VENGEANCE OF THE "BLACK HAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14103, 3 July 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

VENGEANCE OF THE "BLACK HAND."

STARTLING CRIME IN NEW YORK. ■ New York, May 18.—The closest friend of Lieutenant Petrosino, the American detective assassinated by emissaries of: the Ita-.; lian Black. Hand Secret Society in 1 aler- ?* mo, was murdered «arly this morning on . the staircase' of the block of flats in which ' he lived. This new victim of the secret society was named Pioggio Puccio. . When he heaid of Petrosinoß assassination he vias loud in denurioiaiirai of.the .i".- '■■■' and later helped to organise the great funeral precision which escorted the dele.:-;, tive's body to the gravf. He contributed a large wutt to the filial for Petrosino'swidow. . After each of these acts he ■>!•,."* , ceiyed a letter of warning. 'The last was .;;:■ sent a month ayo, and informed -him th"-" ' he-was doomed. The dead man was a cigpr-maker, who by his industry and fru- f gality had, earned a competence. . His".hatred of lawlessness won him PeLrosino 's friendship, and they were almost inseparable. Ho had no fear of the Black iiand K , - . and.gave the threatening letters to the po«. lice, who warned him to be> careful, Last , night he attended a. meeting of his lodge of ■Foresters. When he returned early this' ,t morning to his flat in East-street the lights ■' cc the stairs at the first, second, and fninth landings had been extinguished. Standing;,; on tin fourth floor, as Puccio ascended the stairs, the assassin shot him through the • heart, leaped over the body, and escaped into the street. Inhabitants of other thus, who -themselves recently, received . Black' Hand warnings that the house would' he destroyed, cowered within locked loins, save one who shouted from ■* win do v that) a man had been shot within, Jhe police |a found I'm « dead, and searched the i.cJabcurhood for the assassin. " They have a \> ■the slightest clue to; his ideality.' ffi 1 «.owoU« ,— i.i..in,.,, i, ' i*^i

;,.-:B ' .... __ [ " '~;; PUBLISHED BT SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.