The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-09-08
IS STRONGEST IN AMERICA
White Hand Organization Tells of the
Workings of Dangerous Bands of
Criminals Infesting Many American
Cities



allowing for the disproportionate num-
Der of men to women among Italians,
it is doubtful if they. appear as offend
ers against the law more frequently
than some other groups, says Prof.
George A. Dorsey in the Chicago Tri-
bune. In minor offenses, at any rate,
the number of Italians in penal insti-
buttons is proportionately much less
than that of other nationalities. The
real crimes of Italians in the United
States are homicides and general
category Of criminality which travels
under the name of the Black Hand.
The great crime of Italians in the
United States is the one which per
haps least of all gets him in prison
records-the Black Hand. The Black
Hand is low, debased, diseased con
dition of mind among Italians, which
leads certain few to take adyan-
tage of the ignorance, superstition,
fear and timidity of their fellow coun-
trymen.
Before me is a white bound pamph-
let entitled "The Italian White Hand
Society in Chicago, ILL.,; Studies, Ae
tion, and Results The society was
incorporated late in 1907. Their pam
phlet makes good reading. It takes us
behind the curtain of the Mala Vita.
1t states that the Blank Hand is not
an organized association but it does
say that in Italian colonies in Ameri-
ca "there exists and thrives a special
class of criminals who operate every
where in the same way, are led to
commit crime by the same motive, and
find protection, aid, and encourage
ment in every place where certain
conditions exist
Our environment favors this class,
- Here the exiled criminal is sure of
finding friends, comrades, perhaps some
former accomplice-all those, in short
from whom he may expect counsel, en-
couragement, aid and protection. The
law Of omerta. has been transferred to
the United States.
Slums favor Black Handlers. "Ital-
ians, isolated from other nationalities,
are crowded together in narrow quar-
ters in out of the way streets, with
little light and no police protection"
Then there is the saloon GA resort
is a place of retreat for the worst
element of italian colonies, for those
who are generally known as the authors
Of criminal deeds or as men capable
of committing crime Thus we have
a complete setting for "that picture
of habitual crime which in few
great centers continues it's perverting
and terrorizing reign unchecked with
extortion, vengeance and immoral traf-
fc.''
The White Hand has another word
on the saloon. Every effort to abolish
such saloons is futile, as have been
futile up to the present time the eff
forts Of powerful American organiza-
tions against saloons of similar char
acter, which are the plague Of other
nationalities in other quarters of the
city of Chicago"
The saloon is not abolished because
the saloonkeeper is the agent of a
brewing company; he is a politician
and has great influence, especially
over the lower classes; he is a power
full factor in his ward; he takes. an
active part in political campaigns, con
tributes money, and works hard.
The White Hand also accuses us
of slack justice. Our criminal laws
differ in different states. A suspect
may be detained only twenty four hours.
He is not obliged to prove his inno-
cence. He need not answer a word to
the magistrates questions. When he
does answer it is in a, foreign tongue
and through an interpreter.
A professional criminal has made a
study of his crime. He has studied
every possible means to aid him to
thwart justice or prove his innocence.
In the trial the rules of evidence are
all in favor of the prisoner. But what
especially impresses the White Hand
is the fact that the twelve iurymen
must agree and that one may nullify the
verdict. cit is easy to understand how
such an administration of the law
may be an encouragement to the Grim
inal'
AS coming from the White Hand So
ciety, this is refreshing:
sItalian criminals of this particular
class in the United States are fugi-
tives from Italian justice who fed to
these states and were encouraged to
operate here by favorable conditions
of various kinds.''
"And so it is, = says the White Hand,
s'that this plague, so alarming in North
America, does not exist in other coun-
tries, not even in South America. y The
Black Hand is vast, loosely jointed