THE BLACK HAND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXX, Issue 14579, 2 June 1916, Page 5

THE BLACK HAND.

THE PORTMAN ENQUIRY.

SVO.NKV, Thursday

An ojicn verdict was returned in the case of Hans l.'ortuiuu, :i German [irisoiiei , of war, who died at Iloldsworthv

Camp

The coroner said that the evidence showed thai deceased wiii a member of tho "Black Ifjind," :i. secret society compo.so.d a!! the worst characters" in tho camp, who l>lucktiiaili'd and terrified rich, in(luetitial ; but jihysically weak, lollow-Gormaas.- Tliere was a. want oi' evidence to show who struck Portman, due to a. well-concerted conspiracy of" ignorance fur fear of the

<:onse

quenciof

The coroner supported the. suggestion Ih.it the worst clans of prisoners be deported a. ft or the war.

(There wito sensational disclosures ;it an etii|tiii-v into the death of Hans i'ortman, :i (lernuin j>risoner of war interned at Iloldsworthy camp, on May 3rd. The Commandant, in his evidence.

said that numerous brutal assaults had been committed in ono compound, and men -wore taken to hospital with broken ribs :iiid fractured skulls. He was iufonucil that the outrages were, tho result of the. formation of a, Black Hand Society, consisting of thirty or forty members, who threatened tho lives of monoyed or inlluential persons if they did not |>i*y i-.ertain sums into a political organisation which existed in the camp, uud had been instigated by inJluential people for the furtherance of political ends in the camp. When they had done with the president, they clubbed him over tho head and tired him out. Several disturbances arose on April 10th, culminating in two thousand prisoners, armed with cudgels, maltreating several s"o-called members of the. "Black Hand'-* Society. Four of these, covered in blood aud gravel, were thrown over the compound They were picked up and taken to hospital. One, named Portman, died a few minutes later.)