The evening world., 1913-07-02
BLACK HAND AGENT
'THROWSBRAND|NTO
|. PICTURE THEATRE
Woman and Babe Taken From
Third Floor Fire Escape in
- Burning Building.

, cassese went to sleep early to-
d., a,ie waiting for agents Of the
Blscs II nd, and as a result lost his
moving picture establishment at No.
- Grand street and would have lost
his wife. r'ilomena. twenty-fivs years
cd. and their four-months-old baby but
eer the heroism Of New York nremen.
CAsssss oponed the Teatro Cassess in
o4s Grand street house more than .
oeaf ago. His little place held 20 per-
oens and he did such q good business
Mat . rear ons-story extension was
esiit for . vaudeville stage and more
ooats. Thsn Black Hand letters began
sDming. demanding 1900. He was told
- must give this amount to the sick
epnd" Of the AAno Nero or lose his
establishment. probably his life a. we'll.
BANDED DAYS RECEIPTS TO
|. WIFE.
Last nisht while In the lobby Of the
VAsatrs he heard murmurings that led
Aim to think somebody might pay him
. visit before dawn. He dA not want
- alarm his wife. 20 After he had
aaessd up he went upstairs 70 the third
Ind too door. whore they Nvsd with
shsif bsby. and gave her TIE days re-
Sslots. ~.
I'm suffering from ths heat" hs told
her. 'and viii take . ride to Rockaway
- cool on. I'll b back In the morn.
Ing"
4 Then hs went downstairs 10 the the
esrs and on . SCAT In the rear. near the
Grand street side. began his vigil. He
fell asleep some time before as O'Clock,
Tor At that time Policeman McIAury
was passing along the Mulberry street
side when he saw flames coming from
the picture concern. Someone had out
wire screen and tossed q nrebrand
cato the little stage.
MoLaury sent In an alarm and broke
1 In the Grand street door OF the theatre.
In the rear. still asleep. was Cassese.
The flames had spread 80. rapidly they
had cut OF the stairs. and the police
ilan and frantic husband and father
were unable to get up to rescue Mrs.
,assee and the baby. the only perosns
a., The hI!id!ng.
i.nc first thing the mon Of Engine
Coursny No. IS, from Brooms street.
Ju,i n the rear Of the theatre. saw when
they stopped In Grand street was tho
woman with the baby in her arms.
& ir-anIing from the third floor hrs es-
ciLe. They soon saw why she made
no error. to get down. The drop ladder
was isshed securely to the balcony rail-
.ng and there was no way for her 10 get
from the third landing OF the escape to
tn second.
There was no long ladder with the
engine company. their most extensive
being only about ten feet. This was
raised to the lower part OF the escape.
Tiremen George J. Short and John
0'Toole and John McGrail. the latter
chauffeur for Deputy Chief Langford.
Aurried up with two scaling ladders.
MOTHER FRANTIC As SHORT
TAKES BABE.
BY this time the flames were billowing
cut the second story windows. Short
cook the baby from its mothers arms
It to the street. The mother became
frantic when she saw the baby being
carried away and started to Jump 1t
was ali snort could do TO hold her un-
efl O'Tools came up. He finally handed
her over the parapet into O'Tooles arms
md oToois carried her down the seal
ong ladders TO the street
The woman began to bewaii the loss
sof her Sl26 then. saying she had left It
eandsr the mattress. Firemen took an