The evening world., 1912-09-03
DEATH THREATS
FORR0CKEFELLER
! FROM BLACK HAND
Armed Men Guard Oil Kings
Son and Grandchildren at
/ Pocantico Hills.

Black Hand threats demanding MIL
Hons Of dollars by Sept. Il under pen
atty Of murder. kidnapping. and dyna-
hitting the 100000 pooanuco Hills
mansion. have been made In letters
against John d. Rockefeller. his son,
John D. Jr., the latter's children. Fred
erick A. Briggs. superintendent Of the
estate. and a negro boss Of teamsters
named Dunson.
Tho magnificent grounds are to-day
br!stling with Burns detectives. deputy
sherfffs and private watchmen armed
with repeating rifles and revoIvers. and
nve savage Great Dane dogs aid in the
espionage.
John ID. Rockefeller jr. never appears
anywhere on the vast estate without a
heavy guard, and Briggs Is accom-
panied at all times by two detectives.
The largest detachment Of guards is
Kept at the Kent House. a nursery on
the grounds. where John ID. IRIS two
youngest children are III of measles.
1t is believed the sinister state of
anairs on the estate, manifested re-
Gently In many crimes and disorders,
VIII prompt John d. Rockefeller to
forego his usual autumn season OF golf
at Pocantico and remain at his old
country home In Ohio. Except for q few
days at time he has not been at Po-
eantico this summer. Mrs. Rockefeller
prefers the Ohio home. and In addition
another story is being put on the
Tarrytown mansion.
1t is understood that the threats of
murder are not SO much feared by the
Rockefellers as that the children may
be kidnapped. or the 5000, 900 mansion
dynamited.
Five hundred or more italian laborers
are employed on the Rockefeller estate.
When the four private watchmen a few
days ago were augmented by fourteen
others, ali negroes. three deputy sherffs
in command OF Under Sheriff Nosslter
Of Westchester. and six Burns men in
charge OF Detective A. J. Boyd, It was
announced the small army was to pro.
tect the laborers from blackmailers and
assassins.
~ was kHOWn tndt lot years tncSe
employees have been forced to pay trib-
ute to the Black Hand. and in some
instances reluctant victims have been
killed or wounded without any special
steps to protect them being taken. so
some other reason was sought for the
armed force.
II then became known that the Black
Handlers had BECOME so bold. following
several years OF immunity. that they
had threatened the OIL King. his family
and his property unless heavy ransom
10 paid. Their warning Includes an In
junction against calling In the authori-
ties to trail or arrest them.
One amazing phase of the agitation
on the multi mlllionaire's estate is the
mysterious manner In which some OF
the letters have been smuggled In right
under the eyes Of watchmen. Some OF
the letters have come By mail. one be-
Ing from Palermo. Italy. which has
been regarded cs a favori,e haunt OF
Black Handlers. and where Police Lieu
tenant Petrosino Of New York was as
sassinated. This letter demanded many
million dollars backmail. ordered MIR.
Rockefeller 20 open negotiations at once
through designated channel and gave
him until Sept. Il to make known his
reply. II was written on typewriter
In Italian, ana stated that refusal
might mean tnd; the society would de-
cree his murder, OF at least the des-
truction of his S2,000,000 mansion by
dynamite.
There were other threats by mail but
those causing the most apprehension
were delivered on the estate and threat
ened John ID. Rockefeller jr. unless
blackmall was paid. Briggs and Dunson
have also received letters. but they We're
simply notification that they were to
be murdered at some convenient time.