New Britain herald., 1917-11-30
bLACkMAIL MAKES
 KILLING EASY
Confessions of Gunman Read Like
 Pages From the Dreary Past

nearby places-All the cases having made mystery for the police depart l ment-is in fair way toward being cleared up as a result of a confession made tQ Assistant District Attorneys Renaud of New York County and Warbasse of Kings by Ralph Daniel 10, Sicilian gambler.
 Several Stain. Dantello, who was brought to Brooklyn two months ago from Reno, NOV, to face charge of murder in tho second degree, has told or indi- cated readiness to tell of twenty three murders, covering a period of nine years. The grand jury has be- gun the work preliminary to finding indictments.
 As the result of the confession, the 1 making of which has covered ten days, ten men have been arrested and are being held as material witnesses. Some probably will face charges of murder
 The confession has revealed the ex- 1stence in New York city of three 1tal1an gangs, comprising forty or fifty men in all, modelled somewhat after the sicilian Matia, ruled over by ten padrones, who have been distin-
 
 fur overcoats and the size of the dia>- monds in their shirt fronts and who have built up a monopoly of gambling among Italians here
 Daniello said it was their efforts to keep this organization a close cor porat1on and to force money from gamblers that led to each of the mur- ders. In unemotional tones, the gam bier told how the padrones selected the murderers and gave them orders when rival or a disobedient subor- d1nate was to be put out of tho way, and how the fear of death was so strong in the faithful forty that they seldom disobeyed the order to kill.
 The murders of which Daniello says he knows took place in Manhattan, Brooklyn. Queens, Yonkers and Phila- delphia. Mr. Renaud said yesterday that he has cleared up two crimes so that only grand jury action is neces- sary, and that Daniello will continue his story. taking up one murder at a time, until the New York county grand jury has completed its work He will then be asked to continue for the beneft of other district attorneys
 The confession was due to mingle fear, repentance and desire for re- venge. Before his arrest in Reno where he was found with a nineteen year old Brooklyn girl Amelia Val Vo. he had instructed the gang to send 1 money to his wife and -four children | whom he had sent to Italy after the 1 murder of Louis De Marco in May, 1916. in Navy street, Brooklyn. The 1 gang refused to comply with the re- quest.
 When the fugitive reached New l York with Detective Di Martini and l Pucciano, he said:
 ''So many have been killed that I am afraid my turn is coming next. If they suspect one of their own com panions they kill him. So am going to tell the whole story"
 Because MT. Renaud feared that to reveal the names in the murder cases would interview with the work of catching the mprderers he mentioned only six of the murders about which Daniello has told.
 Probably the most widely known of these is that of Giusello Galucci. known as the Harlem gambling king," who was shot at 109th street and First avenue two years ago. Another case was that of Giuseppe de Marco and Carlo Lombardi, who were killed in James street July 25, 1916. The confession also clears up the murder of Guiseppe's brother Saliva tore. who was found under the Greensboro Bridge on Oct. 20. 1916. with his throat cut. Daniello said Salvatore was killed to prevent him from organizing a gang to avenge Guiseppe's death.
 Another part of the statement that was permitted to become public re- lates how Giuseppe Nazzaro. some times called Joe Chuck. who was found on the railroad tracks near the Hudson river at Yonkers. met his death. Chuck was invited for an au- tomobi1e ride by Italians who he be- lieved were his friends. At Yonkers ,, he was shot in the head and his body was thrown on the tracks to make it appear he had been struck by a train.
 The Italian game of cacanette. th" Italian lottery and the "artichoke graft provided the profits on which the padrones supported the members | of their gangs and kept themselves in ; luxury. Danielio asserted that every Italian gambling game in the city
 was forced to pay tribute. 1 Money on Food. The "artichoke graft" consisted in 1 a levy of $25 load on every wagon | full of artichokes which an Italian
 dealer took from the Harlem or West l Washington Markets.
 The padrones kept pistols in the
 saloons where they made their head
 quarters. Word would be brought to
 them that an unauthorized gambler
 was operating, or that one had re-
 fused to pay tribute, or that 1t looked
 as though some member of the gang
 was going to ''squeal." Then, Daniel
 To said. the padrono would call two or three men to him, issue weapons