The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-20
Black Handlers Busy in New
York and Chicago.
At Work Every Night During
the Past Week.
ONE VICTIM WATCHED.
Shot at Enemies When They
Approached His House.
One Explosion Created a Panic
in Convent.

New York, Feb. 2o.-Black hand
gangs. defying the efforts of chief
Flynn and his detectives to check
tneir operations, renewed their reign
OF terror with torch and bomb every
night for the past week and early to-
DAY made two daring efforts to wreck
with dynamite. Every available de-
tect1ve In the central Office has heen
sent out TO round I'D the black hand
ers.
Two agents of the blacknailing So
OF DR.. Bartoli, q wealthy nbvsicter -,
EAST lO6th street. today, laid a bomb
liear Ine Doctors door, touched it Off
anu tnen ned in carriage The ex-
piosion caused a panic among one
hundred girls in ST CeciIfe's convent
The doctor has been receiving black
nano letters for some time.
GloVannl Cataldo, a groceryman on
SSnaysue street, sat up last night in his
oarKened store and awaited the com
ing OF the bomb throwers He had
kept vigil for several nights 1us+ ha-
Lore dawn the groceryman saw two
ngures near his door getting ready to
set on a bomb. Cataldo blazed awav
with revolver and the black handlers
fed.
The police searched the neighbor-
mood without result.
New Kind of Bomb Outrage.
New York, Feb. 20.-A new variety
VI oomD outrage was worked here last
nlgnt, when an Internal machine was
eApIooeo on the roof of six story tena-
Lnent on the lower East Side Hereto
fore bombs have been thrown in hall
ways celIars and in lower windows but
never oerore on g New York rooftop.
me explosion, supposedly the work
oL the Black Hand, tore a great hole
IN the roof and wrecked one apartment
rive persons were slightly hurt.
Placed Bomb in Doorway.
Cnlcago. Feb. 20.-A dynamite bomb
with lighted time fuse two feet long
sputterlng and splitting fire was found
occupied by Giacomo Frisa, an Italian
| laborer. Two policemen, passing. saw
! an open moor and within the burning
Iuse ana extinguished the blazing DOW
oer Iv,e neiore & II could reach the explosive.
Ine bomb consisted of five sticks of
nigh percentage dynamite bound to-
| gether with string and with fuse and
| cap adjusted to one stick
Frlsa lives IN the two story house
with his wife, four children. and a
married daughter and her husband. He
has received a number of threatening
| letters in the past few months, signed
The Black Hand and asking for mon
| ey. The last received a week ago ad-
| vised him that his home would be
blown up if he failed to leave $500 in
a package on his front doorstep or if
he notified the police. He is a section
| hand for a railroad.
Battle on a Roof
| Chicago, Feb. 20-Trailed through the
snow to his refuge on the top of a four
| story building at 713 West Randolph
| street N1colo G. Trapani, believed by
| the police to be member of the Black
| Hand society, engaged in a desperate
battle last night with detectives They
climbed to the roof in a shower of bull
1 lets.
Trapani only a few moments before
the struggle on the roof had shot and
mortally wounded Vito Cappiteln at
! street.
Trapani tells the police he was
pounced upon by Vito -,d his brother.
| Philip, as he was passi~- the corner.
| Footprints in the snow leading to a
| fire escape up the side of the building
were found by Policeman Simsrott with
his flaShlight. Detective Joyce mount
| ed the rungs.
Trapani crawled to the edge of the
roof and warned his trailers.
| A bullet Whizzed through Joyce's hat
| Other shots were fired by the Italian.
Trapani seeing he was outnumbered.
| retreated to chimney and sought to
| reload his revolver. While he was
| fumbling at the weapon he was seized
| by Detective Joyce and the two men
vent rolling and fighting over the roof
Several times both were singing to
the edge and were drawn back by the
| other policemen.
Trapani finally was struck q blow on
the head and subdued. At hospital he
was identified by Phillip Cappitelli, who
| was seated at his brothers bedside.
"Trapani is bad man. said Phil
lip. land has made lots of trouble in
Italy Last night he sent word COM
| manding Vito TO meet him. / told Vito
to stay in the house, but when ne left
| I went along with him. Vito fired his
| gun after Trapani shot at him."