Evening star., 1909-06-09

Hutchess came to Marion yesterday. Ac-
companied by local officers, they. went to
Limas store in Main street. Lima was
taken into custody without any prellm-
inares. search of the premises was
made On demand. though protesting
Lima opened his safe. \ few of the Black
Hand letters and $500 in money were
found there. One of the letters, marked
with the skull and cross-bones. was ad-
dressed to an Italian in Newburg, OHIO
The name is withheld. pending an in
vestigation. The man may be an intended
victim an agent. After Lima had been
incarcerated a search of his premises was
made Trunks were examined and In
three or four of them packages of green
hacks and suspcous-io letters were
round. More than $1,000 was found In the
slore and living rooms above. The ofntlais
tiId not confiscate the money. In the
search for Rizzo the officers had difficulty
Four Rizzos were arrested before they
found the right man. one oil them was
Joseph Rizzo a fruit merchant, who
with two more of the same name. has
been released from custody. Sam Rlzzo
and Batazlia were arrested In a rooming
house across the street from Lima's store
In their trunks were found Italian letters
in unaddressed envelopes and considerable
money. Lima is thirty-two years DID,
married and has four children. He came
to Marion about three years ago.
Thousands Raised by Blackmail.
Lima was first suspected by the authori-
ties after John Amicon. wealthy Italian
fruit dealer of Columbus. Ohio. received
a letter demanding $4,000 and threaten
ing his life unless the money was paid
This letter. IL was discovered was sent
from Marion through series Of secret
Italian agents.
Lima now in Jail here. was not inform
ed Of the cause of his Incarceration until
today. He was given newspaper when
lie arose from his cell cot. When ne
read that he was believed to have in
stisated the plot to blackmail Amicon he
exclaimed:
'Amcon is jealous. That's all He is
jealous Of me because l sell more bananas
in Ohio than he does
Lima is known to have sent $500 to an
agent in Italy within the last three weeks
The money was sent through the Marion
past Office. His business here is a small
one. and the federal officials say It's
profit would not net in year the amount
of money that has passed through Lima
hands in the last few months. Then
thousand dollars has been sent to Italy
from the blackmailers now being rounded
up say the federal officers.
Iimas store. 1t is asserted. was the
headquarters of group operating in
Ohio with Cleveland Columbus Cincin-
matt and Toledo as the chief sources of
manipulation
While the authorities here are awaiting
the arrival of United States Marshal
Chandler from Cleveland. Ohio. who will
take RizZo and Batazlio to Toledo. opera
lives are searching for Italians in neigh
boring cities who are suspected OF lmpil-
cation in extortion plot that has net
Ted the band thousands of dollars in the
past few months. Some of the suspects
are being sought in Bellefontaine. A
brother of the alleged leader of the band
associated with him i'm business here has
disappeared. Three secret service men
are seeking him. Another brother has been
fnrr
weeks ago.
Escape of the Elder Lima.
Antonio Lima. father of Sam, the al
legged leader of the blackmailers. eluded
the police at Upper Sandusky. Word has
been received here that the elder Lima
fed from Upper Sandusky within an
hour after his sons arrest here. Federal
inspectors te'egraphed to the Upper
sandusky police to apprehend Lima.
When they reached his home the man
could not be found. They learned he had
boarded train bound for Cincinnati.
Marion citizens are greatly excited over
the Black Hand revelations. This is not
the first time that the city has been stir
red by mysteries which suggested the
malta or vendetta Two years ago Lewis
Geofretti, an Italian fruit dealer. was
murdered. He was shot down in an al
ley early one morning. His brother, Jo-
seph Geofretti. poor peddler. was ar
leSIeU ana charged Win the crime. A
sensational trial followed Though Jo-
seph Gepfretti had no money, eminent
counsel defended him at great expense.
Attorneys from Cleveland and Chicago
Joined in the defense.
Where the money came from always has
been a mystery. Local authorities sus-
peCted that the expense was borne by an
Italian secret organization. Geofretu was
acquitted He left Marion at once, pre-
sumably for Chicago, and never has re-
turned
A few months ago a placard. written in
blood, was posted a tree near the
Marion courthouse. 1t contained threat
to burn the city unless investigation into
operations of Italians were stopped
Deputy United States Marshal 3. j.
Wagner left Toledo at noon today for
Marion 10 take to Toledo the alleged black
hand operators under arrest here. He
will return with them probably this even
ing and the prisoners will be arraigned
before United States commissioner in