The evening world., 1909-03-13

his detective had gone to Italy. They
said that for his identity to become
known In his countryland was like plac'
ing himself In den Of lions.
For years the head OF the New York
italian Detective Bureau has been
marked for death - the Black Hand.
the Mafia and the Camorra, and the
various offshoots OF these organizations.
Once 1t became known he was or
ganizng an underground scheme of
espionage upon these miscreants their
interest in him redoubled 1t Is n safe
surmise that when Commissioner
Bingham let 1t be known tnat Petro-
sino was returning TO Italy for the
first time in forty years the informa-
tion preceded him into scores of ltal-
ian cities where there are branch or.
ganizations of the Black Hand and
Mafa.
As there are published prices upon
the heads OF famous criminals there
were secret prices for the head OF the
famous detective.
Home Of Assassination.
His danger was greater in Italy, as the
criminal societies are better organized
there, especially in Sicily, which is n
very nest and den of thugs blaCkmailers
and murderers. Assassination has been
a Sicilian fine art for centuries. II Is
the one province of the Italian Govern
ment where the police have never made
headway against crime. The hill country
OF Sicily is infested with bandtll Back
Of Palermo the hills are recognized
places Of refuge for outlawed Black
Hand and Camorra chiefs. This region
has also been called the clearing house
through which the miscreants Of Italy
are passed on to America.
Was Uncle Sans Agent.
When Pctros!no went TO Italy he car
RED with him credentials from the ltal-
ian Ambassador to Washington, as well
as from the Consul General Of this city
He wes - take the initiative whenever
and wherever he thought best and he
had the United States Government as
we'll as the New York Police Depart
ment back OF him. In way he was n
special diplomatic agent for this Gov
ernment, fact which makes his Gssas-
slnation an affair of international In
portanoe, which will compel the Italian
Government 20 exert itself in desper-
ate effort to run down the criminals and
bring them TO justice,
For the United States Government
Petrosino was to devise a scheme for
the deportation from America OF many
Italian criminals who are here under
absent sentences" at home. These
sentences have been found at times
when the Italian authorities were un.
able to bring the accused men before
the bar of Justice
The sentence remains over a convicted
man, and II subsequently captured he
must serve It. The Immigrant authori- .
ties here have been mighty anxious
to get these absent convicts' out OF
the country and the Italian Government
has expressed hearty concurrence in
aHy sSHelile lHdt VIII DIlIb tNdt class
Of miscreants to book.
Problem Of Black Hand.
Ever since the Black Hand problem
became one OF the greatest social puz-
zles that has HeXed this country eX-
perts have declared that the real work
to cut out this undesirable class Of
must be done in Italy.
inr pie4eCts OF Palermo have an al .
most absolute power over the criminal /
classes. II they get together a lot, say
100 or 200, and take them before a magis-
tfate, the projects mere word that tuey
are dangerous or criminal is sufficient;
the lot are promptly sent to penal
colony on an, island nearby, where they
turn farmers for their country'S good.
But even there they cannot forget the
exercise OF their predatory instincts, but
blackmail and murder each other when
ever opportunity offers.
Petrosino's plan Was to station secret .
agents in the settlements about Sicily .
and keep them there permanently, so
a. to get evidence against the real lead
ers Of the Black Hand.