The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-08
Lawrence Man Receives a Letter
Signed ''Black Hand
Another Threatens Vengeance
Unless Requests Are Met.
ASKS FOR BUT $500.
Family Driven From Italy by
Black Hand Prosecutions.
Leon Valencia and Wife Live in
Fear of Their Lives.

Lawrence, Kan, July S.-''H you
don't give US the $500 which we will
call for we will steal the baby, burn
yur hous and dig up yur gardens.
Others to suffer.
(Signed) THE BLACK HAND"
The above note left sometime during
the night at the home of Leon VAL
lencia in the west limits of town is
the first instance of that terrible So
ciety, the Black Hand in Lawrence.
and it has thrown the Valencia fam
lily into the widest kind of panic
Word has been dispatched to Kansas
City detectives who are now working
on the Black Hand proposition.
Warming Tackled on Front Door.
The note was found by Leon VAL
lencia tackled to his front door 1t
was scrubbed on a piece of rough pa
per and following the signature Of
the Black Hand, was the usual Ca
balistic sign. At first it was thought
to be the prank of some boys, but
Valencia says that no one outside of
the secrets of the Black Hand could
make that signature and that any
way he has been singled out by the
terrible secret society as a marked
man.
The Valencia family live just out
side the west limits and for several
years past Leon has been making
living for his family from a truck
garden. Women all over West Law
renee know Leon well for they have
bought vegetables from him for many
years and as early as $3.50 in the
morning his cry of ''Vegeta, Vegeta
can be heard all over that portion of
the city. The housewives like Vallen-
cha too, and many of them have in
terested themselves in his family.
The VaIlencias drifted into Law
renee several years ago from Kansas
City, where they had arrived with a
party of Italian emigrants. Vallen-
cha tired of the city and came in here
where he got odd jobs to do, finally
securing the little place west of town.
Besides himself and wife there are
three children, Toby, aged II, Kit
tiria aged 8, and little Beppo, the
baby.
Prosecuted in Italy by Black Hand.
The Vallencias are regular Italians
and have lived peaceable life. Leon
said however, that before he left Italy
his family and four others had been
prosecuted by the Black Hand be-
cause they refused to have anything
to do with its terrible workings. They
burned his little house in Italy and
finally they left in desperation. The
first idea, he says, that he had of the
Black Hand following him here was
about two weeks ago, when, one
morning, he found BIS vegetable patch
torn up. Since then he has been Suf-
fering from minor damages and little
things have happened which he knew
were not the work of boys living
nearby.
1T ees terrible he said this morn
ing, THAT Black Ham, No one have
any idea how awful it ees They kill,
burn and steal. Am I afraid? you
say. Yes, I am afraid. The wife, the
little Beppo, all of them it ees ter
rible.''
Neighbors Guard Italians Home.
The little Italian, overcome by
emotion, gave way to his fears and
big tears rolled down his cheeks.
When asked if he could explain,
"Others to suffer- mentioned in the
note Valencia said that he could not,
only that there must be other Italians
living in Lawrence.
Meanwhile Valencia is being
guarded by his neighbors and others
! who are trying to ward off the ter
ribIe Black Hand. The Valencia
family out in West Lawrence is hud-
died together afraid of the time when
that menacing Black Hand shall fall.
There is no Valencia on the streets
crying ''Vegeta, fresh vegeta," for
Leon is at home taking care of his
family. Leon says that the demand
for the money doesn't mean much,
that anyway he hasn't the $500, but
more cannot be said along that line
for the detective probably has his
plans for catching the parties.