New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-05

THICK LEADS TO TUO
4RRESTS.
Tenor Alarmed by Letters De-
manding s15, ,00O-Police
Dccoy Bats Trap.

Antonio (.incotta Il saloon keeper. of
No. 1S5 Columbia street. Brooklyn, and
Antonio Masianf, an importer of gro
ceries. so he told the police, were arrested
carly this morning on suspicion OF know
ing something about the threatening let
ters sent to Enrico Caruso, the leading
Italian tenor of the metropolitan Opera
House. demanding $4,000. The arrests
were made near Sackett and Van
Brunt streets, Brooklyn. by detectives
from the Italian bureau. In the letters
received ty Caruso he was told to place
the money at this place. y decoy was
laid by the detectives, and the arrests
followed \ third number Of the party
escaped.
In the last week Caruso has received
three Black Hand letters. the last of
which reached him at the Hotel Knick-
erbocller. where he is living on Wednes-
day. He was told to place u sum OF
money in an envelope and leave it un-
der a stoop of factory building at the
place where the arrests were made. He
reported the matter at once to Inspector
McC'lusky-
\ plan was formed to trap the writer's
of the letters Last night, the time ap-
pointed by the Black Hand men. a mes
scnger was sent to the place and told
to put an envelope under the stoop of
the factory. Inside of the letter were
placed two one-dolar bills wrapped
around d wad Of paper
In order 10 guard against accident the
bills were marked and their numbers
taken by the police The messenger left
the envelope in the appointed place
shortly before II o'clock. Early in the
evening however, Lieutenant Gioster, IN
charge Of the Italian Bureau at Head
quarters. and five detectives had Sc
creted themselves on the spot. The lieu
tenant took two men With him and went
inside the factory building, while the
others were in the shadows across the
street
Promptly at II o'clock. the time men
toned in the Black Hand letters An
tonic Masian turned the corner of
Union and Van Brunt streets and
walked up to the stoop, according to the
detectives He stopped for a few min
utes and made hurried examination
and then walked back TO the corner
He repea ted this performance several
times until finally he was joined at the
corner IF Union street by second man
The two then walked down the street
together to the StoOp
They stood there for q few minutes
when suddenly Antonio CinCotti. the
saloon keeper. came on the run around
the corner as the detectives told it. He
rushed up to the two men and exclaimed
in Italian what the police say was the
equivalent of Beat it. Thereupon all
three started to run.
But the detectives were a their heels
in an instant After short chase Masl-
ami was captured just as he threw away
an eighteen inch shot gun. He struggled
violently with the police, but was finally
overcome When searched he was found
to have upon him a .32-calibrc revolver
with six chambers loaded. Other de
tectives chased CincOtta into "A saloon
ana placed him under arrest. The third
man escaped.
Lieutenant GloSter said that Clncotta
had become alarmed when he saw a
special policeman. in gray uniform
standing near tho corner Of Sackett
street where the detectives We're hid
ing. and further down the street he saw
a uniformed patrOlman.