The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-12-12
WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
Nipplnc New York BIackhand Con-
spiracy in the Bud

PaSQuat9 LGOn1 came ACaA " DO1A6
one of the smoothest blackhand chief
tains in this country But not quite.
He failed at the very outset OF what
would have been, had it succeeded In
getting started, one OF the most sue
cessful Matchmaking and robbing con-
spiracies that ever emanated from the
evil minds of the Italian Black Hand
men who live by terrorizing their fell
low countrymen in American cities.
Leoni ran little private bank for
the accommodation Of his own coun-
trymen in Elizabeth street, in the low
er Italian quarter of New York City.
He made no pretense of doing a big
business, nor of securing his deposit
tors and patrons against loss by any
great CAPITAL OF his own. He had
started In as a steamship agent, sell
ing tickets for a couple of the lines
that make d specially Of carrying the
cheaper class of passenger trade be-
tween New York and the Mediterra-
mean ports. That was ten years before
the events here to be related ever
began.
From a seller Of steamship tickets
Leoni began to branch out, and soon
he was running little Italian en-
ployment agency in conjunction with
his original business. He satisfied ev-
erybody concerned with his dealings
in this, and soon the Italian emigrants
who had found work through his Of
fee began to entrust to him the task
Of conveying safely to the loved ones
back in Italy part Of the funds earned
by the newcomers in America.
The private bank was the next step.
The newly arrived Italians were loathe
to trust their hard-earned money with
any of the strange bankers in this
strange land Leoni was one of them,
son of their own beloved Italy. He
had welcomed them upon their arrival
at Ellis Island, he had brought them
up the bay and found them rooms in
the crowded quarters Of the east side.
Work they had secured through him.
and their steps in the new land had
been generally guided by his advice.
What more natural than that they
should turn to him when they began
to accumulate little sums Of money
which they wished to save?
Leoni took care Of their money with
great satisfaction to them and con-
siderable profit to himself. His power
and influence and the prosperity Of
his little private bank-so private
that the state bank examiners had
nothing to do with it-grew until in
March, 1911, he had on deposit in his
Elizabeth street office over $150,00O
placed in his care by his trusting
countrymen.
I had never heard of Leoni until he
came to the Office of the Burns De-
tective Agency and asked for protec-
ton
at is the Black Hand-the Mano
Nera-that is after me-" he said.
"They have threaten me- Me, Pas
quale Leoni, whom all good Italians
trust-these bad men have threatened
that they shall take my life or am
to give them $25.
He dove into his pocket as he spoke
and showed us letter written in Ital-
ian and addressed to him. Translated
1t read:
Dear Prosperous Brother:
Many of the countrymen are out of
work Times are not as rich with all
- 4boxr Owe NTH ryo,1 H7boeo x7J,o,
have much should help those who
have little or nothing. Brother, you
have much; we have nothing. You
should be glad to help. There are
many Of US. That we all should get a
little you must give much. But it is
not much to you, who has so much.
Brother, you must have $4,000 to
give us in two weeks when we ask for
it, or we will remove you as traitor
to your poor countrymen.
1.-THE Beautiful Society"
It was a typical Black Hand letter,
except that the amount was away be-
yond the usual demand.
"How did you have the nerve to
come here about this?" asked the Of
fee manager. You know Italians usu-
ally are afraid to speak even to their
wives about communications of this
sort.
"To the police / would not go" said
Leoni. But you I think can trust.
Anyhow, will die before l give up
this money. l want you to protect me
by finding the writer of this letter
and putting him in Jail. I have heard
that you do such things very we'll"
The Office manager turned to me.
want to take the case, Cornell?"
he asked 1--WE don't usually touch
anything of this sort"
Certainly" l said, 'It's all part
of the game to me"
Leoni and I got together then. I
took the letter and examined it care
fully. It was in a fairly good hand
writing and carefully punetuated and
phrased. Apparently it was the work
of an educated man.
/ reasoned that this letter probably
was the work Of one Of the men whom
Ieoai had had dealings with in one
way or another. Probably somebody
WIN had deposited money with him
Ant who knew how prosperous the
pirate banker yas becoming.