WITNESSES KIDNAPPED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 545, 24 December 1928, Page 11

WITNESSES KIDNAPPED

JUDGE’S LIFE THREATENED MAFIA TERRORISM IN CHICAGO (United Service) CHICAGO, Saturday. The terrorism of the Mafia, Italian secret society, which, is aimed at the obstruction of justice, yesterday descended on about 10 persons who were to be witnesses for the State tax a kidnapping case. They have disappeared. It is supposed that they have either been driven to cover by the fear of vengeance, or have been kidnapped. Lieutenant Paul Riccio reported to the assistant State attorney, Mr. Holtman, that the 10 witnesses had been subpoenaed to give evidence concerning the extortion practices of Angelo Petitti, who with Andrew and Tony Cappallano, have been placed on trial before Judge Gentzel on charges of kidnapping a man named Billy Ranieri Incidentally, Judge Gentzel has received a letter threatening him with death. He showed little concern over the threat- He handed the letter to Mr. Hoffman, with the remark that it should be filed for possible use. He then mounted the Bench to continue the case. Mike Devito, whom Petitti* yesterday told the Court bailiff would be the next one to be killed, explained from the witness box, after the jury was chosen, why Italians who got unsigned Black Hand letters always went to Petitti. “Everybody down there knows that Petitti is head of the gang," Devito said, when asked in cross-examination why he had gone to Petitti, after -he had received four letters demanding money and threatening the bombing of his home and the kidnapping of his children and his own murder, if he did not comply.