The sun., 1909-02-20
BINGHAM GETS HIS FUND
CITIZENS Put Up FOR CONNTS-
SIONER'S SECRET SERVICE.
Can Use the Money as He Secs Fit-IIint
OF Deal With Italian Government
About Italian Criminals-NIaybe the
Regular Sleuths VIII Get a Move On.

ABOUT ualian Nrtmlnals-MayDe inc
Regular Slcuths VIII Get a Move On.
Through the generosity of certain citi.
zens Commissioner Bingham is 10 have his
secret service fund. This announcement
was made yesterday by the Commissioner
! himself For more than p year he has
been after fund large enough TO enable
him to have under his control a number Of
men who would in all senses he secret
force. as they would be unknown to the
regulars and would be accountable 10
( the Commissioner alone. The dislike Of
members Of tho Board Of Aldermen 10 the
Commissioner has blocked any chance of
his getting the money from the city.
The Commissioner has stuck 10 il that
the only possible way for him to deal with
such classes Of crimes as are committed
by the foreign element and the Black Hand
artists IVES TO have men skilled in the
methods of foreign criminals. Appar-
emily tho Commissioner has succeeded
in interesting men Of means in his project
and they have given him the money to
try out his scheme. Who the donors Of
the money are the Commissioner refuses
to disclose.
The fact that Joseph Petrosino. head Of
the Italian squad. was taking his vacation
at this time led to- the disclosure that the
Comm issioner had his fund. Petrosno
generally takes his acaton in the summer,
bit he recently went away and then as sud-
denly reappeared Tho Commissioner
was skod about the matter yesterday and
said that Petrosino was engaged on i'm
portant work.
1t is thought that Petrosino is now max
ing use of some Of the money donated.
Hesreccntly went to Washington and is
said to have had several talks with mem
bcrs ot thc Italian Embassy. as il is said that
the Italian Gov cI1nnent is as anxious rs is
Our own To get hold Of a number Of Italian
criminals now supposed to he in this
country. When Pctrpsino came hack
from Washington he held a long confer
CncH With the Commi, 'ioner and has since
Grc1pcd oft Of sight. Ihat was ten days
aCu.
IL is nor said that Petrosino has gone to
Italy and that he will not only study the
black hand question on the spot and with
the help of the Italian Government. but
that ne will arrange with the Italian po-
lice for a system to keep tabs on deported
criminals in the future,
Commissioner Bingham declined to
discuss his plans yesterday, but he let it
be understood that the money was given
to him TO use in any way he saw NJ ana
that no accounting for its expenditure
would be required from those who gave
it. II is thought probable that the first
use that will be made of IL will be through
Petrosino in an effort 10 secure the de-
portation OF number of Italian criminals
the Italian Government wants at home, as
they are under sentence there.
or course the entire amount donated is
not to 'be used for the one object OF
getting rid Of Italian blackmailers. II is
supposed that the Commissioner will
employ investigators whenever they are
needed, but il Is pretty certain that these
men will be hired only by the job and
kept only 80 long as they make good
1t is thought around the building at
800 Mulberry street that the regular
sleuths will see light aad that he E:en
in the detective bureau will get busy
now that there is possibility OF COM
-etition and that better work will result
IN all quarters.
1t was intimated yesterday pretty
broadly that II mora could be accomplished
with the money donated in getting at
crimes committed then there wouldn't
be any necessity for keeping so many
detectives in the bureau unless they could
produce the goods.