New-York tribune., 1911-02-21
NEW BLACK HAND BAND
Police Say Prisoner in Greek *
tortion Case Was Armed.
MADE DEMANDS FOR $4,000
Letter to Hotel Proprietors De-
clares Organization Is Like
Italian Society.

The police made an arrest last night IN
ar extortion case which disclosed 70 them
for the Arst time the existence Of a Greek
Black Hand organization. Tnicn saHll,'7a
was patterned after the Italian aFucis-
II called itself the Hand OF Faltn. us
proposed victims N the present case were
Apostolo Pinza and Demetrius Polymero'
proprtetors Of the Hotel Athens. az no. 90
East 42d street. 70 whom they sent threat
ening letters demanding $500 and urging
compliance quickly. Mzssrs Ringa ana
Polymero AT first were inclined 10 ignore
the demands hut when they were informed
on February IS that II they failed 70 meet
the terms of the society their hotel would
be blown 10 atoms they decided 10 go 70
the police with their affair.
The man whom the police captured last
! night is believed by them 10 be the prime
mover in the new organization. He said
az Police Headquarters that he was Nlcho-
las Tritikas. twenty-three years old, living
at No pa West 18th street
The hrst letter 10 the hotel men was re-
ceived by them on the pth and was as fol-
| lows
The bylaws Of cur society state that in
the world some are born smart and capao!e
OF making money and good nVlng. some
can't DO this and We INCLUDE ourselves
among the latter Yet we have the same
right "a live as those who have plenty. As
a result we propose 70 get money IN the
! following way in order 10 secure our living
demand II from those who nave plenty
We Reg YOU 70 send 5000 and you MAY
be assured We will appreciate it. We make
this demand for many reasons. and as
matter Of form will tell you what will hap
pen II you fail 70 grant our request.
Our rules try 70 avoid bloodshed. From
the day we started we have only lost one
That happened only 70 insure our safety.
II YOU deny our demand we will not touch
your. person. relatives Or, or family IKE me me
hotel into the air We will DO this II com
PEELED 10 We notify you ten minutes be
fore We blow II ND 50 YOU can get OUT with
YOUR ennloyes and friends. Your loss will
b. Erea er than 1000, and we will do this
often. We will advise you not to get the
police in this matter. because they can %
| nothing and you will lose business u y
becomes known We do this. but YOU will
have common sense enough 20 pay For
that reason YOU put an ad In the lost and
found column of one Of the papers, and
say. "1n Fifth avenue, between 25th and
Ssth streets. lost. a gold locket. with minis p
tura inscribed with initials l. T. D, SO
reward We Will advise you how 70 de-
printed I'D 10 the 18th. tren ve will know
that YOU refuse Respectfully.
THE HAND OF FAITH
This letter. Ike IFS successor. was writ
ten in Greek. Its recipients did not in
sArt the advertisement and nothing more
was heard from the Hand Of Faith until
February Is. when Polyrnero was called
10 the telephone and was asked what ne
intended to do about the money. He an
svered that the matter had been uninten-
tisement would he put in the paper Is re
ouested on the following day, which was
done or the advice Of the police
Two days later Polymero received a let
ter telling him that the advertisement had
been seen and that the sum OF 2"9 IN
gold or in & bills should be placed in a
box and taken 10 1lSth street and Sixth
avenue. where the writer's partner would
meet them on the downtown side. and the
money turned over 70 him.
The letter added that the man did not
fear death. and that II an outcry was
made he would not hesitate a minute TO
Kill.
Fearing that the police had been called
in on tn. case another telephone message
was sent 70 Polymero yesterday afternoon.
directing him to meet the partner on
the Grand street station Of the Sixth ave
nue. elevated railroad
Accon1panied BY Polymero several de-
tectives went TO the designated place LAST
evening short. stocky man. evidently a
Greek, was seen pacing up and down the
platform and permitted several trains 70
90 by Apparently realizing that he had
been trapped the man az length boarded a
car He was quickly followed by Detective
s,erlip. Of the Central Ofice. The two had
gone as far as Bleecker street when el=
Greek got off. quickly followed by the de-
tective AS they reached the platform
szerlip told the Greek that he was under
arrest.
According 70 the detective. the prisoner
drew revolver. and it was not until after
a struggle Of several minutes that he got
the weapon away from him. He was taken
10 Police Headquarters, where he was
locked up or a charge OF carrying con-
cealed weapons and felonious assault.