Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-07-24
VENGEANCE in
BLACK HAND CASE
Rocco Fiorelli. Clarksburg and Fair
mont Italian. Cruelty Murdered by
Black Hand Organization.


HARRISBURG, July 24th--Coun-
ty officers of two counties and po-
lice officers of two cities were early
this morning closing in on the muir
derers of Rocco Fiorello, Clarksburg
and Fairmont Italian, the former
secretary, and later the informer, Of
the Black Hand organization Of Fair
mont Clarksburg and Baltimore,
which used to maintain its headquart-
ers in this city. AT midnight, five
ARRESTS had been made A woman
and four men were prisoners in the
city Jail in Clarksburg Additional
arrests were expected before morn
ing.
Fiorello was killed about 2:30 o.
clock on Sunday afternoon when he
was shot through the head with
rifle bullet. His body was wrapped
in quilt and removed some distance
to lonely spot in the woods. There
ia shallow grave was dug. The head
of the murdered man was crushed
with a mattock, and the body was
buried. Then the automobile owned
by the dead man was run over an
embankment into the West Fork riv-
er in the vicinity of the murder.
Not until Monday morning was the
automobile found. The search for
the body of the dead man was then
begun. About noon on Wednesday
the body was discovered by two fore
igners. Finding fresh earth in the
woods they Investigated and soon
came upon the quilt. They notified
the officers and the body was un-
earthed.
In a morgue in Clarksburg last
night lay the remains of the Italian
in West Virginia. The clothing, soil
ed with blood and earth. The skull
empty, as the brains had run out Of
the gaping hole in the skull the face
blackenedj His fhther-jn-law Mr..
Bragg of Weston, was making ar
arrangements to remove the body there
for burial as soon as possible, where
beside the body of the dead wife,
who died shortly after the Black
Hand trials in Clarksburg it will be
laid to rest.
In the Jail in Clarksburg were
John Patterson, farmer who lives
a quarter Of mile from the scene Of
the finding of Florellis body, Mrs,
Daisy Patsy, Pattersons sister her
husband, John Patsy, and Joe Costo,
a shoe repairman Of Clarksburg. The
four are held in connection with the
murder, but as yet no formal charge
has been made against them.
An autopsy by County Coroner
Matheny. disclosed that wound from
a rifle, and blow on the head bur-
led in a clump of poplar and hickory
Isaplings, covered with few inches
of dirt The body was stripped Of
all valuables, including a gold watch
and chain ring which Fiorello al
ways wore, and money, believed to
amount to $1,000. The clothing ex-
cept for the shoes was the same he
was wearing Sunday when friends
last talked with him. The shoes were
not placed in the grave and have not
been found. His body was wrapped
lin home made quilt and an old pair
of overalls. These Sheriff Young
is holding as evidence in the case.
Florello's Lexington roadster was
found in the West Fork river, mile
from the mouth of Broun's Creek,
and within a considerable distance
from Davisson's hollow When the
car was found the tail light was still
burning and the car was in low gear
1t is known positively that Fiorello
was at the Patterson home on Sun
day afternoon. But what his actions
were after leaving their home is as
yet shrouded in mystery.
Italians claim that Fiorelo had
been given the Black Hand warning
that he was to be croaked very soon,
and his blood drunk by those who
tortured him to death, as is in ac-
cordance with the old Black Hand
ritual for one who has turned traitor
10 +hofr. oot,So