The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-24
By international News Service.


By international News Service.
CLARKSBURG, W. Va, April q.
"A gigantic attempt to establish
throughout the United States the
terrorizing secret government OF the
| Italian Camorrists has been doomed
to failure by dramatic application to
mountain justice" in West Vir-
ginia.
With ten identified Camorrists--
all alleged blood brothers OF the
Black Hand organiEation-in Gus.
tody, three already sentenced to-
warrants, the famed mountain
| Justice Of this State has brought
to an abrupt end three-yeacs
rule Of terror" across sections OF
Pennsylvania, Maryland and West
Virginia.
A score of murders have been
chalked up to this band of Italians
| who brought to America the secret
plottings OF Rome's ill.faned murder
society. Bomb explosions, the kid
! mapping of American women and
widespread intimidation were in.
obliged in by the Camorrists with d
total disregard for American laws
! and institutions.
quarters in this county, according
planning to extend their terrorist
rule clear across the continent.
They had invaded Indiana on one
excursion, and went frequently into
Pennsylvania and Maryland to
threaten, blackmail, bomb or kill as
the circumstances invited them.
Seven Slain in Cold Blood.
Seven murders were committed in
! this county. They started in Sep
TENDER, 1920, when John Lacava, a
taxi driver, was slain at the wreel
of his cab. There was no trace or
| his slayers, but witnesses later told
OF another cab passing Lacava at
high speed from which came a vol
ley OF pistol shots. As it sped away
death stalked in its wake.
In January, 1921, Frank .Arabella,
coal miner, was waylaid on his re.
| turn from work. His bullet.riddled
body was found on a railroad track.
He had been shot down without a
chance for life. There was no trace
of his slayers.
Carl Spence, a Kelley Hill mer-
chant, came next. In August, 1871,
he was, counting the days proceeds
Strangers entered, and Spence died
across his counter as q hail Of leaden
| death struck him in the chest. The
killers escaped.
A month later Adolphus Walker,
a hotel porter, was overtaken by
| the band on q lonely road. He had
offended one OF their number and
when they passed on Walkers body
was left lying in the road where he
| had fallen under q rain Of bullets.
There were no clues to the murder.
| ers.
One Of Own Members Killed.
In December, 1921, big Joe"
| Ceneti, sometimes said to have been
one of their own number, was
| found mysteriously slain at the
wheel Of his automobile on another
lonely road. He had quafrelled
| with the Black Handlers and one of
their number at least had &C.
companied him on his last ride only
to pour a volley Of shots into bis
back when the car reached a pre-.
selected death spot The slayer
disappeared without leaving clue.
For almost year the county was
quiet, and it was in this period the
State charged the band sailed forth
into Pennsylvania and Maryland to
carry out a number of murder plots.
In February. 1922, however, the
bloodsbed broke out anew.
l With unbelievable audacity the
band shot to death Frank Naples,
a barber. also said to have been
one of their number, on a main
street of Clarksburg in broad day.
light. Three gangsters opened fire
on Naples. and when he laid dying
in the gutter one OF their number
walked calmly to his side and fired
again and again into his quivering
form. The killers fed, but this
time they were seen and identified.
For months the band remained
under cover" but it came forth
again in January of this year to
execute James Fapara, alias Jim
my Little" Little was shot to
death in the same building where
Spence was slain. The sound OF
the shots had barely died away
when the State authorities began a
roundup Of the band. Ten men
were arrested and to date three
have been convicted of first degree
murder with penalty of death by
hanging. These are Philip c'Big
Nose'D ConniZarro, Nick Saiamante
and Richard C"Dapper Diclx') Ferri,
ohS VI IHe DdIlu y alleged leaders.
All three were convicted for par.
ticipation in the killing OF Naples.
Fearless Official Gets Convictions
The Cleanup was due chiefly
to the efforts Of District ATTORNEY
| William e. Morris, a fighting Grim
inologist. Morris, Irish and loving
a fight, waded into the bits of evi.
dence collected from time to time
against the gang, sent out his
agents to trail suspects and within
month after the killing Of Little
had sufficient evidence to warrant
arrests.
The police trap was sprung in
February and ten alleged Black
Handlers were caught.
With the entire community sup.
porting him, Morris had no trouble
in proving his cases against Con-
nizarro, Salamante and Ferri. Pub
lie opinion was fully aroused and
the famed mountain justice" spoke
for itself. The trio will be hanged
In June unless the governor inter
| venes.
With the pronouncement of death
! sentences the Black Hand organi-