The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-06-17
FIND BLACK HAND LAIR;
GANG IS RUN TO EARTH
Fostoffice Inspectors Discover Band
Whose Operations Extend
Over State of Ohio.
BOMB HAD NOTE PINNED TO IT
Arrests Made of Men Said to Be
Chiefs of Italian Blackmail-
ing Organization.

In several arrests made In Column
bus, Marion and Dennison, Ohio, Tues
day federal inspectors and detectives
who worked in conjunction with them
in the case believe that as result OF
months of EFFORT they have unearthed
the biggest and best organized branch
of the Black Hand in this country,
Marion, Ohio, being probably the head
of the organization. Chief Postofhce
Inspector Charles Holmes of Cincin-
natl is authority for the statement
that evidence has been secured show
ing that the gang operating from Ma
rion and with lines reaching into a
number of big cities of the country,
has fleeced different persons in that
and other States out of thousands of
dollars in the last few months by the
application of Black Hand methods.
The men arrested were Sam Lima
and Joe Rizzo, at Marion; Antonio
Vicario, at Columbus, and A. Marfis,
at Dennison. Lima is said to be the
chief of the band. Inspector Holmes
said he was expecting word from Belle
fontaine, Ohio, of two more arrests,
and these, he said, would be of vital
importance in connection with those
already made.
Divide Big Booty.
Inspector Holmes says that the
gang which conducted its operations
from Marion was composed of Ital
ians and worked exclusively upon
their countrymen. He has obtained
evidence that as late as two weeks
ago they sent from the Marion post
Office money orders aggregating $1,000
to confederates in Italy, this being
the division of blackmail funds in one
case. Many such bits of evidence, it
is claimed, are in possession of the
inspectors.
Among those who refused demands
for money were John and Charles
Amicon, Columbus commission mer-
chants. The sum of $4,000 was
sought from each. In January Mrs.
John Amicon found, in the rear of the
house, dynamite bomb and fuse.
wrapped with one of the letters de-
handing payment from her husband.
Several Columbus Italians are be-
lieved to have paid $1,000 each. Two
Italian murders in Marion are gener-
ally charged to the gang, but there has
been no proof. The gang also is
charged with assassinations in Belle
fontaine and Dennison.
Followed to Italy.
After demands for money had been
ignored an attempt was made in April,
1908, to blow up the some of Agostino
Gennarino. Columbus. Gennarino fled
to Italy and did not return until a
month ago. While in Italy he re
ceived letter, mailed in Italy, renew
ing the demand, with a threat that
there was no escape in returning to
his old home.
the officials, written to Italians in Co
lumbus, Cincinnati and other cities,
are all said to be written by the same
person, in Italian, with the same ink
and on the same kind of paper. In
the raid at Marion, ink and paper
were captured which is identical with
that used in making the demands.
Most of the letters received in Co
lumbus and other Ohio cities were
mailed in Pittsburg, where the money
was to be paid. 1t is believed that
they were written in Marion and pass
ed through the hands of several mes
sengers in different cities before be-
ing mailed