The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-09
Three are Arrested

Cincinnati, June s.-United States l inspectors from Cincinnati believe they
 have discovered the headquarters of the Black Hand in this country at Ma rion. Ohio.
 This belief Is based on documentary evidence found today when Sam Lima of Marion, O., Antonio Vicario of Co., lumbus, O., and A. Marfis of Dennison, O.. were arrested.
 The arrests were made simultane- ously today in the three towns named, after a search of six months for the men who sent threatening letters to John Amican, a fruit dealer of Colum- bus O., demanding S15,000. The hand- writing In the letters sent to AnlicAn is identical with that in the letters received by Antonio RizziA fruit dealer of Cincinnati, who died suddenly several weeks ago after refusing to obey the demand in "Black Hand" let ters to give up sl,00o or forfeit his life. He died soon after eating ba- mana given him by stranger. It was on January 1, last. that Ami- cans wife found at the door of their home in Columbus. O., box contain inK dynamite and fuses and tackled on the outside a Black Hand" note de- manding S15,o00 and threatening death if money payment was not made. The money was to be paid at the "Black Hand' rendezvous in Pittsburg. The case was turned over to the Govern ment secret service and later given to the postonice inspectors. The Amicans received almost weekly demands for money. Acting in harmony with the Government officers the PittsburE. Pa, police recently raided the Black Hand" headquarters there and made twentyone arrests. The men arrested were charged with attempted extorLiCn under the Federal statutes.
 The ''Black Hand" gang recently or dered Fred Ciancioli. Cincinnati fruit dealer to give up s1O.0Oo on penalty of death for himself and family if he reused Ciancioli gave no thought to the letters and few nights later Q dynamite bomb was exploded In the doorway of his home. No one was in- jured but an adjoining saloon was wrecked.
 CT. was warned to give the "Black Hand" S1O,000 or his child would be Kidnapped.
 The postonlce inspectors insist that the handwriting of the letters to the Cincinnati men Is the same as that in the Amican letters.
 Headauarterm of Black Hand. Cincinnati, June S.-In several ar- rests made in Columbus, Marion and Dennfson, O., today, local Federal tns spectors and detectives who worked In conjunction with them in the case, believe they have unearthed the biggest and best organized branch of the Black Hand in this country, Marion. O.. be- ing probably the head of the organi- zation.
 Chief Postofice Inspector Charles Holmes of this city, who is in charge of the work which has resulted In the arrest of the men, made the state ment that evidence has been secured showing that the gang operated from Marion. and with lines reaching into a number of big cities of the country, have fieeced different persons in this and other States out of thousands of dollars, in the last few months by the application of Black Hand methods.
 The arrests made today were Sam Lima and Joe Rizzo. at Marion; Anto- nio Vicario at Columbus. and A. Marfis ct Dennison.
 Early tonight Inspector Holmes said ho was expecting word from Belle fontaine. O., of two more anticipated arrests and these twos he said. would be of vital importance in connection with those already made.
 Inspector Holmes says that the gang which conducted its operations from Marion, was composed of Italians and ."i"siveIy on their country men. Re has obtained evidence that .A ..u weeks ago they sent from the Marion (ohio) postoffice mon. ey/ /orders ageregating t1,S0O to cors- fsdsrates In Italy. this being the di- vision of bIaekmail funds in one ease Many such bits of evidence. 1t ts