The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-09
POstoflca Inspectors and Detec- lives Find Gangs Rsadquar-
 ters In Marion, Ohio
GAME HAS BEEN WORKED
 ON NONE BUT ITALIANS
One Murder Has Been Traced to the PIotters and Many Cases of Ex- tortion Are Booked Against
 the Criminals.

Cincinnati, June S.-Tn several arrests made in Columbus, Marion and Dennison, Ohio, today local federal inspectors and detectives who worked in conjunction with them in the case, believe they have un- earthed the biggest and best organized branch of the Black Hand in this coun- try, Marion, O., being probably the head of the organization. Chief Postoffice h. spector Charles Holmes of this city, who is in charge of the work which has re- suited in the arrests made so far, is au- thority for the statement that evidence has been secured showing that the gang operating from Marion and with lines reaching into a number of big cities of the country have feeced different per sons in this and other states out of thou sands of dollars in the last few months by the application of Black Hand meth ods. The arrests made today were Sam Lima and Joe Rizzo, at Marion; Antonio Vicario and A. Marwis at Denniston. Early tonight Inspector Holmes said he was expecting word from Bellfontaine, O., of two more anticipated arrests and these two. he said, would be of vital i'm portance in connection with those already made.
 Inspector Holmes says that the gang which conducted it's operations from Ma rion was composed of Italians and worked exclusively on their countrymen. He has obtained evidence that as late as two weeks ago they sent rom the Marion postoffice money orders aggregating $500 to confederates in Italy, this being the iY Many such bits of evidence it is claimed, are in the possession of the inspectors ss
 Proof of Crime.
 Discussing the case tonight Inpector Holmes said
 "The proof we have found against the Marion gang convinces us that they have worked their game successfully on many Italians, principally well-to-do Sicilians. We Have not found where they went after a single American. They meant business when they made demands for money. If their demands were ignored they resorted to the bomb to either bring their victims to time or to avenge persistent re- fusal to submit to blackmail."
 The arrests were made simultaneously today in the three towns named after 6 search of six months for the men who sent threatening letters to John Amican, a fruit dealer of Columbus. O.. demand ing $15,000. The handwriting in the let ters sent to Amican is identical with that in the letters received by Antonio Rizzo, fruit dealer of Cincinnati, who died suddenly several weeks ago, after refus- ing to obey the demand in black hand letters to give up S1000 or forfeit his life. He died soon after eating banana given him by a stranger.
 Marion Is Headquarters.
 A dispatch from Marion states that Joe Rizzo was also arrested in that city.
 The postoffice inspectors claim that they have discovered evidence showing that Marion is the headquarters of all the black lNnd societies of the country and they claim that Sam Lima is the head of the organization. The contents of the safe in the Rizzo store. which was opened by the inspectors, bear them out in their assertion, they say. They also said they found that hundreds of business men in all parts of the state have been paying tribute to the gang Arrests are said to have been also made in Pittsburg Pa, and inspectors have left for Bellefontaine to make several there.
 Inspector Oldfeld said when the inner history of the order is known the coun- try at large will be astounded.
 It was on January last that Amican's wife found at the door of their home in Columbus, O., box containing dyna- mite and fuses and tackled on the out side a "black hand' note demanding $15,- 0n0 and threatening death if money pay ments was not made. The money was to be paid at the 'black hand" rendez- vous in Pittsburg.
 The case was turned over to the govern mert secret service and later given to the postofrice inspectors. The Amicans received almost weekly demands for money.
 Acting in harmony with the govern ment officers the Pittsburg, Pa, police recently raided the "black hand" head quarters there and made 21 arrests. The men arrested today were charged with attempted extortion under the federal statutes.
 The "Black Hand'' gang recently or dered Cianciolo, a Cincinnati fruit deal- or to give up S1O,OO0 on penalty of death for himself and family if he refused Cianciolo gave no thought to the letters, and few nights later dynamite bomb was exploded in the doorway of his home. No one was injured, but an adjoining sa- loon was wrecked.
 Joseph Annarino, Cincinnati fruit dealer, was warned to give the Black Hand" $1o00o or his child would be kid manned. The postoffice inspectors insist that the handwriting of the letters to the Cincinnati men is the same as that on the Amcan letters.
 Arrests at Marion.
 Marion, O., June S.-United States Post office Inspectors Oldfield, Hosford and Hutchess, all of Cincinnati, arrested here today Sam Lima and Joe Rzzo. on ..Black Hand" charges. A search of the safe of Rizzo's store was made, and the inspectors say they found documentary evidence to prove that Marion is the head quarters of all the "Black Hand" so- cieties in the country. The evidence, the inspectors say, showed that hundreds of business men throughout the country have been paying tribute to the gang One of the officers went to Bellefontaine to- day. where he expects to arrest couple of men who are members of the society.
 Inspector Oldfield stated that he is after enc of the leaders of the gang, and that