The Washington herald., 1910-04-03

that the Police Department of New York
has ever had to deal with and one Of
those on which it has had to pronounce
itself beaten. although morally certain it
knew who the criminals were.
Filings Back Defiance.
A certain Italian who had been an as
sociate of Morrello and a suspect in the
counterfeit money cases was sent to
prison on some other charge. He left a
family that was in great need. Morrello
owed him money. He sent his wife's
brother. young Modino, to see Morrello.
Modino was instructed TO say 10 MorrelIO
that if the debt was not paid the man in
prison would tell all he knew Here the
character Of MorrellO begins to develop.
He flung back a defiance and in such a
way that it will long be remembered in
the Italian quarter.
MOdinO was seen to leave the estab-
lishment of Morrello late in the after
noon. With him was one Petto commonly
known as The Bull Lupo. The Wolf.
also came into the case, having been seen
at the Mot4ello establishment at about the
same time. That night Morrello appeared
on the streets OF the Italian quarter with
his head swathed in a red bandana in the
best accredited bandit style. Modino was
never seen again alive. The next morn
ing his body was found in a barrel with
a score of knife thrusts in his breast
In this case the Secret Service was of
great assistance to the police. They
knew every man who belonged to the
Morrello gang and were familiar with the
movements of all of them Although
their object in gathering this information
was to prevent counterfeiting. they saved
any advantage that secrecy might give
them and placed their information in the
hands of the police. Morrello. Petto. The
Bull. and Lupo. The Wolf, were all
arrested. but it was not possible to get
sufficient evidence to convict them.
MOrreIIO Gave the Orders
The oftener Morrello was arrested the
more insoient he became. By this time
he had come to sheer at the police and
dictate whatever orders he saw fit to the
Italians he had come 10 dominate A
rough and hard-faced scoundrel, he sat
in his office and sent out his orders. A
MANNED hand interfered with him as an
outside man, so he did the thinking and
ordered other men to execute his plans
He had by this time discovered the ad-
vantages that attached TO the dread name
of the Black Hand for extortion pur-
poses.
It is believed by the Secret Service men
who watched him for ten years that he
was responsible for the greater portion
OF such extortion as far West as Chicago
and as far South as New Orleans. Lupo.
The Wolf. was the active outside man
who carried his mandates. Because of
his being more seen than his chief. Lupo
became to be popularity regarded as the
head of the Black Hand, but in reality
he was only its outward evidence. The
mind that directed 1t, the Secret Service
believe, was that of the manned Nor
relic.
Petto. The Bull. who was suspected of
being the direct agent in the barrel
murder, was cOmpatriot of I.upo. and
probably ranked as high in the estimate
OF his master. He was a man who could
be depended upon to execute a desperate
mission. But he was Overbold in one of
these and so came TO his death. He de-
manded in the name of the Black Hand a |
large sum Of money from an Italian mer-
chant In Scranton. Pa. supposedly at the |
direction Of Morrello. He appointed |
time and place for the delivery of the |
money. The merchant kept the engage
ment. but instead of giving Petto the /
money, gave him large-sized load of
Ouckshot from a sawed-off shotgun. /
Petto expired on the spot
Threatened with Exposure.
1t was at about this stage of his career
hat Morrello appeared in another of the
most spectacular incidents of his life /
Word was brought him that a certain
who was believed TO have
handled counterfeit money in connection
With him, operating in New Orleans, had
been talking freely. 1t is said that he
lad gone so far as to threaten to expose
he Morrello operations. Morrello i'm
nediately went TO New Orleans in person.
lie was seen among the Italians of that
ity for three or four days Finally. one
,fternoon, in true bandit style again. he
on the streets with a red
'andana handkerchief about his head
That night the offending Italian was
oune dead in HIS store with a score of
'nife thrusts in his breast very like
hose received by the victim of the barrel
murder. The direct evidence was again
aeking upon which to convict the dread
d visitor. Yet the Italians Of all the