The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-12
SLAVER'S TOOL HELD IN
 BONDS OF SlO,OOO ON CHARGE
 OF INTENT TO COMMIT MURDER
Authorities Believe That Joe Lagno Was Acting As Hired Assassin Of
 White Slayer Gang
Mrs Hernnan Her Face Disfgured With F'NeapoIitan
 Slash,'' Appears Tardily in Court, Weak From Loss
 of Blood-Cadets Disappear From Red Light District

Believed by the authorities to have acted as the cat's-paw for an organ ized gang of white savers Joe Lagno, an Italian, aged S2, residing at 255 Catherine street, entered the apartments of Dora. Herman, a deni- zen of the half-world, residing at 97 State street, Saturday night and slash ed the woman on her right cheek from the corner of her mouth to her ear, using a curved carpet knife.
 Lagno then rushed from the place, dropping the knife on the stairs, and ran down to Water street and then toward Union street, where he ran into the arms of Patrolman Bray this morning on the charge of assault with intent to murder and was or dered held for the Superior court un- der bonds of $10,000.
 The authorities have strong evil dence and the direct testimony of at least one witness that Lagno was act ing as hired assassin for a gang of white SlaverS whom the Herman woman had been fighting, and from whose clutches she rescued a young woman named Stella about week ago.
 The Stella woman,-whose last name is not known even to Mrs. Her man-disappeared immediately after the cutting and is believed to have
 
 by the inStigatOrS of the crime.
 In the city court this morning the accused man, Lagno, was defended by Attorney Frederick Fallon. He plead ed mot guilty and claimed that he was not present in the Herman wo- mans place. So strong was the iden- tificatton of him and so overwhelming the testimony against him, however, that Judge Foster did not hesitate to invoke the binding-over process.
 From beginning to end the case is fVre fr. fs the attention of the local authorities, and also sheds much light on the sys- tenn of terrorism by which the soul their hold andl derive their support from the unfortunate women of the district.
 Center street extension, is one of the most important witnesses for the state, although not called to testify this morning in the city court. MT cafe one night about a week ago when Mrs. Herman, and the woman called Stella whom she had taken under her protection were verbally assailed by a group of the men pro- curers of the district, who warned Mrs: Herman that she would suffer For her interference, and for inducing the Stella" woman to leave the man whom she was supporting.
 He is also alleged to have over heard a conversation in which cer- tain of these men offered to hand 5omely recompense any man who would knife Mrs. Herman, and made the statement that they were ready to go any distance in defense of such | man and would furnish all the money necessary to effect his release. 1
 But the most vital part of MT. l Shea's testimony will be to the effect | hat Joe Lagno, the man who did the | cutting, was present in the cafe at the | ,ime these threats were passed, and | -hese remarks were uttered.
 Mrs Herman, who is an independ. ! ent woman and a fighter, retorted to | he threats by telling the procurers | where they could go," in language | suitable to the occasion but unfit to | print. At the same time she realized | he serious nature of the threats from | -hese human hyenas, and purchased a | pistol with which to defend herself if | necessary. made, according to her testimony in |