The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-06-16
GIVES Them
THE LIMIT
JUDGE MASON GIVES THE BLACK
HANDLERS TEN YEARS IN THE
STATE PENiTENTIARY.


Judge Mason overruled the mot on
to set aside the verdict in the case Of
the State vs.. Antonio cuzzola ct al.
The nine members that initiated Der
edelli were given the limit. Ten years
I! in the State penitentiary was tileir
sentence.
Giuseppe Plsconiri, who was con-
yIcted Of a mlsdemeanor in the fifth
count of the Indictment, who L
thought to be less guilty tnan the 9TH
ers, was given 30 days in Jail and fined
500. Giuseppe Feraro, who was con-
victed Of a misdeme2nor by mistake,
was given the limit, one year in jail
and fined $500, The others, eight IN
number, convicted of misdemeannr.
were given three months and fined
$500.
Judge Mason in imposing the sen.
tence sid:
1t now onlr remains for the Court
to fix the penalties.
There are nineteen of these defend.
ants. The offense with which they
are charged is a very serious one. They
are all of foreign birth. Many Of them
have been in this country a few
months only. Tney know but little
of our form Of judicial procedure, and
do not understand our language.
Hence they must depend upon an in
terpreter to inform them what is be-
ing said and done in court where the
charges against them are being inves-
tigated. Appreciating the disadvan.
tages under which they labor have
accorded them full and very patient
hearing, and have given tle the
amplest opportunity for everything to
be done in their behalf which was pos.
sfble. EighIan of them have gone
on the witness stand and made such
statements in their own defense as
they desired had hoped that they
might explain in a satisfactory man.
ner their conduct, and the purposes
for which they assembled. on the even
ing when BerardeIIi's money was TAX
en-. But they failed to convince the
jury that Berardelli's statement is not
correct. According to this statement
which the jury finds is true, these de-
PENDANTS entered into a conspiracy 10
compel BerardeIIf to give them thirty
dollars, and that they threatened to
kill him II he refused to give them
the money, and that by reason this
threat and being in fear that the
threat would be executed and mis- lie
taken If he refused. he gave them the
money and they accepted it He says
he was taken into a room by nine OF
these defendants, while the other ten
remained in other parts OF the same
house, and there he was Initiated by
these nine men into the society called
the "Black Hand" that while beng
initiated large number Of revolvers,
razors, stflettos, dirks and large
knives we're exhibited, and under
these circumstances twenty-five doi-
lors of his money were taken. Immedi-
ately after the initiation the sheriff
raided the place, captured the defend
ants, and found on their persons and
in the house these weapons, AMI a
part Of the money. This method Of
extorting money is more daring and
much more dangerous than highway
robbery. The person robbed is here
compelled to join the robbers, and did
them in their work or lose his life. fne
evidence develops another and more
dangerous phase Of the purposes and
object Of this society. It is said that
money is to be extorted from persons
who are not to become members OF
the society. Certain people in the
community are to be designated and
four members of the society chosen by
lot and required to demand money
from the persons so designated, and
to take the lives of such persons If
they refuse to deliver the money. 4
must confess tnat It is with great
difficulty that 1 reach the CONCLUSION