Evening star., 1909-03-14
VICTIM OF "BLACK HAND"
Attacked in Darkness at Corner of
Deserted Square.
FIRED ONE SHOT AS HE FELL
Assassins Escape and Leave No
Trace-Long and Heroic Career in
Running Down Crime.

PALERMO, Sicily. March 13.-Lieut.
Joseph Petrosino. head of the Italian
squad at the New York police head
quarters. was shot to death at . O'Clock
last evening under the shadow Of the
trees Of Marina Square in this !city.
Whether he was lured there or not is un-
known. but it Is believed that Petrosino.
who during his stay in Sicily has been in
defatigable in searching up the records
Of $icilian criminals, had gone to the
square in the hope of securing informa-
ton which he considered of the utmost
importance.
The identity OF the assassins has not
been disclosed. for they made their escape
after having made certain Of the death
Of the detective. Not the slightest trace
of them has yet been discovered. but un-
doubtedly they were men who had reason
TO dread Petrosino's presence In Italy.
either because he was on their tracks or
on the tracks of fellow members of some
OF the secret organizations from America.
Petrosino had managed to collect while
here much evidence of the criminality of
a large number Of Italians who have
taken refuge in the United States. which
would have given the American govern
ment the power to deport them. In a num-
Der OF cases Petrosino had traced murder
to their hands. His work will be largely
destroyed by his death, as he had not
had the time nor the opportunity to place
much Of his data on record
Fired at by Two Men.
His assassination was a most coldblood-
ed one. He was attacked in the darkness
at the corner of the deserted square by
two men, who fired three shots at him.
Petronino, though mortally wounded.
clung desperately to life and showed at
the very last moment extraordinary
courage and GOODNESS. Though the blood
was streaming from him and he could
feel that death was near. he clung with
one hand to the grating of nearby
window. He managed to draw his re-
yover and fire one shot and then fell
to the ground. His bullet missed its
mark, but the noise Of the explosion at
tracted several persons.
! F.. The first of these was sailor from the
warshp Calabria, who, as he ran up,
saw the detective dragging himself to
his feet and grasping the iron bar with
nervelees hand, but as the sailor reached
him Petrosino fell again to the ground
covered with blood, which was flowing
from a desperate wound in the face. His
eyes were still staring as in a last effort
to defend himself he turned, revolver In
hand, to where his assailants had been.
others who came TO his assistance could
raise his head.
Identity Of Victim Disclosed.
A magistrate who was notified. Of the
assassination went Immediately to the
spot and ordered the body searched for
Identification. The identity of the
murdered man was at once disclosed.
From papers found on him. it appears
that he had been gathering evidence
with reference to Italian criminals in the
United States. There were also notes
concerning the Palermo members of the
Black Hand. Several postal cards were
found addressed to his wife, ''Adelina
Petrosino, 223 Lafayette square. New
York." and a metal badge, No. 2s5.
From other papers found on the body
1T appears that Petrosino had made a
tour of Sicily and had given attention
to Trapani.
The magistrate ordered the body re-
moved to the police station, where 1t
was ascertained that death had been
almost instantaneous. Two bullets, both
mortal, had been fired at close range.
They struck the detective in the cheek
near the mouth.
The body was conveyed to the ceme-
terry and q post mortem was held. The
result IS not announced. Nobody knew
of Petrosino's presence in Sicily or the
nature of his mission except the chief
of pOlice of Palermo.