The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-06-12
Laws More Severe Than
Those OF Government.
INSPECTORS At CLEVELAND
Conference with District At
torney Being Held Today
Sam Lima Back ct Work, Declares
His Innocence story to be
Told at the Trial.

In addition to the charges winch
will be brought against the Marion
Black Hand conspirators by the pos
tai inspectors, it is probable that the
state will prefer charges of black
mail and in this manner provide a
possible penalty of twenty years in
the penitentiary.
The authorities feel that the fed
eral penalty which provides impris-
onment for eighteen months, is who'll
ly inadequate to meet this particular
case The postal inspectors will first
attempt to prove the prisoners violat-
ors of the federal laws and then will
turn them over to the state for prose-
cution on charges which 1t sees tit
to prefer.
Inspector Oldfeld declares that he
has worked up a chain of evidence
around the prisoners that cannot be
broken. He knows the history of the
plot at Columbus which resulted In
an attempt to blow up the residence
OF Agostino Genario with a dyna-
mite bomb. The story of other acts
OF violence committed by the gang
directed by Sam Lima OF this city,
IS being uncovered as the work OF
transating the letters progresses.
The postal inspectors went to
Cleveland Friday night where they
will be in conference with the dis
trict attorney, William Day, of Can
ton, and the plan of prosecution OF
the alleged Blackhanders will be
mapped out.
The inspectors believe that the
bond of Sam Lima, of this city, was
placed entirely too low and they
have detectives watching his every
move, fearing that he will attempt
TO jump his bond When the prison.
ers are bound over to the grand jury
an effort will be made by the in
spectors to have all OF the bonds rails
ed to $4,000.
No further arrests are expected
with the exceptions of Antonio Lima.
father, and Salvatore Lima, brother
of Samuel Lima and one other for
whom warrants have been issued. The
detectives on their trail have been
unable to locate them and 1t is be.
lieved that they are in hiding.
The postal inspectors have been
very busy at COLUMBUS within the
past few days. going over their evid-
ence. One of the letters written by
Ventola, the Columbus man under
arrest, Is reported TO have advised
Augustine Marfisi, one of those ar
rested at Dennison, not TO send the
time because II was very hot there.
The same letter is said to have been
sent by S. Lima, of this city. Ven
tola is claimed to have gone to
John Amicon some time ago and to
have urged him not TO prosecute.
Amicon had not told him Of receiv-
ing black hand letters and was puz-
zled to know how Ventola knew of
the conditions unless he was in con-
ridence with the black handlers
Not until the first hearing will the
postal inspectors reveal any Of their
evidence AT that time John and
Charles Amioon, the intended victims
will tell their stories. The letters
sent to them and possibly some OF
the books. and letters collected at
the Lima store in this city, will be
offered as evidence to insure binding
the prisoners over to the federal grand
jury in Cleveland
San Lima is back at his old stand
today selling bananas to beat the
band II wanna maka up fer lost
time" he declared today, when res
porter called at his place OF business
Trouble cost. money, and / must
sell more bananas than | used to-
he concluded.
Lima stated Saturday that the au-
thorlties need not worry about him
jumping his bond. He declared that
he haGl nothing TO be afraid OF and
said that he would be selling "banan-
as" in Marion just the same year
from paw