Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-22
ORIGIN OF THE BLACK HAND.
II Started In CaIabria After the Earth
quake Of 1894.

ORIGIN OF THE BLACK HAND.
II Started In Calabria After the Earth
quake Of 1894.
Prof Vincenzo La Marca explains
in a letter addressed to the Giornale
Id'Italia of Rome how the Black Hand,
loriginally an italian institution, now
fourishes in Calabria and Sicily. as
we'll as in America. In 1894 Calabria
was visited by a great earthquake, and
the unfortunate inhabitants sought IN
emigration a remedy against the gen
eral destruction that followed. Inc
avodus toward America then started
ond Calabria was gradually depopu-
Lated agriculture and cattle raising
we're neglected, the cost OF hVilis pe
came high. and idleness was elicoui
aged as the returned emlgrahts re-
| fused to work but lived on the iiioi'e'
saved in America. ,,.,s tho
oboracter and temperament OF the
inba bitants we're changed, humility
nnd resnect to authority were lost ana
the criminal instincts and passions VI
tho neople were given full vent. Inc
returned emigrants brought pach
,'.;th tben new ideas of democracy
and equality; they considered thehn-
selves superiors to their fellow-coun-
trvmen and entirely independent pc
cause enriched in the land OF Plent!'
| In 1895 the old criminal assocla,,,oi !, ~
known as "Famiglia dele Nampe' o5
Family of Flames Cor nre) which naa
| heen transplanted to America Mneie
n assumed the name of Black Hanu'
was revived in Calabria ana Sicily.
Al nresent, according to Professor La
Norca. II is thoroughly organized anu anu
|naturally its members are IN ciose
|connection with their American coii-
rades The Family of Fire mas lts
chief whose power is absolute anu
each province and district mas speGia.
sections" or groups nnKea losetue, III
by the common bond OF CRIME. ny ny
members of the gang use speCiIa,
|Ianpuaee. which is understood only
bv the initiated. All the members are
armed and must carry either mir
rors' (razors) or else the "tufa' GRE
volver.) They must always be on the
IIooxout for monks (pollcemenj
and must defend and protect eacn
other. The chief Of every sectlon VI
gronn attends to the ordinary admin
istration of the gang; he collects the
fees paid by each member, coh'ohes
secret meetings, generally in the open
air and at night organizes the WolN
and presides over the trlpuhal WITCH
an execution is decreed.
| The Family of Fire has numerous
members both in Calabria and in 81
civ and its ranks are increased dally'
In fact. one of the chief duties Oh each
member is TO persuade his friends 10
| ioin the gang. and often when per
suasion is useless threats ana lnllllii-
dation are adopted. A special formula
| is generally used to press new re-
Icruits into service of the society. A
member of the gang goes up 10 d
Young man of promise and asks MIN.
DO | speak with fool or WITH an
Ievil-disposed person." If the young
man is willing to join the society, he
renlies: you speak to man. Inc
member of the society then says that
he too, is a man of honor, meaning
that he occupies a high rank IN the
gang. and he then adds that the So
ciety needs the young man seFHiCe
land requests him to pay mower
that is a contribution or fee. When
this fee is paid the young man pc
|cOmes a member and he is Salu to
walk under the name of the ola Heni-
Der who persuaded him TO JOIN.
the society, after some time ne Is tolu
TO leave the place or to pay fine, put
Ibe usually does both or else dlsap-
pears mysteriously. The Family OF
Fire has a special code of honor.
which consists of many rules dlVlded
under two headings-"Dirty Policy,
which relates to discipline and False
Policy" which deals with the work
of the society. The code also hNes
the procedure to be adopted IN exc
cutions. and these are grouped under
the single heading of "Convicuons. :.
The members of the society are ul-
vided into different classes. Ihey US
IualIv begin their career as young
men of honor" later they take the
name of dealers" and "chief deal
lcrs" when they may still be promoted
lto "ricottari." The Family of Fire
has become so powerful and rlch'
lmainly owing to the considerable IL
lnancial contributions of its members
lin America who belong to the Black
Hand. and it has extended so widely
all over southern Italy and Sicily,
that its members enjoy the utmost
Immunity. Mysterious murders are
becoming. very frequent and yet the
police hardly ever succeed IN arreSlihs
1.-The murdercrS The Family OF Fire
lis indirectly aided by the inhabitants
whose passive attitude and reticence
limpedc the course of justice and
who know too we'll that to give infor-
nation to the police about crime
, or give evidence against prisoner
Invariably leads to vengeance.
Professor La Marca deplores thai
the government authorities make an,
soutely no effort to combat crlmlna
dissertations and that no surveillance
is exercised over returned entrants
who often come back to Italy with
large sums of money which do no,
Ialways represent their honest saw
Iings. The police allow full freedom
to suspicious characters, who are III
the habit of going to America once
| rhi,n Naws