band who has not killed 10 persons. We
have killed kings and emperors: con-
slider a fly like you. No, no, do not
think it. We know that you are rich
and you must give up some blood If
you go to the police. you count yourself