New-York tribune., 1921-05-30
Secret Italian,
Gangs W atcl,eel
I'm Kidnapping
90 Mem Under Surveillance
as Police Search for
Five-year-old Boy Who l.
Held for $4,000 Ransom,
Mother Prays for Baby
Mrs. Verotta Fears He VIII
BE Drowned: Believed
Hidden Outside the CITY

Twenty men, known by the police to
he associated with secret societies,
we're under close surveillance last night
nv Chief Michael Fiaschetsi, of the
r,alian detective squad, and his staff, in
connection with the kidnapping of
Giuseppe verotta, five -year-oid Italian
hoy from the home of mis- father.
frank verotta, s54 East Thirteenth
Street.
Facts that came to the knowledge of
the police yesterday afternoon make
them suspicious that She demand on
verotta for $500 is due to the belief
of the so-called blacl;kand gang re-
soonsibIe for it, that Verotta recently
received S considerable sum of money
In settlement of damage suit brought
bv him in behalf OF h5s son Adolph.
Vsrotts, ST., is employed by the Sayles-
Zahu Company, butchers, at 12S Sixth
Avenue Although no settlement has
been made in the damage case it had
been rumored in the vicinity OF Ver-
otta's hons that he had received large
sum from the suit.
The detectives are working en- the
theory that while Verotta has never
been molested by demands from any of
the secret society bands hitherto. it
has been due to the belief that he had
no money.
Simplifies Police Case
The demand for $500. the police
saw. is evidence that the death threat
Letter writer's believe Verotta has the
money, and it sinplifes matters con
siderably from the police point of view,
because persons NEST Likely 10 near
gossip OF Yerotta's supposed recent
windfan are those living in his imme-
date neighoorhood.
Detectives believe one of the three
backnail gangs that have been oper-
atiug with mere beldness during the
last four mortas than at any time since
the war ePded is responsible for the
Verotta Kidnapping, and 81 known
member OF the three clubs or societies
are beng kept under observa ton. All
three gangs have headquarters in
Brooklyn.
A. ", Stewart an attorney with
Offices ct "A Wall Street. who prosecu-
ted the damage case brought by Eerotta
on behalf Of his son. Adolph, when the
latter was badly injured IN 4 motor
truck explosion, yesterday of-red $500
reward Tor the arrest Of the k;Gn2ppers
or information leading to tte return
Of Giuseppe Ferotta to his parents.
Hrs, Ferotca, mother OF 1he missing
boz. who Is in delicate health. was
sustained yesterday by the visits OF
women neIghbors, who assured her that
the cAiid would be returned to her
within a lew hours. When left alone.
tae mother is obsessed with fear that
Giuseppe Will be drowned by his alb
ductors
Mother Prays Constantly.
She prays constantly. and is com
-orted by tAe visits OF priest. Chief
faschetri. o. the Italian Squad. said
lsst nigat that t5ere were several clues,
al pointing r the same direction, but
that L would be premature to make
arrests or TO take action that would
9rouse suspicion in certain quarters.
One OF the gangs under suspicion
Is made up Of Palermo Sicihans and
others under suspicion are known to
have, been members Of Camorra and
similar societies in Calabria and other
parts Of southern Italy. If any i'm
portant support is found for the sup
posed clews now in the hands of Gias-
chetti and his men several arrests are
to be expected within a few hours.
The police believe that young Verotta
mas been taken out of New York and
IS held in another city. The opinion
IS also held that when the kidnapers
discover from newspaper reports that
Yerotta did not get the damage SUIT
money and is practically penniless ar
erort Will be made to return the boy
Z this can be done without risk of
capture to the men involved