The Washington times., 1919-12-13
BLACK HAND
SUSPECTED IN
MD. Staying
Detectives Try to Identity
Wounds, Which May Throw
Light on Vendetta.


was the Italian who was hacked to
death with either a penknife or
stiietto the victim of the Maia or
Black Hand?
Inspector Clifford L. Grant, chief Of
detectives. who is directing the in
vestigatiou of the Staying. is looking
into this phase OF the case.
Try to Identity Wounds.
Efforts are to be made to identify
the type of wounds inflicted on the
Italian to ascertain whether they
could have been caused by a member
Of one of these societies
Criminal societies of Italy, especi
ally in Sicily, and of Corsica, where
the vendetta nourished, are known to
have had their characteristic mark
ings OF the bodies of their victims
Students of this subject, as well as
members of such organizations, can
tell by the numbe position or shape
of the wounds the motive inspiring
the crime and the organization re-
sponsible.
There is no certainty that the Ital-
ian was stabbed TO death in the clump
Of woods at Benning Heights where
his body was found at 10 O'Clock
|SoNtAHey W eNONes
colored. who was attracted to the
spot by the barking of a dog.
Ne MARKS Of scunle.
Absence of any marks Of a scuffle
in the clump of woods. other than
the indication that the body had been
dragged some distance by the feet,
have led the police to the theory
that the Italian had been possibly
slain either in the city or in an auto
mobile and then placed in the woods.
Detectives placed great Significance
to the fact that the Italians throat
was not only cut. but that there were
fourteen stab wounds in his breast
and three in the back. The Italian
had been stabbed through his over
coat. under coat, waistcoat and un-
derclothing.
Keen-EAged Blade Used.
morgue keeper, and Deputy Coroner
w. B. Carr, who performed an au-
topsy today on the body of the Italian,
stateAr that the seventeen stab
wounds had probably been inflicted
by either a penknife or stilletto.
The wounds were clean cut" said
Mr.. Schoneeerger, and the blade
used must have been keen-edged."
That the Italian had been hacked
ter antmosity toward the dead man,
v Indicated BY the number Of wounds
Inflicted Whether or not the num-
Der Of wounds will help to identity
the assassin, or a society against
whom he had engendered ill-feeling,
is q matter which the detectives are
Investigating. A number Of Italians
h4ve been quixzed by Inspector Grant
and Detective Sergeants Morgan.
Armstrong. Embrey and Hartman, but
NJ to noon they were unable to throw
any Light On the murder or the
t0Atfty OF the italian
nd Landry Marx.
However, detectives believe that
- Italian = d. Cuofucoli. formerly
ef Trenton, N. J. In searching the
man's clo<hins this morning, District
Aeryue Keeper Schoneberger and the
detectives found q tailor's label with
the name ID. Cuofucoli," written in
ink on IT The initials d. C. also were
found on the inside pocket Of his
sack coat The same initials were
found on the slain mans undercloth-
ING.
The tailors label indicates that the
blue serge suit that the Italian wore
mad been made by Ferdinando Nanni,
lS7 Roeblins avenue, Trenton. ". J.
A40UC~Scf SIouI was In leleDlOnc
conversation this morning with the
Trenton police department, whom he
urged to interview the tailor in an
effort to throw more light on the
identity of Cuofucoli.
While the police have many theories
as to what probably prompted the
staying of the Italian, they were to-
day undecided as to which one Is to
be given the most credence. Discov-
49, ,-1x
trousers had been turned inside out
led the police to suspect that the mo-
tive had been robbery. But they later
secuted this theory when finding 1912
in the right outside pocket of the
Italians sack coat
Admittedly hampered by the lack
or any motive and no trace of friends
or relatives OF the dead man. the po-
lice have made but little progress in
the case today.
Just as soon as we hear from the
trenton police as to Cuofucoli," said
Inspector Grant. "T feel we will be
able to quickly clear up the murder
Search For wea>e, FutiLe.
An unavailing search was made to-
day for the knife or stiletto which
was used in staying the italian.
Police say they are in possession of
clue which they expect may mate
rally assist in identifying the SLAYER
OF the Italian They are guarding the
Information with secrecy for fear that
mention of 1t in the newspapers might
"tip OF" the slayer
The name OF ID. Cuofucoli, found
penned on the tailor's label on the
inside of the mans sack coat, does
not appear in the Trenton street di-
rectory but that OF the tailor who made
The suit of clothes worn by the Ital-
an does Il Is through the tailor
that the police ape pinnIng their
hopes of learning more OF the Italian.
NEW D n NpcTATJnN