“BLACK HAND” GANG CAUGHT,

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1920, Page 3

“BLACK HAND” GANG CAUGHT,

APPALLING CRIME RECORD. NEW YORK, Dec. 2

An amazing story of “Black Hand” crimes was revealed to-day hv the Chicago police after tne arrest of l(i Italians who have confessed to 5 murders, 12 acts of homicide, 250 burglaries, I'so robberies, and scores of shooting affrays.

The capture of the gang was made possible by a slight blunder in their operations." A few days ago a. detachment of them entered a pool room on the south side of Chicago and. shot and killed the proprietor, rifled (he cash register, and (departed, leaying po clue. Tn examining the men in the poof (oom, whom the band.ibs. had fqree.d to hold up, their hi!mb? whilfc they extracted the consents of their pockets, the pplice were struck by the fact tlmf a hov named Thomas Enrjco, had b ( e,ep allowed to ret a, in bhi pocketbook. .Enrico was •iviesfed. He confessed .to being a member of a mpst efficiently organised an\\y of thieves and murderers who, had; been at work system a Really ip the southern and south-westcyn portions of the city. The leader-of tbe band, the youth said, was pne Frank Caiupiont, though a former Reader, Sain Gardinella, still dominated and advised them.

“It’s no use trying to catch them.” he added, “as they have all sworn to die fighting.” CAPTURED BY A RUSE.

The detectives surrounded Ciimpipili’s pool rpopi. Campioni, from behind tiie door, asked: “What do you want? “We want Frank Mooney,” was the answer. A whispered conference ensued among the criminals, one of whom was overheard saying: “They don’t want us; tliev want some Irishman. Put away your guns and let them in.’’ Tiie detectives rushed in with drawn revolvers and captured the entire gang. Since then several prisoners have made full confessions, from which it appears that Cardinella headed two gangs, one composed of youngsters whom he employed for robberies, the other made up of older men who were engaged on more desperate enterprises. Among tiie recent crimes of the older men is (lie murder of one of their own leaders, Santo Orlando, who was riddled with bullets and thrown into the river for “double-crossing” .tiie conspirators. After tiie gang had made a haul and tiie spoils had been distributed, Car--1 dinellft regularly employed, card-sliarp-ers who gambled with them and with I tiie aid of marked cards and loadc'l dice, secured all their money