The San Francisco call., 1909-03-15
ASSASSINATION
OF PETROJfINO
Local Italian Newspaper Says
Murder of Detective in
Sicily Proves Gang
Is Organized


sense of Indignation and disgust on
that has annihilated the life OF Joseph
Petrosino, the brave police officer. who
in his struggle aimed to unveil the ORR
gin of the monstrous crimes which have
OF late infested the Italian colony Of
New York. He was doing not only a
meritorious work in favor OF civiliza-
ton, but was rendering a remarkable
service to the Italians in the United
States, whose good reputation is con-
tinually compromised by the awful work
Of the group of countrymen Of ours
concealed In New York. who either for
money or revenge do not hesitate TO
commit any crime.
Now, the fact that the daring lieu
tenant of the detective force OF New
York has been stricken TO death In the
very place where he was accomplishing
his mission is ample proof that the
Italian thugs of New York have their
origin in Sicily and that the unfortu-
nate officer was on their trail. It is
also shown by this awful crime that
said criminals are really organized in
the most terrific manner. No matter
how their organization be defined-call
it Black Hand or Mafa or any other
name-the gravest and most painful
thing for us Italians is that no longer
can we deny the existence OF wide asso-
Citations of criminals who can boldly
operate their deeds both in Sicily and
in America. and more humiiiating for
us yet is the fact that the Italian
authorities were never able TO eradicate
this dangerous set, which IS becoming
more daring and threatening.
The worst part of this affair is that
deeds of these criminals is the great
mass of our Italian immigrants who
live in the United States and who are,
as rule. splendid and honest workers,
quiet and law abiding citizens. upon
whom. nevertheless. Indirectly falls the
criminals. We know very well that in
telligent and broad minded Americans
know how to discriminate between the
large class of good Italians and the few
criminals who live among them But
the great majority Of the population of
the eastern cities know very little about
the good qualities and merits of our
Italian immigrants and bear an i'll feel
ing against them. which grows deeper
and deeper every time they learn of a
new crime committed BY an italian.
It Is a very sad and painful state
of affairs, which viii become worse and
worse if radical and energetic mea-
sures are not taken And these
measures must be taken not only by
the American authorities but princi-
pally by the Italians residing in
America. and the Italian authorities
in Italy. Our countrymen in New
York should work in harmony with the
police and help them in penetrating
the dark mysteries of the Italian quar-
ter without any fear. giving them any
clew that might lead TO the discovery
of the nest OF the dreadful criminal
associations. And the authorities in
Italy should exercise more severe sur
yeillanee in those districts where said
criminals are supposed to abide, engage
in a real campaign against this new
kind of brigandage, which is no longer
waging in the woods or in the noun
tains. as in the past, but is operating
in the large centers and spreading its
awful work across the Atlantic Our
authorities, while they should try to
annihilate the criminals at home.
should be more severe and energetic
in preventing the emigration Of the
low elements; they should be very
careful in issuing passports, refusing
the same TO those who can not give a
good account of themselves And in
asmuch as many OF said criminals, in
order to elude the vigilance of the
italian ports. sail from foreign ports.
either in France. Germany or England,
the Italian government should man.
age. with proper steps, so that the
foreign steamship companies are COM
PEELED to refuse embarkation to those
emigrants who have not a passport
and certificate of good behavior, re-
leased by the authorities of their ma
tive towns.
In connection with this. the officers
of the immigration bureau in New
York should exercise the same surveil-
lance. Let them freely admit all those
Italian immigrants OF good moral
standing, who really are the best
workers in the world; but let them be
strict and pitifess with those of. du-
bious character and ambiguous life.
With this entente between the Italian
and American authorities, a further
inlmi grafton of Italian criminals will
be practically checked. This is the
wish of every good Italian in this
country. There are at present nearly
three millions of Italians in the United
States. AS has been recognized by
many prominent Americans, they are
mostly all honest, thrifty. intelligent
and law abiding. 1t would be a great
sin and a crime il rneir good name
should be further compromised by a
few low characters.