New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-26
WOMEN MADE INSANE
BY BLACK HANDS WORK
Mother of Seven Children Fears
for Dead Husband, Thinking
Him Still Alive.
ANOTHER SWEARS REVENGE
Rushes Into Tenement House
with Hair Flying, Brandishes
Knife and Drives the
Tenants to Shelter.

Thought to be insane as the result OF
the operations Of Black Hand agents
two women are in the observation "ard
AZ the Kings County Hospital. one IS a
gray haired woman Of about sixty-two
wears and the other is young wife and
the mother of seven. The FORMER Is
thought to be hopeessly insane. There
IS a possible chance for the young
woman.
Last night five of the seven chiidren
of Mrs. Angelina Minerva, OF NO. III
Rockaway avenue. slept in little "hite
cots in the rooms Of the Brooklyn Chill
dren's Society, in Schermerhorn street
OF the others. James, two months o.
was in the care Of the Brooklyn CITY
nurse. while the oldest, Nicholas, VINO
will soon be seventeen years old. was
alone in the squalid little rooms that the
woman and children knew as their nome
since the husband and father. Vincenzo'
died last December from pneumonia.
Several Italians had waylaid him one
night several weeks previously and at
tempted TO beat ont his life with clubs
because he failed to meet their demands
for money He was a construction hoss
for the Long Island Railroad, and aside
from this also contracted for eXcaVat-
ing. He was thought to be rich, and one
day letter marked with the signs OF
the Black Hand came to him. one thou-
sand dollars was wanted.
II was whispered last night by care
full Italian Of the colony that Minerva
CO mpromised by paying small sum.
The demand was later repeated, ana
when he refused to pay the agents lay
IN wait for him. Friends found MIN
when daylight came and took him nome
The beating brought on pneumonia and
he died leaving little money.
Two months ago the seventh child was
born. There was Just enough for doc
tor and medicine for the mother. The
children began TO suffer from munger
Neighbors helped them a little. Iney
had To leave their comfortable home and
move into the poorest little tenement
rooms often the babies cried for food
when there was not even crust for
me mother to give them AT times wher
there was food she would not eat, in or
der that there would be more nourish-
ment for them.
Saturday the mothers mind gave way
entirely. She screamed about the
| BLACK Hands" trying to kill her hus-
| band. and in her miserable mind she
seemed to think him still alive.
They will kill him. kill him. my Vim
cenzo," she shrieked.
Neighbors and policemen found moth
or and children suffering from starva-
| tion.
Her mind is gone" said DR. McDer-
mott. who was called 10 attend tn,
woman. She was taken away and the
children were sent elsewhere.
4 woman named SaladinO. the police
| believe. is the other sufferer.
| THE conspirators killed my loved one
and now they would rob mel" cried the
old woman. her hair flying behind hel
as she rushed into a tenement house al
No. 40 New Jersey avenue. brandishine
a large knife. 'I'll kill them ALL" she
cried. Police and firemen captured hel
on the roof of the house. She was bound
with ropes and taken to the hospital.
"The Black Hand ruined me. but IT
get revenge" she repeats as she lies ir
the observation ward. The woman's full
| identity and history are mystery to the
| poliCe