New-York tribune., 1911-09-06
POLICE CATCH ITALIAN
CARRYING DEADLY BOMB
Say They Have Head and Master
Spirit of Black Hand Gang
Terrorizing East Side.
THREE YEARS UNDER WATCH
Held in $4,000 Bail, He
Threatens When Out of Prison
to Kill the Detective Who
Arrested Him.

4 trail Of the Black Hand the de-
iective Joseph Petrosno followed before
he met his death in Palermo Sicily. in
March. 1909 at the hands of some of
the desperate Italian criminals whom he
was then seeking across the seas. culmi-
mated in the arrest Of Giuseppi Castabile.
of No 1876 Chrystie street. who had
formidable bomb i'm his possession
Yesterday when the detectives caught
him in Prince street
II was no coincidence that Detective
Carrao. Of the Italian squad at Police
Headquarters should have been instru-
mental in causing Castabile's arrest.
Carrao was formerly a side partner Of
Petrosino and they together three years
ago picked Castablc out from the
dwellers in the underworld as a man TO
lie reckoned with in future Black Hand
operations.
Carrac and some Of his running mates
among the Italian detectives have kept
IN eye on the wiry Castabile ever since
Detective Petrosinos death. with the
hope. which was fulfilled yesterday, that
goods" In the capture of Castablle the
police are confident that they have one
of the most desperate and successful
Black Hand bomb throwers that has
ever practised the art Of extortion on his
less courageous countrymen in this city.
Calls Him Black Hand Leader.
According 70 Inspector Hughes. in
charge Of the detective bureau of Head
quarters Castabile has been implicated
I'm several recent bomb outrages on the
lower East side. and is the head and
master spirit of an organized gang OF
Black Handlers whose sole employment
has been to exact tribute from small
Italian merchants by the dreaded Black
Hand letter threatening death and an
initiation Of the families Of the recipi-
cnts unless they paid price within
stated time. Several names Of other
Italians. supposed to he members Of the
gang. and other important data were
found on Castabne when searched at
Police Headquarters. Inspector Hughes
said. other arrests may follow.
The prisoner was arraisned before
Magistrate O'Connor in the Tombs police
court late yesterday afternoon and held
I'm $4,000 bail for examination to-mor-
row at o'clock. When he was being
taken TO the Tombs he cried out in ltal-
ian to Detective Carrao. threatening 20
Kill him when he got out Of prison. ac-
cording to the detectives Interpretation
Of Castabile's language. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Wasservogel. Inspector
Hughes and the detectives conferred
with Magistrate OConnor later as to the
charge that should be made against the
prisoner. The magistrate decided that
he could at least hold him on charge
Of violating the new Sullivan dangerous
weapon law. which makes 1t felony 10
have a dangerous weapon in ones pos
session. II Castabile is convicted on this
charge he may get seven years.
Bomb Usual Black Hand Kind.
The bomb which Castabile had under
KS coat when he was arrested was the
kind known 10 the police as the usual
instrument Of destruction of the Black
Hand. 1t was about five inches in diam
eter. somewhat the shape Of canta-
loune. with a fuse attached foot long.
II is yellow in color and the shell is
made Of a combination Of twine, tape
and shellac. instead Of iron. \ shell
made by this process docs not leave any
fclltale pieces Of evidence behind when it
axplodes. as an iron shell may do, It was
explained.
The bomb was turned over TO the Bu-
reau Of Combustibes. to be opened and
its contents examined. After cursory
examination Of the bomb by an expert
from the Bureau Of Combustbles at Po-
lice Headquarters yesterday he said that
&c contained explosives enough to wreck
a small building and XII any one who
happened 10 be near when it exploded.
The fuse was burned a little at the end
as II il had been tested.
The police officially first made the ac-
auaintance Of Castabile in 1908 through
Detectives Petrosino and Garrao, who
were then on a still hunt for members
Of the Black Hand who had exploded
bomb three times in the hallway of
tenement house at No. 81 East llth
street i'm an effort 20 force Francesca
Spneli. the owner Of the property TO
buy immunity. Petrosino poked the bar
rel Of his revolver clear through the
check Of man who was in the act OF
lighting a fourth bomb i'm a dark corner
Of the hallway.
Unable to Hold Castable.
Ho proved to be Giuseppe Bounoven-
turo. who afterward pleaded guilty, and