The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-08-06
SUSPECTED
OF A MURDER
Black Hand Men Were In
the Deal.
MONEY SENT TO ITALY
Would Help Defend Those
Arrested.
Inspector OldacId Claims That Money
Sent From Marion Post Office Was
10 Aid In defense of the Slaycrs OF
Joseph Pctrosino, In Italy.

Washington, Aug. 6.--That two of
the Italian Black Handlers, rounded
up in the recent Dig raid IN Ohio and
now in Jail there, are implicated, dir
ectly or indirectly in the assassination
of Joseph Petrosino, late chief of the
Italian section of the New York pol
ice department. is alleged by post
office Inspector Oldfield in his report
His report was made to the post
office department today.
The two men suspected are Colo
geroi Vicario and Antonio Marfesl
Not only is this pair known to have
been in Italy az the time Petrosino
was shot, but since are known to
have sent back large sums of money
for the purpose of aiding in the de.
fense of the Italians arrested for al
legged completely in that crime. In all
they have forwarded $500. The men
it is stated in the report sent the
money bodily through the postoffice
at Marion, Ohio. one day they are
alleged to have sent nineteen money
orders of 500 each and one for $50.
This money, according to the au.
thorities, was obtained shortly before
from one of their terroized victims
and was mailed to "Camillo Uunzio
oggia Lima. trabia, Italy. province of
Plaermo."
According TO one of the letters that
the post office authorities have In
their possession every branch of the
black hand society in Ohio, which
is known as the Society of the Ban
anna must have at least ten men.
The inspectors have gathered over
twenty-five threatening letters from
the society to prominent Italians in
Cleveland, Greenville. Dayton, Column
bus, Indianapolis and other mid ives.
tern cities and they say the operations
will extend to New York, Pittsburg
and West Virgipa cities.
The accusation that Cicario and Mar
FEST were implicated In the death of
Lieutenant Petrosino. Italy while trac-
ing Black Hand members who had
returned to Italy was made several
times after the raids were made here
and at other Ohio cities 1t sew
eral denials were made at the same
time. 1t is certain. however. that
both Marfesio and Vicario were In
Italy at the time OF the Petrosino
murder.
Both men lived in Dennison, Ohio
Merfesio conducted fruit business
similar to the one operated here by
Sam Lima. the alleged leader of the
Society of the Banana. Marfesio Is
an ignorant man, unable to either
read or write and Vicario. who was
employed by him, handled all of his
correspondence. Vicario entered the
post office one day and took out some
mall for Marfesio. Federal inspectors
were there at the time and the Itali-
an was made to open one of the letters
which proved to be a threatening
letter intended for John Amicon, OF
Columbus. IL is claimed that Sam
Lima, of Marion, sent letters to Mar
FEST, and commanded him to mail II
TO Amicon.
Attorney for Lima and other Itai-
ians charged with Blis'k Hand out
RACES, maintain that their arrest Is
wholly scheme OF the Amicons 10
rid themselves of competitors in the
fruit business as practically all are
fruit merchants and undersell the
Amicons, IL is said. The local police
expect the inspectors TO have little
difficulty In proving the blackmail
charges against the suspects The
Petrosino charge will be much harder
to prove. m