The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-25
D. BELLAS KNEW
He WAS MARKED
To Be KILLED
LAST NIGHTS MURDER VICTIM AT
MARTINS FERRY TOLD FRIEND
OF PLOT Against HIM.
Says . Relative Had Told Him TO Share
His Property with Him or
Be Killed.

Sam DiBellaS the young Italian VINO
was murdered on his sisters porch al
Martins Ferry last night, knew mat nc
had been marked for murder by the
BLACK Hand and sought the advice ot>a
prominent man Mt Martins Ferry early
Wednesday afternoon. according 10
statement made to an lntelligenCcr re-
porter this morning by the man VINO
says DiBcllas told him the story.
My COD. did they get that poor BOY
already" This exclamation came 1ro'n
the man who had listened TO DIBeIlas
story less than sixty hours before ne
was killed. when the killing OF Dibel-
las was mentioned 10 him.
"DiRellas came TO me at Martihs
Ferry Wednesday. probably between ono
and two O'Clock" the 1ntelligenccrs IN
formaut said "fie told ne that the
gang was after him, and he was QuaK-
INK with fear.
You SEQ. he told me this story. You
know D!Bellas and his brother-in-law'
Frank Machri. were both shot al Aetna
Vile a few weeks ago. Dthellas swore
70 mo that he did not shoot Machri, but
that the gang was after him lie sw"re
10 me that his story that two men ned
Them I'D ut Aetnaville was true.
"Machri. YOU knew. was b. d v
wounded in that affair nj AetnaNite
and was taken to the Martins Fcr"F
hospital. DiBellas told me :elattre ~
the leader OF the whole Black Hand
gang In this district. He sail this man
demanded DiDellas either tuin over ="
him. most OF his property. whi'a
amounts to $1,000 OF $4,000, or he wou'a
swear that DIDcllnS shot I.achri al Il
send him to the penitcntiary. DlBellas
told me he refused. and that the man
told him he would have him shot.
"lIe asked my advice. | told him
that he might place his estate In the
hands OF trustee arrange n note |"
cover the bond under which he was
held at 81. Clairsvllle on the charge OF
shooting Frank Machri. leave his adj
dress with his lawyer and SO away
where tho gang would not know where
no was until he Is called back 10 St
Clairsville for trial. In the meantime
l advised him, he might have his estate
sold and If ne really Is afraid OF the
gang nc said was after him. he conIn
go far away. even SO back to the ola
country, and have the money from MS
estate sent 10 him.
"ue said he would do this. He said
he would arrange 10 be nj st. CIafSN'I'e
when his case was called. as he declare"
he was innocent Of shooting his brother
ln-law and wanted to obey the law ana
regard his bond as binding. l Know
ma, he started making his plans to hue
himself where only his lawyer would
know how to reach him, and now, poor
fellow. he has been killed"
II know" this man went on I" say
that D!bellas was n fine young fellow.
lie did not belong 10 the Black hahu
gang, but he was dcathly afraid that
he would be killed"
'DiBellas. II will be recalled. was Shot
through tho hand at the time Machr'
was wounded.
When the gang held them mp, Disc
las told me-" the IntclliCenccrS inform
rnt said, "Machrl tried 10 hide bch!nt
him in their motor truck. lie SHOWED
me how he seized MaChri's head an'
was gripping his head trying To get De
hind him when the shot was fired thai
wounded Machri In tho head lie sale
that II was that bullet that passed
through his hand before II entered MS
hrother-in-law'S head.
The man named by DiEelias as the
man who said he would have him Sho
the IntelliESncer was told, was also de
rlared by DiBcllaS in his conversation
with his friend and adviser To nave
ulottcd the recent bombing on n MOUSE
In belmont county and tho slaSh!ng O
the face Of 4 woman who refused u
!, heed n demand of the BLACK Hand gang