Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-09
Postoffice Inspectors
Make Arrests and
Seize Letters.
OPERATIONS GENERAL
Hundreds of Wealthy Italians
Paying Regular Tribute
to Escape.

Cincinnati, Ohio, June 9.-Operations
in nearly every large city in the United
States and ramifications of the secret
service in Italy will be laid bare, it is
expected when the black hand gang,
which was rounded up Tuesday in Co.
lumbus and Marcen, Ohio by post
office inspectors are brought to trial
Have Much Evidence.
Inspector in Charge Holmes said to-
day the evidence gathered by his in
spectors, detectives and the police of
several cities working in conjunction
with the postoffice authorities is vol
luminous, and that there can be no
doubt that the crimes of blackmail.
extortion, threatened and attempted
murder will be fastened upon the
guilty men.
Worked Many Cities.
Inspectors state they have evidence
showing the room i'll the rear OF the
fruit store in Marcen conducted by
Sam Joe Rizzos was the headquarters
of the society in this country and they
found in a safe there which they raid
ed letters which throw light on many
successful attempts to eXtort money
from wealthy Italians in Ohio, New
York. Pennsylvania and other states.
The letters confiscated fill two large
mail pouches. Some were received
from points as far west as South Da-
kota.
Hundreds Pay Tribute.
They show, the officers assert, that
hundreds of Italian business men have
been paying tribute. to- the black hand
to secure immunity from death or tor
ture at the hands of members of the
society.
Has discriminating Letters.
Marcen, Ohio, June 9.-Secret So
ciety Agent Oldfeld who arrested Sam
Lima, a Marcen fruit merchant here
yesterday as leader of the Italian Black
Hand society. has gone to Columbu;
taking with him a trunk full Of incrimi
mating letters found in Lima's store
Some of the letters, ali written in Ital
ian, were decorated with skull and
cross bones. Others were prepared
with neatly drawn bleeding learts
pierced with daggers.
Two others Held.
With Lima there were arrested he {
seven other Italians and four lat Il
were released but Samuel Rizzo ant
Zebastiap Ratazlo are held by tho
sheriff. Both are section hands en-
nj hN- hn IN, 4
They were associates of Lima and il
their trunks were found letters of the
same character as the collection taker
from the safe in Limas store.
Go-Bctween Caught.
Charles Dicciario (or Vicarrio). Ii
Italian, was arrested today at Belle
fontaine by Postoliice Inspector Hos
ford and will be taken to Toledo H
is charged with being so between i
securing money for the Black Han
gang.
1t is intimated by officers Dicciari
may be able to give some informatio
concerning the assassination in Ital
of Detective Petrosino of New York.
Headquarters Found.
Cincinnati, June 9.-United State
postofice inspectors from Cincinna
believe they have discovered the he;'
quarters of the Black Hand in thi
country at Marion, Ohio. >This belle
Is based on documentary evidenC
found yesterday, when Sam Lima an
Joe Rizzo of Marion, Antonio Vicari
apfic nf
son were arrested. The arrests wel
made simultaneously in three town
after a search of six months for Il
men who sent threatening letters