The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-06-10

Cleveland and Toledo, generally in
sums from 5000 to $1,000 although sew
eral payments OF $4,000 were order
ed.
There is no doubt but that the
Black Hand, with its headquarters in
Marion, has its branches in Chicago,
| Pittsburg and other cities and also
in Italy" said Chief Postoffice In
spector Holmes in Cincinnati yester-
day.
I'VE have absolute eviden?e that
division meeting of the Black Hand
was held at Bellefontaine few weeks
ago, and Immediately thereafter the
members of the gang, VINO had voted
on the division of the spoils, sent $1,000
in postal money orders to Italy from
the postoifice at Marion. II was plain
that these men were so well organized
that they meet and vote on the div-
sion of their proceeds of extortion
on somewhat of a business basis.
I'VE have proof that Black Hand
branch exists in Chicago. Some time
ago Clncinnati fruit merchant, Sal
Watore Rizzo, received a letter from
Marion telling him the Black Hand
wanted $550O0 in money or he would
be killed. He was instructed to take
the money to Pittsburg and deliver 1t
came from the Black Hand in Chicago
telling Rizzo to take heed and send
the money.
"A few days later Rizzo received
third letter from a little town in
South Dakota warning him to obey
the commands OF the Black Hand.
This third letter fell to a demand of
$500 and told him to take 1t himself
to Pittsburg and on a certain mid
night he was to walk on the bridge
over the Allegheny river, carrying q
live chicken in one head and a pat X
age containing the money in the
| other. A man would meet him and
| take the money package but would
leave him in possession of the chick
en-. Rizzo placed these letters in our
| hands, but before we could run the
gang down Rizzo died suddenly OF
throat troubles. The doctors said he
died a natural death. While his death
was probably a coincidence at the
| time OF the Bla,k Hand demands, yet
taken in conjunction with the bomb
thrown at the house of Fred Clan
ciola, another fruit merchant here,
who refused to give Up $4,000, the
Italian element became greatly excit-
ed in this city, and many believe
Rizzo was poisoned.
Il know positively that many veal
thy Italians in this country have
paid tribute to the Black Hand but
they refuse to allow their names to
be used in this connection for fear OF
harm being done them by these ex-
tortionists. For II Is plain that the
idea Of crime has grown upon the
Black Hand until now it's members
do not hesitate to commit murder II
their demands are not complied with.
/ Revelations show that tie gang in
Columbus, Marion, Dennison and
Dellefontaine and other Ohio towns
was organized along the same lines
as the old Malta, but, If anything, with
a much better system FOR concealing
their movements. Ii is now known
that the Ohio Black Hand, or the So
ciety OF the Banana, had branch in
Pittsburg, Pa, and one in Chicago
and lire that extended to South
Dakota. Regular meetings were held
and the money obtained by extortion
was distributed TO various divisions
In this country and sent to the rela-
tives in Italy, for safekeeping.
''We have found what | believe to
be certain proof that the Black Hand
outrages, at least in the middle West
including Plttsburg, Cincinnati, Cleve-
land, Chicago, Columbus and other
Western cities, were connected by a
we'll organized society with grips and
passwords. and that they are moi
simply sporadic cases or individual ex.
3 tortion," said Chief Postoffice Inspe,-
tor Holmes at Cincinnati.
1--WE have letters OF the same hand.
writing. and on the same watered
paper. with the Black Hand emblem
made with the same chirographit
] style that were sent 10 victims In
: Cincinnati and Columbus from the
Black Hand members in Pittsburg
8 Chicago and Cleveland. For instance
Y II victim were selected in Cincin
4 natl. as was the case in several in
p stances, he perhaps would receive ths
) first threatening letter demanding
T money on pain of death by dynamite
bomb, from Marion. The second lettel
S would be written by the same person
0 but forwarded to the Black Hand II
I Pittsburg. who would in turn mai
s Il to the victim. III there were NJ
: response in the way of money, theI
I "a third letter would come from som,