The herald., 1916-08-17
TRUPlANO GETS BLACK HAND
LETTER.

With the arrest of John Lavacke
and Frank Montfre, Italian truck farm
ers living in St. Bernard parish. Off
Cials of that parish and New Orleans
detectives are confident they have two
members OF a gang that has been dis
tributing Black Hand letters in St
ror among Italian residents. Letters
threatening death and violence unless
sums of money were paid have been
been sent dozens of Italians in this
city and vicinity, but the police YER
unable TO get a trace of the supposed
guilty persons until Monday afternoon.
One Italian, after receiving several
letters. became so frightened he left
his home in st. Bernard with his fam
lily and came TO live with his brother
in-law, Steve Trupiano, 1929 Patterson
street.
He had been living there several
weeks. but two more letters followed
him. Trupiano. the brother-in-law. who
, conducts saloon and grocery store.
also received a letter in which the
writer demanded $500.
Trupiano went to Superintendent
Reynolds Saturday afternoon, and an
investigation was begun. The letter
writer's, apparently becoming desper-
ate, and not satisfied with writing the
Black Hand" letters. called TrupianO
on the telephone at his place of bust
ness early Monday afternoon. The
voice was in Italian, and asked Tru-
piano if he had gotten any letters. the
message was that his brother in-law.
Lichardo, must have ready the money
demanded, as Monday was his last day
to live.
Trupiano asked to whom he was to
give the money. and the man on the
other end of the wire told him to give
1t TO one of his friends. The receiver
was hung up. and Trupiano becoming
alarmed, called on Deputy Sheriff Win.
field. of Jefferson parish. who accom-
panied him to the office of Superin-
tendent Reynolds. Detectives Methe
and Ford, who already had been de
tailed to make an investigation of the
case, were called into the office and
Of 81 no tnIo
An automobile was obtained and De
tectiyes Ford and Methe, with the JEFF
ferson deputy sheriff and Trupiano,
started for St. Bernard parish, where
they were to meet Sehriff Estopinal.
who had been told of the conversation
over the telephone by Superintendent
Reynolds. The party in the automo-
bile had gone but short distance in
st. Bernard when one of the tires on the |
car was punCtured. This caused de-
lay of more than half hour. While |
the tire was being repaired a man !
drove by in WAGON, and looked close |
ly at the detectives and the deputy |
sheriff. Trupiano told them the man |
was Lavacke, alleged to have received |
the money from the Campaigns.
Lavacke drove his horse and wagon |
to store. short distance away. left |
his wagon, and returned to watch the |
detectives and the sheriff repair the |
tire. Detectives Methe and Ford ad. |
vised Trupiano to go 'over and talk |
to Lavacke, but he declined to do so, |
saying he feared his life might be /
taken. The tire repaired, the party \
Joined Sheriff Estopinal and Deputy
Sheriffs Hahn and Serpass, and all |
went to the home of the Campaigns.
The letters written to Lichardo and |
Trupiano were compared with those |
received by one of the Campaigns,
and the handwriting was pronounced |
identical. Believing Lavacke and |
Montfre had been instrumental In writ
ing the letters, the detectives and st.
Bernard officers went to their homes
and put them under arrest. Both
we're lodged in the st. Bernard Jail.
They denied knowledge of the letters.