New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-28
Boy Dynamiters Make
Amazing Confession of
Outrages and Crimes.
$50 HIGH PRICE
FOR EXPLOSION
"Blackhanders" Tell Judge They
Had No Regard for
Human Life.

handlers" were expounded yesterday
before Judge RosalslSy I'm General Ses-
sions. by Alfred Lehman, better known
10 Little italy" as "Schmitty,' ana
Rocco Pucieli. known as lump
"Schmit.y" and lump" were, by their
own brazen admissions, mechanics
employed by two gangs OF blackmail-
ers TO shoot" bombs.
Angelina Sylvestro. who is on trial
before Judge Rosasky for shooting
bomb at No. 40 East Houston street
on August 81, was a mechanic, but was
also, according TO testimony given by
"Zump" YESTERDAY qualifying as
lieutenant of Joe Fay" as Giuseppe
Ferrara, leader in one Of the gangs
was called.
The bomb was set at the door OF
Carmelo Calverone, at No. 40 East
Houston street, "Zump' testified over
girl" Nellie Pecorara, Calverone's
niece, had. refused TO marry Joe Fay.
Joe Fay's instructions to blow up her
uncle were given direct to Sylyestro
"Zump" testified.
, According to the story "Zump" and
other mechanics have told Robert r..
Manley, Assistant District Attorney
there were two notorious gangs OF
"blackhanders" terrorizing the various
Little Italys" when they broke into
! the game.
Gang Chief Wrote Letters.
The chiefs of one gang, they say
were Pietro Giambruno, known as Pc
trino who was an expert penman and
wrote threatening letters and selected
victims. and Giuseppe Polaro, known
/ as "Bedutz." who is . fugitive from
Justice. OF the other gang, the heads
were said To be Antonio Leyantino,
Joe" Fay and a man named Scarpone
The mechanics" say that they worked
impartially for both gangs, though
their work for each was without the
knowledge of the other.
"Zump" acknowledges shooting at
least thirty-five bombs. and it may
have been thirty-eight. "Schmitty'
says he touched off fifteen or sixteen,
and "Burky." the Pole, says that he
was in on all that "Schmitty" mad i
hand in. The mechanics shared IN
the money obtained by blackmail
I'VE got the right share" "Zump'
/ testified yesterday, according to what
/ kind OF money they got"
The selection of the place, the writing
of the letters and the collection Of the
money. he said, were always attended
| to by the bosses" The amount paid
TO the mechanics" for a shooting
was rarely more than $50 apiece,
; lump" said.
"Shot Bombs for Backmal."
/ With the utmost callousness "Schmit-
"" retold his story yesterday to James
f. Brande, Sylvestros counsel on
ross-examination. Ne accusation Mr..
Brande could bring against him was
sufficient to shock him into hesitation.
I'VE went up TO shoot that bono
for blackmail," he said. II didn't see
the letter Sometimes we sent the let
ter first and sometimes the bomb. You
Just lay the bomb outside the door as
soon as you have lighted it, cover it UP
with a piece of paper or something and
walk away"
You've done that time and again."
Mr.. Brande asked.
Yes, sir
And you've no regard for human
Iife?"
mo, sir"
When Jumps" turn came for cross
examination he was as cool as his
l pal had been. He said that when he
was about sixteen or SO his grandfather
wanted him to stop work so that he
could go to high school.
Did you go?" asked Mr. Brande.
mo, sir. | bummed around, and met
this fellow Sylvestrol and 'Burky' and
Schmitty' and a couple more
How did you make a living?'
81 went out and stole for living"
You were making crooked living
and setting off bombs?"
Yes"
How many did you set?'
About thirty-five"
lump" told on the stand Of all the
bombs he could remember offhand.
He counted up to eighteen. Two of
them-one in Crosby street and one in
Lafayette street and 4th street-had
been strike jobs, he said. He had
set off the bombs to scare striking en-
ployes.
Murder and Other Grimes.
Both men have told the police OF other
crimes than setting off bombs, and
it is expected that several mysteries
will be cleared up by them one was
the murder of a Chinese laundryman