Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-07
BLACK HAND TRA|LEO
Post Office inspectors Sue
coed Where Police Failed.
LEADERS UNDER ARREST
conviction of Prisoners Considered
Absolutely Certain.
BLACKMAIL IS BROKEN UP
Reign of Terror Among Italians of
Middle West and Other Points
Seems to Be Over.
BLACKMAIL IS BROKEN UP

After Inadequate protection of the VIC
Tins and alleged failure of the police
10 apprehend the criminals. it has re-
manned for Uncle Sans post office in
spcctors to round up the notorious band
Of Black Hand assasslnS that has been
exporting large sums of money from
terrified victims in towns and cities in
Ohio West Virginia, Indiana, Pennsyl-
vania and New York for at least two
years past This is the substance of
the report received by the Postmaster
General through \. r. Holmes. the in
spector in charge at Cincinnati, Ohio.
one member of the gang is Salvatore
ArriSo, who was once a resident of this
city, and while here was arrested and
convicted of counterfeiting and sent to
the Albany penitentiary for two years.
He is siNtyseven years of age. a native
Of Termini Imerese Province of Palermo.
Italy. He has been a resident of the
United States for thirty-three years. and
until recently was boss. or head of
the Black Hand district at Cincinnati,
Ohio.
They Try to Terribly.
Arrigo comes from the real home of the
Black Hand in Italy. They are Sicilans,
and their victims, as a rule. come from
the other parts of Italy. where the Sicilian
language is not understood. They are
described as crafty boastful set of viii
lains. taking pride in arraying themselves
At times in a manner 10 strike terror
into the hearts of their fellow country
men Some of them dress as brigands.
Around their waists they wear heavy
leathern belts, into which are thrust
@ieked-looking stilettos and other strange
looking and deadly arms. In their let
tiers they refer 10 terrible Visitations of
their wrath and appropriate To their
credit the conception of particularly hor-
rible murders and crimes; but, say the
inspectors. as matter of fact. when
the. do murder they are very wary and
not at all sensational. Indeed, it is one
Of their rules that their Victims shall
be so killed as Ia leave no suspicious
marks. otherwise the man who commits
The murder is marked for death him
self
But they are, nevertheless, deadly in
their deeds and usually carry out their
threats. One of the inspectors recites
that while investigating their case he
tipped off that a certain old Italian
was to be poisoned that night. The in
spector was SO situated that he could
not go jo mis- assistance. Imagine his
horror the following morning on finding
account in the paper that the man
had died the night before. The inspector
went 10 the police authorities and insisted
upon an autopsy. 1t was performed. and
the inspector told that the man died OF
natural causes. When he insisted on
knowing who had performed the autopsy
he was informed that two reputable old
Italian doctors had made the report. The
inspector does not believe these doctors
Were in league with the murderers, but
that they were terrified they did not
dare report the truth. fearing To- be as
sassinated if they did.
Victims Live in Mortal Fear.
The Italians who receive These threat
enirg letters from the Black Hand Soci-
ETY., said the Inspector, ARE in such
mortal terror they will not utter a word
of evidence against them or even adj
nit they know anything. They will not
produce the letters they receive. and in
one instance where we offered to return
5000 10 a victim who had been bled by
them lac declared the money was not
his, and declined to receive IL. In an
other instance we knew a certain Italian
woman had III her possession threat
ening letter received ny her husband. She
refused 10 give II up TO admit that
she had it, or tell anything about it
We finally had actually to tear her stock
ing off her leg before we got it. She
had il concealed there. Ii they would
"aly talk. or give M what they have,
said the inspector lit would make on
work so much the easier. but whether
they do or not we are certain 10 land
our men and certain TO trace and get
the evidence tina, will convict them.
TIE inspectors have now many incrim-
Of the men arrested. Their case will
come up before the grand jury at Cleve-
land. Ohio. which meets next December
William t.. Day. son of Justice Day
OF the United States Supreme Court. is
the district attorney who will handle
the cases, and he will be assisted by
Tom Gary. These men are fearless and
determined
Ii appears there was unusual activity
among the Black Hand Society members
in the early part OF 1908. IgnaZio An.
narino, a prosperous Italian fruit mer-
chant of Columbus, Ohio. had received
threatening letter, demanding 5000
accompanied with threat to- blow uI
his house with dynamite II he failed Il
meet the demand. The favorite threat
of the Black Hands is to blow up theil
victims home, kidnap his children. oil
mark him for death. The letter to An
marine was written in Italian. signed
Slack Hand" posted III street railwa.
post office in Pittsburg, and was soor
after followed by Others of similar i'm
port, mailed at Pittsburs. Columbus
t'lgio and Leechburg. Pa. The threats
scared Annariuo. and he reported tin
facts IT, the police. who made an inves
tication without result, and then sent thu
letters With report of the facts. 10 TIT
Post Office Department for Investigation
Driven From His Home.
-. l~A>