Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-02-25
ELKINS BLACKHANDERS HELD
FOR FEDERAL COURT

The complete story of the Elkins
and Harding Black Hand letter sent
to James Butch, an Elkins Italian
merchant, last August, mailed from
Cumberland, Nd, and demanding ST.
600 to aid friend in trouble with q
death penalty for Butch if he refused
to; comply, was unraveled before
United States Commissioner John w.
Mason, Jr., sitting in the county court
room Of the court house yesterday.
The hearing, which was scheduled for
last Monday, was continued from that
day because of the failure OF the fed
-5FaI officials to have Tony PERI a
convicted member of the gang here
from the penitentiary at Moundsville
70 testify. The hearing began at !
o'clock Saturday afternoon in Com
missioner Mason's Office but it speed
ly became evident that the offices
were not large enough and the hear
ing was adjourned to the county
sourt room at the court house.
A small procession, headed by u
nited States Deputy Marshall Moore
and Detective Pignolio, each with
two men handcuffed together, and
with The commissioner, interpreter,
attorneys and witnesses, made its
way from the commissioners Office to
Me street and then up the alley to the
rear entrance of the court house.
The hearing resulted in Vincinzo
Trimboli and Dominica Cianci being
held for the action of the federal
grand jury at Martinsburg, and Car
10 Nucella being held as witness for
the same court. Frank Amaratti and
Charles Penne, two other members of
Me gang, are still at large but are
wanted for their connection with the
plot
The story of the arrest of the three
men given hearing her Sunday is
well known to Times readers, this
paper containing accounts of the case
at the time. 1t will be remembered
that James Butch, an Italian mer-
shant of Harding, w. Va, received a
letter mailed from Cumberland, Nd,
demanding $1,000 The money was
70 be placed in cigar box and when
m Italian came and asked to buy q
IS box Of cigars he was to be given
the box containing the money. The
letter written in red ink, contained
threats against the life of Butch if he
sailed to comply with the orders. The
letter is reproduced in full above.
When q few days later Tony PERI
sailed and asked for the cigars his
arrest followed. He was convicted la
ter at term of the federal court at
Clarksburg and is now serving term
in the penitentiary at Moundsville.
Detective Pasquale Pignolio then
went to work on the case, represent
ing the postal authorities, and the ar
rest Of the other members of the gang.
followed few weeks ago.
At the hearing yesterday Attorney
B. L. Butcher of this city represented
the prisoners with Assistant District
Attorney John J. P. O'Brien repre-
senting the government. The first
witness examined was James Butch.
He told of receiving the letter and of
the later coming of strange Italian
who demanded the box of S. cigars.
The letter was received August "a
last. The storekeepre told of the ar
rest of PERI, which was found to be
the name Of the man who came for
the cigars.
Joe Butch, son of the storekeeper
then told Of the coming of PERI, who
first talked with him regarding the
hex of cigars he wished to purchase.
Tony PERI then took the stand and
told of the plotting of the gang led
by Frank Amarrati, at Elkins, to send
the letter to Butch PERI said they
asked him to copy the letter which
was already written, and that after
n1esIy protests he consented. The let
tel was then sent to Cumberland and
there remailed to Harding. He told
how later he went to Butch's store to
get the cigars but was arrested, tried
and sentenced.
Their came the evidence of Cello
NuccIla, one Of the prisoners. He tes-
titled that he had been forced to take
part in the letter writing against his
win. He said that after the arrest of
PERI Frank Amarrati offered him $50
for himself and $40 to use as blind.
He was to 60 to Butch's store and ask
him to send the $40 to the old coun-
try. When heA was making out the
papers he was to stab him. Nucella
refused and was then offered $50 to